Q. Some colleagues who are not Muslims come back to their homes with sweets bought at temples. Are these permissible to eat?
Saleem
A. It depends on the nature of such sweets or other food. If they are offered to the temple as part of the worship of deities other than God, then they are not permissible for a Muslim to eat. On the other hand, if they are simply sold at those places, carrying no religious significance other than being traditionally associated with those places, then eating them is permissible. The difference is in the intention for which they are made and the associations presumed for them. For example, according to traditions, certain foods sold at certain temples are thought to help recovery from particular illnesses. If this association has some religious aspect, such as the food being kept in the temple for a particular period, or certain prayers are read there, or any such matter, then such food must not be eaten by Muslims. On the other hand, if the healing aspect is a natural quality of the ingredients, then it is perfectly permissible. For example, ginger is known to have very beneficial effects and helps in healing certain illnesses. If the food you are offered is associated with recovery from illness because it contains ginger, then that is fine. If the healing effect is thought to be the result of blessing by a deity, then it is forbidden to eat or use. You really need to know what you are offered.
If you are offered such food and you are unsure of it, you may take it and keep it with you, then when you leave you may give it to a poor person without telling him what it is, or to some animals. This spares you embarrassment among your colleagues while observing rules of the Islamic law.