Malaysian TikToker @thaqibshaker was enjoying his dose of caffeine at a Chinese Kopitiam recently when a kind Chinese uncle stepped in to say hi with a reminder.
“Brother, are you Malay? This place is non-Halal.”
Thaqib politely responded to the Chinese uncle and told him that he knew about the Halal status of the premises, but he was there merely for a cup of coffee. The Chinese uncle then asked Thaqib if he could join him on TikTok live, to which the TikToker welcomed him and told his followers he had made a new friend.
Thaqib also thanked the kind uncle for showing concern about the matter after the latter took a seat next to him.
This was not Thaqib’s first time in a Chinese kopitiam. Back in April, the man revealed that he loves visiting the Kopitiam for a good cup of coffee in the mornings.
Thaqib explains that he enjoys getting coffee from Chinese kopitiams
The Chinese uncle also said he was surprised to see a Malay customer dining in at the place because it had never happened before due to the eatery not having a Halal status. Thaqib then explained to the uncle that he’s a big fan of coffee prepared in Chinese kopitiams.
“I have never eaten here. I am just here for the coffee,” Thaqib told his followers in the video.
In another video, Thaqib also chatted with the uncle about common occurrences in Chinese kopitiams, saying that most of the time, customers have to pay for their food once it’s served. The uncle then explained to Thaqib that the payment is collected first to prevent the vendors from forgetting about the unpaid bills.
According to Mufti Selangor’s official website, it is Syubhah for a Muslim to dine in at eateries run by non-Muslims. Any food or drink that lies within the grey area and does not fall clearly under the Halal or non-Halal category is classified as ‘Syubhah’, which means questionable, or dubious.
Social media users were happy to see the uncle taking his time to caution the TikToker
Some also said that the elderly man had shown that being united is easy.
“It’s good that this uncle cautions and reminds him.”
“This is the right way. No misunderstanding between races. Isn’t it good to sit together?”
You can watch Thaqib’s video below:
@thaqibshaker
JAKIM highly recommends Muslims to prioritise Halal eateries.