When is food considered halal?

When are foods halal?

Allah says in the Quran:

“O people, eat what is on the earth, provided it is permitted and wholesome! Do not follow the temptations of Satan! He is your avowed enemy.” (Al-Baqarah/The Cow. Surah 2, verse 168).

This verse from the Holy Quran makes it clear that certain foods are permitted (halal; what does halal mean?) and not permitted (haram) for consumption in Islam. The following explains what to bear in mind when following a diet that conforms to Islamic principles.

Is a food halal or haram?

Compiling a precise list of which foods are permitted (halal) and forbidden (haram) would, on the one hand, lead to an enormous halal database and, on the other, could even be misleading and become inaccurate over time, as food products, their ingredients, and manufacturing methods are continually changing. It is much more important to understand the concepts behind what is permitted (halal) and forbidden (haram) and, as a practicing Muslim, restaurant owner, or food manufacturer, to take them into account when consuming, distributing, or producing food. It is important to note here that permitted and forbidden foods can only be considered by taking into account the Prophet Muhammad’s (s) Sunnah¹, in addition to the Quran as the primary source. The information in the Quran is supplemented by the Prophet’s teachings.

But first of all: What does the Quran say?

Individual attempts to translate the necessary verses into German are not sufficiently clear. We therefore want to present two versions of Surah Al-Baqarah/The Cow, verse 173, here that complement each other well:

“He has forbidden you only the consumption of animals that have died naturally, blood, pork, and that over which a name other than Allah’s has been invoked. But if anyone is compelled to do so, without desiring it and without exceeding the limits, no blame falls upon them; surely, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

“He has forbidden you to eat dead animals, blood, pork, and animals dedicated to deities other than God. But whoever eats of these in a time of necessity, without overindulging or harboring evil intentions, incurs no sin. God is full of forgiveness and mercy.”

This statement is repeated in similar form in various places in the Quran. The information we receive can be broken down as follows: The consumption of

pork
blood
animals that died naturally or were stillborn

is expressly prohibited. Furthermore, it is not permitted to eat meat from animals that were not slaughtered in the name of Allah, but were instead, for example, dedicated to idols or slaughtered arbitrarily without a prayer or dedication. These parts of the verse refer to a pre-Islamic practice at the time of idol worship, when animals were slaughtered and dedicated to idols. These abuses were abolished when the aforementioned Quranic verse was revealed, by classifying them as “haram.” Ultimately, this verse also contains an important lesson: under certain conditions, foods in the “haram” category may temporarily be classified as “halal.” An important note on this: Cravings, appetite, interest in the taste, or hunger in general do not meet these conditions. Islamic scholars explain this relationship in essence as follows: If you face death by starvation, then, if there is absolutely nothing else to eat, you may consume only enough pork to overcome the danger of death. No more!

What’s next in our article series on “halal”?

The points discussed so far do not cover everything that is permitted (halal) and prohibited (haram) in the diets of Muslims. Next, we will look at the traditions alongside various Quranic verses and geographical conditions. Their combination has enabled Islamic jurisprudence to make rulings on additional permitted and prohibited foods. If you would like to skip the theory: In our shop, you will find tested halal sweets without pork gelatin.

Notes