Question Summary:
is yeast halaal to consume in food…we raise our hand in Duaa and make dua of magfirah for the deceased, some people say this is biddah?…if we buy some haraam food by mistake are we allowed to give it to non-muslims?

Question Detail:

Asalamualykum honourable and respected mufti saab
i have a few questions:

1)Firstly is yeast halaal to consume in food?

2)As in our pakistani culture we have it that when someone passes aways and we go to pay respect to the family we raise our hand in Duaa and make dua of magfirah  for the deceased, some people say this is biddah? can u please clarify this for us?

3) if we buy some haraam food by mistake are we allowed to give it to non-muslims?

jazakAllah khair

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
1.
Yeasts are unicellular fungi.  It is commonly found in soils and on plant surfaces and are especially abundant in sugary mediums such as flower nectar and fruits.  Due to its useful physiological properties, it is commonly used in bakery and for the fermentation of drinks.  It is permissible to consume product that contain yeast.
(http://www.answers.com/yeast)
2.
To visit those going though hardship and give condolence is virtuous deed which is encouraged in Shariah.  It is narrated in a hadith:
محمد بن عمرو بن حزم يحدث عن أبيه عن جده عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال ما من مؤمن يعزى أخاه بمصيبة إلا كساه الله سبحانه من حلل الكرامة يوم القيامة
There is not a believer who visits his brother afflicted with a calamity, except that Allah will dress him with the garments of honor on the Day of Qiyamah.  (Ibn Majh 1/511 al-Maktaba al-‘Ilmiya)
In another narration it comes:
عن عبد الله قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من عزى مصابا فله مثل أجره
Who ever console a person afflicted with a misfortune, he will be reward with the same (as the one afflicted).   (Tirmidhi 3/385 Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiya, Ibn Majh 1/511 al-Maktaba al-‘Ilmiya)
Ulama explain that the following dua should be read:
أعظم الله أجرك ، وأحسن عزاءك ، وغفر لميتك
May Allah reward you greatly, take you worries away, and have mercy on the deceased. (Rad al-Muhtar, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq, Mirqat al-Mafatih)
It is permissible to raise the hands and make dua of forgiveness for the deceased.  However, one should not consider it to be a necessary act.  To raise the hands for dua in general is established from hadith.
عن السائب بن يزيد عن أبيه أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا دعا فرفع يديه مسح وجهه بيديه
Sa’ib ibn Yazid narrates from his father that when Nabi (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam) made dua, he would raise his hand and wipe his face with his hands. (Abu Dawood 1/209 H.M. Saeed)
In another narration it is mentioned: 
عن ابن عباس قال المسألة أن ترفع يديك حذو منكبيك أو نحوهما
Narrated by Ibn Abbas (Radhiyallahu Anhu) that dua is raising of the hand till your shoulders or close to it. (Abu Dawood 1/209 H.M Saeed)
Thalaathu-Rasaa'il fee Istihbaab Raf'il yadain wad-dua'i badas salawaatil maktubah pg. 37-38 Dar al-Basha’ir al-Islamiya
Halal aur Haram by Ml Khalid Saifullah pg. 425 Zamzam Publishers
3.
It is not permissible to give haram food away to non-Muslims.  Haram food must be thrown away without benefiting anyone. 
Al-Fatawa al-Hindiya (5/344) Maktaba Rasheediya
ولا يجوز لأحد أن يطعم المجنون الميتة بخلاف الهرة ، وإذا تنجس الخبز أو الطعام لا يجوز أن يطعم الصغير أو المعتوه أو الحيوان المأكول اللحم ، وقال أصحابنا : لا يجوز الانتفاع بالميتة على أي وجه ، ولا يطعمها الكلاب والجوارح ، كذا في القنية
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ehzaz Ajmeri,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah