food question for Muslims

[Xahm]

Sorry in advance if any of this is worded badly.

My daughter is a Cub Scout, and a new neighbor on our street ordered some popcorn (specifically Chocolaty Caramel Crunch) from the annual fundraiser. I was trying to hang back and let my daughter mostly handle things, but I stepped up closer for this one because I wanted to make sure there was no language barrier issue. The family is Egyptian (I think) and celebrates Islamic holidays. An older woman who didn't speak much English answered the door but got a younger woman who spoke English well to come handle the interaction. They were both very happy and excited to order something and paid in advance. Today, we were delivering the product and this time interacted with a young man and older man who were in the driveway about to leave. Again, the younger generation handled the conversation due to language skills, but he told us he couldn't accept the popcorn and to consider it a donation. I showed him who had ordered it, explained it was paid for, and tried to get him to take it, but he again said to consider it a donation.

I certainly don't want to cause offense to anyone, and we haven't had a chance to get to know these neighbors at all before these interactions (though we enjoyed their lights during Ramadan evenings, which is why I assume they are Muslim). Does anyone know if dietary restrictions would keep them from eating this particular item, or just unknown items in general? Or is it likely confusion about fundraisers, holiday stuff, etc? Should we try to go back when we think the women are likely home? My four and six year olds are firmly in the camp, "They just gave us dessert!" so I kind of don't want to wait too long on this. I also don't want those women to wonder why we never brought them the popcorn they ordered!

[Rosie_0801]

I'd go back when they women were there. They were the ones who ordered it.

[scrapbookbuzz]

I agree with Rosie. Seems odd to me. But then I'm not Muslim, so I'm sure there is something else behind the scenes there that we're just not getting.

[Xahm]

I'm leaning towards going back in hopes of getting the women. I think if we go when there are no cars, there will either be no one there or only the women, since I've only seen the men driving, but I haven't been spying that closely to be sure! I'm really not sure if it's a cultural misunderstanding or a religious one. If cute kids had showed up at my door in Russia and said something about raising money to go camping, I'd probably have given them some even if I wasn't sure whether I was making a donation or buying something or what. 

[Arcadia]

Is the popcorn halal? My Muslim friends won’t take non-halal food but would be willing to make whatever they pay a donation like what your young male neighbor said. As in they would partake in the fundraiser but not take the goods. 

For convenient, my friends look for the Halal symbol on packaged foods. It’s the symbol on the top right corner of the first page of link http://www.halalrc.org/images/Research Material/Literature/Guide to Halal Foods.pdf

[Rosie_0801]

If the popcorn is nothing but corn and sugar, it's halal even without the symbol. You'd think that if these women only bought food marked as halal, they wouldn't have been so excited about purchasing and would have said they were giving a donation in the first place.

I wouldn't want to consider the situation closed until I'd spoken to the women. The blokes may not tell them what they'd said to you.

[Spy Car]

13 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said:

If the popcorn is nothing but corn and sugar, it's halal even without the symbol. You'd think that if these women only bought food marked as halal, they wouldn't have been so excited about purchasing and would have said they were giving a donation in the first place.

I wouldn't want to consider the situation closed until I'd spoken to the women. The blokes may not tell them what they'd said to you.

Popcorn is typically fried in oil or fat of some sort to make it pop and if the popcorn was made using non-halal animal shortening it would not be halal.

Some people are more strict about such things than others when it comes to taking chances.

Bill

[maize]

I would want to talk to the women who ordered.

[maize]

If they can't eat it maybe they would be happy to gift it to someone else.

[73349]

For customers who are not home when we go out and deliver popcorn, DS and I printed out little cards saying we will try again another day, and listed the phone number. We put it in the mailbox. Maybe try something like that?

[umsami]

Seems really strange to me.  Ive yet to run into people refusing popcorn at the mosque.  There are some strict Muslims who will not eat anything but halal-slaughtered meat (or kosher-slaughtered) meat.... but that is the typical thing I encounter other than no-gelatin unless it's labeled vegetarian, piscine/fish, or beef.  FWIW, Muslims Scouts are a thing and pretty big in some communities.  Muslim Girl Scouts sell the GS cookies... Muslim Boy Scouts sell the BS popcorn.  

I agree with the others about trying to catch the women at home or leaving it.