What is Halal in Islam:
Halal in Islam means anything that is permitted by Islamic rules. They can be products or acts that Islamic Law permits. Halal in Islam is the inverse of Haram in Islam.
Allah said in the Quran about prohibited things that are haram in Islam:
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَآ أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ ۖ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُ ۙ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّآ أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ
They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, “Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allah has taught you. So eat what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah.” Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
Qur’an (5:4)
Meat is the most strictly regulated of the food groups. Not only are blood, pork, and the meat of dead animals or those immolated to other than Allah strongly prohibited, but it is also required that the Halal animals be slaughtered while pronouncing the name of Allah at the time of slaughter.
فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُم بِـَٔايَٰتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنِينَ
So eat of that [meat] upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned if you are Believers in His verses [i.e., revealed law].
(AlQuran 6:118)
The following are Halal in Islam Non-Meat Products:
- Milk (from cows, sheep, camels, and goats)
- Honey
- Fish
- Plants that are not intoxicant
- Fresh or naturally frozen vegetables
- Fresh or dried fruits
- Legumes and nuts like peanuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc.
- Grains such as wheat, rice, rye, barley, oat, etc.
- Bread products
- Cereals – breakfast, natural, and organic
- Cheese, cheese products, and coatings
- Coffee mixes
- Dairy Products – whipped toppings and drink mixes
- Desserts – cakes, and pastries
- Eggs – powdered, frozen, and processed
- Fish and Seafood
- French Fries and Processed Potatoes
- Fruits – fresh and dried
- Grains
- Honey
- Ice Cream and Ice Cream Toppings
- Jams and Jellies
- Legumes and Nuts
- Milk (from species considered Halal)
- Pastry Items – frostings and coatings
- Pasta
- Peanut Butter
- Pizzas
- Plants (which are non-intoxicating)
- Sauces and Dressings
- Seasonings
- Soup and Soup Base
- Syrups – table and flavored
- Tea Blends
- Vegetables – fresh and frozen
Animals that are Halal in Islam are:
All domestic birds, sheep, goats, all cattle breeds, camels, rabbits, ducks, fish, and locusts are Halal in Islam.
It must be understood for all Muslims to use Halal and Haram. Halal products in Islam are beneficial for Muslims and non-Muslims.
Halal Animals
The following animals are fit for Muslim consumption:
- All domestic birds
- All cattle
- Sheep
- Goats
- Camels
- All types of buck
- Rabbits
- Fish
- Locusts
The animals above, excluding fish and locusts, will only be considered Halal in Islam when they are slaughtered according to the following guidelines:
- The slaughterhouse worker must be a Muslim.
- Before slaughter, the slaughterman must invoke the name of Allah upon the animal to be slaughtered by reciting “Bismillahi Allahu Akbar” or, at the very least, reciting “Bismillah.”
- He must immediately slaughter the animal after the recital without any significant delay.
- His knife must be extremely sharp so that the slaughter may be conducted efficiently and quickly and the animal suffers minimal agony.
- He must sever the following arteries:
- Trachea (windpipe), Oesophagus (gullet), and both Jugular Veins
- If the slaughterman can’t cut all four arteries for whatever reason, he must sever at least three to render the meat Halal.
- He must conduct the slaughter manually (i.e., by hand) and swiftly. The knife must not be lifted before the cut is complete, and the cut must be below Adam’s apple.
