Halal And Haram Food In Islam

Halal-and-Haram-food

ALLAH SWT created us in the best form and has provided us with his countless bounties. ALLAH SWT refers to the Ummah as the best of nations and sent for us complete guidance in the form of the Quran and our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW. Prophet Muhammad taught the Ummah, the way of living in the manner that ALLAH SWT wants us to live by following what is halal and forbidding what is haram in Islam.

Halal and haram are Arabic words and form an integral part of how Muslim view all aspects of life. : Halal means Lawful/permitted and Haram means forbidden/unlawful.

Allah SWT prohibits Muslims from eating a few things and made it haram for us and allows some of the things and made it halal for us. We must always follow these guidelines and should avoid eating the forbidden food until it is a matter of life and death.
Allah SWT created human beings in such a way that everything they eat and drink has an impact on their body, soul, behavior, and even their thoughts.

ALLAH SWT states in the Quran: “O believers! Eat from the good things we have provided for you. And give thanks to ALLAH if you truly worship him alone.” (Quran 2:172)

Halal And Haram Food In Islam

Foods that come under the Halal category

  • Halal animals that are slaughtered as per the Islamic rules prescribed by Quran and hadeeths.
  • All farm animals are halal for Muslims.
  • All poultry is allowed/halal.
  • All the fruits and vegetables.
  • Grains.
  • Fish and other marine animals (need not be slaughtered)
  • Dairy products excluding products made from non-halal animals

Foods that come under the Haram category

  • Animals meat that is not slaughtered according to the methods prescribed in the Quran and Sunnah.
  • Alcoholic drinks and intoxicants.
  • Hallugenic drugs and substances.
  • Flowing blood or blood by-products.
  • Carnivore animals/ birds.
  • Animal gelatin.
  • Pork.
  • animals or birds that are dead by some natural cause /non slaughtered animals /birds
  • Insects
  • Animals that reside on both land and water such as frogs and newts.

It is mentioned in the Quran that:

He (ALLAH SWT) has only prohibited for you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine and that upon which a name of someone other than ‘Allah’ has been invoked. Then, whoever is compelled by necessity, neither seeking pleasure nor transgressing, there is no sin on him. Verily, Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. (Quran 2:173)

Indeed ALLAH is the most merciful and loves his people as He clearly informed us about all the things that are not good for our body and soul, and also gave us the permission to have even that is forbade if we are in a tough situation and it’s about life and death.

ALLAH SWT mentions in the Quran:

“O, believers! Honor your obligations. All grazing livestock has been made lawful to you except what is hereby announced to you and hunting while on pilgrimage. Indeed, Allah commands what He wills. (Quran 5:1)

It is also mentioned in the Quran:
Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, and swine; what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah; what is killed by strangling, beating, a fall, or by being gored to death; what is partly eaten by a predator unless you slaughter it; and what is sacrificed on altars. You are also forbidden to draw lots for decisions.1 This is all evil. Today the disbelievers have given up all hope of ˹undermining˺ your faith. So do not fear them; fear Me! Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favor upon you, and chosen Islam as your way. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger—not intending to sin—then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Quran 5:3)

“And eat not of that whereon Allah’s name hath not been mentioned, for lo! it is an abomination. Lo! the devils do inspire their minions to dispute with you. But if ye obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters” (Quran 6:121)

In all of the above ayahs, ALLAH SWT clearly guides us about what is lawful and unlawful for us. So, consuming things that are haram knowingly is a major sin and every Muslim should refrain from it. Allah has provided us with various halal foods, and there is so much that we can enjoy, so we must make sure to stay away from that which is considered unlawful. It is also a sin if you neglect to find out whether the food is Halal or not, and it is best to stay away from foods that you are unsure of.

One should always find out if the food to be consumed is Halal or haram. Here’s how you can find it:

  1. Always check for the “Halal Certified” logo awarded by the Muslim council or Halal supervisory board of your country before using any packaged food.
  2. Be aware of the ingredients and always go through them.
  3. If you are eating confectioneries, be aware of the gelatin used in it.
  4. If there is no green square that is a vegetarian symbol, the gelatin used is not halal.
  5. Nowadays there are various emulsifiers are being used in food products. Always look for the haram and halal E-codes online.
  6. Eating out, make sure to check the halal certifications of the restaurant.
  7. You can also check with the meat suppliers of the restaurant.
  8. Always be cautious if you are dining at a restaurant as there are many who use alcohol in vegetarian dishes as well.
  9. Refrain from eating where alcohol is served.
  10. While buying meat, always prefer your local Muslim owners of butcheries.

As Muslims, it is our responsibility to follow what the Quran and hadeeths teach us and also educate our fellow Muslims to follow the same and avoid what is forbidden in Islam.

Halal and Haram food list in Islam

Halal (Permissible) Animals

  • Camel
  • Cow
  • Sheep
  • Goat
  • Deer
  • Moose
  • Gazelle
  • Buffalo
  • Stag
  • Rabbit
  • Antelope

Halal (Permissible) Birds

  • Chickens
  • Turkeys
  • Pigeons
  • Ostriches
  • Peacocks
  • Ducks
  • Sparrow
  • Dove
  • Rooster
  • Francolin

Halal Seafood

  • Fish
  • Prawns
  • Shrimps
  • Only alive fishes caught from water is treated as Halal.

Haram (Prohibited) Animals

  • Swine/pig
  • Cat
  • Dog
  • Bear
  • Lion
  • Wolf
  • Elephant
  • Monkey
  • Hyena
  • Leopard
  • Tiger
  • Cheetah
  • Jerboa
  • Squirrel
  • Hedgehog
  • Jackal
  • Fox
  • Crocodile
  • Weasel

Haram (Prohibited) Birds

  • Owls
  • Eagles
  • Hawks
  • Vulture
  • Crows
  • Rooks
  • Ravens
  • Falcon
  • Kite

Haram (Prohibited) Seafood

  • Sharks
  • Turtles
  • Whales
  • Lobsters
  • Crabs
  • The Fish is already dead in water is Haram

Other Haram (Prohibited)

  • Lizard
  • Snakes
  • Scorpion
  • Mouse
  • Rat
  • Fleas
  • Lice
  • Bat
  • Bees
  • Tortoise/Turtle
  • Mosquito
  • Fly
  • Wasp
  • Spider
  • Beetle

Makruh Animals

  • Horse
  • Donkey
  • Mule

Makruh Seafood

  • Crustacean

Leave a Comment