Halal
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Halal (حلال, ḥalāl, halaal) is an Arabic term meaning "permissible". In the English language it most frequently refers to food that is permissible according to Islamic law. In the Arabic language it refers to anything that is permissible under Islam.
[edit] "Halal" the Word
The use of the term varies between Arabic-speaking communities and non-Arabic-speaking ones.
In Arabic-speaking countries, the term is used to describe anything permissible under Islamic law, in contrast to haraam, that which is forbidden. This includes behaviour, speech, dress, conduct, manner and dietary laws (listen to some aspects of halal).
In non-Arabic-speaking countries, the term is most commonly used in the narrower context of just Muslim dietary laws, especially where meat and poultry are concerned, though it can be used for the more general meaning as well [1]. This dichotomy of usage is similar to the Hebrew term "kosher".
[edit] Quranic Verses relating to Halal
In determining whether a food is halal or haraam (forbidden), various verses of the Quran (ayat) are frequently referenced:
- "He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits - then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful" [2]Quran 2:173
- "Forbidden to you (your food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject Faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" [3]Quran 5:3
- “This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and liven with them in honour, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter”[4]Quran 5:5
- "Say: I find not in the message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine, for it is an abomination or, what is impious, (meat) on which a name has been invoked, other than Allah's. But (even so), if a person is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" [5]Quran 6:145
- "He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" [6]Quran 16:115
The following verses are oft-cited when referring to alcohol and Islam:
- "Shaitân (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allâh and from As-Salât (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain?"[7] Quran 5:91
- "They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: "That which is beyond your needs." Thus Allâh makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought." [8] Quran 2:219
[edit] Varying Forms of Halal
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Muslims vary on what is required for food to be considered "halal".
[edit] Dhabiĥa Halal (ذبيحة حلال)
Adherents to this philosophy maintain that in order for food to be considered halal, it must not be a forbidden substance and any meat must have been slaughtered according to traditional guidelines set forth by the Sunnah, known as dhabiĥa. This is the strictest definition of Halal. This type of Halal is observed by Shia Muslims, since the Shia don't believe in non-Dhabiha Halal.
[edit] First type of "Bismillah" Halal
Some believe that the guidelines of Dhabiĥa do not necessarily need to be followed[citation needed] and reciting "Bismillahi Allahu Akbar" (In the name of God , And God is the greatest) immediately preceding consumption renders the meat permissible. People who adhere to this type of halal generally do not partake in the consumption of forbidden substances. Defenders of this method declare that the Quran does not dictate that God's (see Islamic concept of God) name must be taken prior to slaughtering the animal, it merely says in multiple places:
They also narrate a hadith in which Muhammad states "Mention Allah's name on it and eat..." upon being questioned on how to deal with food that is not verifiably dhabiĥa. [10][dubious — see talk page]
Critics of this method claim that the text of the Quran and the hadith needs to be taken in perspective and in context, and accuse defenders of this method of misinterpreting them. [11]
[edit] Halal and Kosher
Some believe that the word "kosher" is an adequate replacement for "halal", even though they are not identical.[12] However, most Muslim and Jewish authorities believe the terms are not interchangeable. [13]. More information can be found at Comparison of Dhabiĥa Halal and Kashrut.
[edit] Explicitly Forbidden Substances
A variety of substances are considered forbidden (haraam) as per various Quranic verses:
- Pork, or any pig-based products
- Blood
- Animals slaughtered in the name of anyone but God (There is debate regarding the permissibility of meat slaughtered by Christians or Jews)
- Carrion
- "Fanged beasts of prey"[14] as per the Sunnah, usually simplified to all carnivorous animals, with the exception of most fish and sea animals
- All intoxicants (specifically alcohol)
There is some disagreement among Muslims regarding seafood, especially predatory sea creatures. IFANCA (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America) states, regarding the opinion of Islamic scholars[15]:
- All are in agreement that fish with scales are halal
- Sunnis consider all fish to be halal, while Shias consider some fish haraam[16]. Within mostly the Hanafi and to an extent the Maliki School and Shafi of thought, there is a strong position that shellfish (shrimp, lobster, crab, clams, etc.) are prohibited. Although there is no mention of it being NOT prohibited in Hadith and Quran.
- Most agree that frogs are haraam due to the prohibition of killing them in hadith.
[edit] Dhabiĥa (method used to slaughter animals)
The conventional method of slaughtering all animals, excluding fish and most sea life, is known as dhabiĥa (ذَبِيْحَة), often pronounced by non-Arabs as zabiha. It involves severing the major arteries in the neck of the animal, as well as the esophagus and trachea, with one swipe of a nonserrated blade.
[edit] Criticisms of Dhabiĥa Halal
Some[attribution needed] object to dhabiĥa halal and believe that it causes unnecessary suffering to the animal which is not stunned before slaughter.
Advocates for dhabiĥa halal[attribution needed] contend that this method of slaughter is actually more humane than the modern method of stunning before slaughter.
For more detail, see dhabiĥa and animal rights controversy.
[edit] Problems Following dietary laws in non-Muslim countries
Depending on which definition of halal a Muslim chooses to adhere to, and the strictness with which the person chooses to adhere to it, living in a non-Muslim country can pose minimal or great difficulty.
[edit] Dhabiĥa Halal
Dhabiĥa halal is relatively difficult to adhere to in a non-Muslim country:
- Depending on the presence or absence of a significant Muslim population in the area, finding grocery stores, meat stores, and restaurants which serve/sell dhabiĥa halal foods can be extremely difficult.
- The abundance of pork and non-dhabiha meats at restaurants presents a rather difficult problem to overcome. While a Muslim will not order a non-dhabiĥa halal dish, there is a concern about cross-contamination. This is likely to occur when the dhabiĥa halal dish is prepared with the same cooking tools as other non-dhabiĥa halal dishes. Food and juices from the two dishes are likely to be exchanged, technically rendering the dhabiĥa halal dish as haraam.
- Many apparently meat-free dishes, and even some desserts, contain pork, gelatin, or other non-conforming substances. There is also a concern in the Muslim community about food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) that may use enzymes derived from pig fat in the production process. It is very difficult to avoid such food additives as they are widely used and are not declared on restaurant menus.
- Alcohol, especially wine, is frequently used in cooking. It is largely used in sauces and cakes, and is also present as an ingredient in vanilla and other extracts. Some contend that this is not a concern, so long as the alcohol has been thoroughly burned off in the cooking process.
Since the turn of the century, there have been efforts to create organizations such as the Muslim Consumer Group that certify food products as halal for Muslim consumers.
[edit] Comparison with Kashrut
There is a great deal of similarity between the laws of Dhabiĥa halal and Kashrut, and there are also various differences. More information can be found at Comparison of Dhabiĥa Halal and Kashrut.
[edit] Debate on Permissibility of Kashrut
Whether or not Muslims can use kashrut standards as a replacement for halal standards is an ongoing debate. However, sura 5, verse 5 in the Quran deems the food of Christians and Jews as permissible, which some interpret to say that kosher can be considered halal.
[edit] Halal in Non-Islamic Countries
- In Dearborn, Michigan, United States, home to one of the largest Muslim and Arab populations in the United States, a number of fast food chains like McDonald's introduced halal chicken nuggets.[17]
Recent laws passed in the United States have made it illegal to sell, distribute, and/or produce of food that has been mislabeled "halal," when it is determined that the food does not meet Islamic dietary standards. Similar laws protect Kosher foods [18]. Some were struck down by the courts as an unconstitutional sanction of religious provisions, but others were upheld as consumer protection regulations. See Kashrut.
[edit] See also
- Harām
- Islamic dietary laws
- Istihlal
- Sharī'ah
- Kashrut
- Clean animals
- Unclean animals
- Taboo food and drink
[edit] External links
Guides
- Reviews of many Halal foods in Malaysia
- Leading Halal certification agency in North America
- HalalSearch.net Online search for Halal certified products, premises and slaughterhouses
- Zabihah.com Online halal restaurant guide
- Halal and Haraam (Islamic.co.uk) About halal and haraam foods, ingredients, and behavior
- HalalDiets.com Halal recipes
- Halal Guide (HalalGuide.info) Guide to Halal and Islamic Lifestyle
- Halaluniversal.comOnline trade for halal conformed products
- FirstHalal.com FirstHalal.com
- HalalAdvertiser.com HalalAdvertiser.com
- HalalFrozen.com Guid and Suppliers for Halal Frozen Products
- Halal-Muslim-Products.comHalal-Muslim-Products.com
- Considerable website about halal food information
Information
- Living Halal: a fun and rewarding lifestyle
- Halal: an explanation
- Muslim method of slaughtering
- The Quran and Hadith about halal and haraam food
- Large list of halal-related concepts
- Information on halal practices by IFANCA
- Answering criticism of the concept
- Answering criticism
- Viva! - Vegetarians International Voice for Animals - The Reality of Religious Slaughter A non-Islamic source on halal slaughter and animal suffering
- Halal killing may be banned
Commercial
- - Crescenthalal.com Halal chicken provider in United States. Certified from Shar'iah Board of America
- - Halal Alive!.com Vitamins: High Quality, Certified Halal Multivitamins and Supplements
- - Midamarhalal.com An online halal store
Categories: Articles lacking sources from July 2006 | All articles lacking sources | Articles lacking sources from December 2006 | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Accuracy disputes | Wikipedia articles needing factual verification | Halaal food | Religion based diets
