The word halal in Arabic. It is used as a visual marker for Muslims in restaurants, shops and on products.

Halal (/həˈlɑːl/;[1] Arabic: حلال ḥalāl [ħæˈlæːl]) is an Arabic word that translates to 'permissible' in English. In the Quran, the term halal is contrasted with the term haram ('forbidden'). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification known as "the five decisions": mandatory, recommended, neutral, reprehensible and forbidden.[2] Islamic jurists disagree on whether the term halal covers the first two or the first four of these categories.[2] In recent times, Islamic movements seeking to mobilize the masses and authors writing for a popular audience have emphasized the simpler distinction of halal and haram.[3][4]

The term halal is particularly associated with Islamic dietary laws and especially meat processed and prepared in accordance with those requirements.

In the Quran

The words halal and haram are the usual terms used in the Quran to designate the categories of lawful or allowed and unlawful or forbidden. In the Quran, the root h-l-l denotes lawfulness and may also indicate exiting the ritual state of a pilgrim and entering a profane state. In both these senses, it has an opposite meaning to that conveyed by the root h-r-m (cf. haram and ihram). In a literal sense, the root h-r-m may refer to dissolution (e.g., breaking of an oath) or alighting (e.g., of God's wrath). Lawfulness is usually indicated in the Quran by means of the verb ahalla ('to make lawful'), with God as the stated or implied subject.[4]

Foods

A halal sign in Chinese (清真, qīng zhēn) at a restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan

Islam generally considers every food halal unless it is specifically prohibited in hadith or the Qur'an.[5] Specifically, halal foods are those that are:

  1. Made, produced, manufactured, processed, and stored using machinery, equipment, and/or utensils that have been cleaned according to Islamic law (shariah).
  2. Free from any component that Muslims are prohibited from eating according to Islamic law.[6]

The most common example of haram (non-halal) food is pork. While pork is the only meat that categorically may not be consumed by Muslims (the Quran forbids it,[7] Surah 2:173 and 16:115)[8][9] other foods not in a state of purity are also considered haram. The criteria for non-pork items include their source, the cause of the animal's death and how it was processed. The majority of Islamic scholars consider shellfish and other seafood halal.[10] Vegetarian cuisine is halal if it does not contain alcohol.[11]

Muslims must also ensure that all foods (particularly processed foods), as well as non-food items like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, are halal.[12][13] Frequently, these products contain animal by-products or other ingredients that are not permissible for Muslims to eat or use on their bodies. Foods which are not considered halal for Muslims to consume include blood[14] and intoxicants such as alcoholic beverages.[15]

A Muslim who would otherwise starve to death is allowed to eat non-halal food if there is no halal food available.[9][16] During airplane flights Muslims will usually order kosher food (if halal food is not available) to ensure their chosen dish will not have any pork ingredients.

Several food companies offer halal processed foods and products, including halal foie gras, spring rolls, chicken nuggets, ravioli, lasagna, pizza and baby food.[17] Halal ready meals are a growing consumer market for Muslims in Britain and America and are offered by an increasing number of retailers.[18]

Opinions on GMO foods are mixed, although there is no widely accepted prohibition from consuming them.[19] Some clerics and scholars have expressed support, arguing that such food production methods are halal because they contribute to human well-being.[20][21] Voices in opposition to GMOs argue that there is no need for genetic modification of food crops because God created everything perfectly and man does not have any right to manipulate anything that God has created.[19] Some others have raised concern about the theoretical consumption of specific GMO foods produced using genes from pigs.[22]

Halal meat

Halal meat section at a grocery store in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

Muslims believe in the ethical treatment of animals. Halal practices align with this philosophy by promoting kindness, compassion, and humane treatment throughout the entire lifecycle of the animal. The emphasis on swift and painless slaughter respects the animal's dignity and minimizes suffering.[23]

Halal meat must come from a supplier that uses halal practices. Dhabīḥah (ذَبِيْحَة) is the prescribed method of slaughter for all meat sources, excluding fish and other sealife, per Islamic law. This method of slaughtering animals consists of using a sharp knife to make an incision that cuts the front of the throat, oesophagus and jugular veins but not the spinal cord.[24] The head of an animal that is slaughtered using halal methods should be aligned with the qiblah (the direction a Muslim faces when praying). In addition to the direction, permitted animals should be slaughtered upon utterance of the Islamic prayer "Bismillah, Allahu Akbar” (In the name of God, God is greatest).[25][26]

The slaughter must be performed by a Muslim man.[27] Carrion (carcasses of dead animals, such as animals who died in the wild) cannot be eaten.[9] Additionally, an animal that has been strangled, beaten (to death), killed by a fall, gored (to death), savaged by a beast of prey (unless finished off by a human), or sacrificed on a stone altar cannot be eaten.[28]

Compatibility with other religions

Animals slaughtered by non-Muslims can also be considered halal if the slaughter is carried out by jugular slice, the blood drained and the name of Allah invoked. As a result, kosher meat is permitted by some Muslim communities.[29]

In Sikhism, the religious prescriptions forbid eating meat of animals that were slaughtered slowly or with religious ritual,[30] which they refer to as kutha meat.[31] This includes halal meat preparation.[32][33][34][35] The religiously recommended method of slaughter among Sikhs, known as jhatka, is likewise incompatible with halal principles,[36] as with this method not all of the blood is drained from the meat.[37]

Concerns for animal welfare

Eid ul-Adha Islamic holiday in Pakistan

Stunning of the animal is not allowed before slaughtering, unless necessary to calm down a violent animal.[27] However, the UK Food Standards Agency figures from 2011 suggest that 84% of cattle, 81% of sheep and 88% of chickens slaughtered for halal meat were stunned before they died. Supermarkets selling halal products also report that all animals are stunned before they are slaughtered. Tesco, for example, says "the only difference between the halal meat it sells and other meat is that it was blessed as it was killed."[38] Concerns about animal suffering from slaughter without prior stunning has resulted in the ban of slaughter of unstunned animals in Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.[39][40]

Certification

An example of a halal certificate from India

Certification for halal products is given by legal authorities in most Muslim-majority countries, while in other countries, it is voluntarily acquired by companies and issued by non-governmental organizations for an annual fee.[41]

Halal certification in the US

Halal certifications are provided by a number of agencies in the United States. Depending on how the certification will be used for domestic or international export, the certification need to be done by a qualified entity. If it's for domestic use a local agency with a proper knowledge, training and background can issue a halal certificate. If the certificate is going to be used for export then the halal certifier needs to be accredited by the country the halal product is being exported to. A company that needs to certify its product must do their due diligence when hiring a certifier. There are a number of halal certifiers in the US including ISWA Halal, ISA Halal, Halal Monitoring Services (HMS), based out of Chicago, Illinois,[42] and the Halal Food Standards Alliance of America (HFSAA), based out of Oakland, California.[43] Another agency that can help companies identify and screen the proper halal certifier is the US Halal Consultants based in Fairfax, Virginia.

Criticism

In Australia, halal food certification has been criticized by groups who claim that certifying foods as halal leads to consumers subsidizing a particular religious belief.[44] Australian Federation of Islamic Councils spokesman Keysar Trad told a journalist in July 2014 that this was an attempt to exploit anti-Muslim sentiments in Australia.[45] A study in 2022 showed that halal certifications did not necessarily reflect the extent to which a halal product came about in whole, and called for greater means of assurance and transparent qualitative methods of halal certification.[46]

Business

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimated the global industry value of halal food consumer purchases to be $1.1 trillion in 2013, accounting for 16.6 percent of the global food and beverage market, with an annual growth of 6.9 percent.[47] Growth regions include Indonesia ($197 million market value in 2012) and Turkey ($100 million).[48] The European Union market for halal food has an estimated annual growth of around 15 percent and is worth an estimated $30 billion,[17] approximately $8 billion of which are accounted for in France.[49]

The halal food and beverage industry has also made a significant impact on supermarkets and other food business such as restaurants. French supermarkets had halal food sales totalling $210 million in 2011, a 10.5% growth from five years prior. In France, the market for halal foods is even larger than the market for other types of common foods. For example, in 2010, the market for halal foods and beverages in France was nearly twice that of organic foods.[49] Auchan, a large French supermarket chain, now sells 80 certified halal meat products, along with 30 pre-cooked halal meals and 40 frozen halal products. Upscale restaurants and catering services have also added halal foods to their menus. In addition, many beverage companies such as Evian have taken the effort to add a halal stamp on their products to show that their water and other beverages are pure and not haram or forbidden under Islamic law.[50]

Interaction with global regulation

Halal standards and regulations have been considered as an obstacle to international trade while the discrimination towards import products also lacks transparency. Trade disputes related to halal have emerged even among Muslim and Islamic countries, for instance at the regional level within the ASEAN.[51][52]

European Union

On 17 December 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that member countries may ban religious slaughter in order to promote animal welfare and could impose non-lethal stunning before the killing of animals. The ruling was in response to a challenge to a 2017 Flemish government prohibition on the killing of animals without prior non-lethal (also called reversible) stunning by Jewish and Muslim associations.[53]

India

The Muslim community has been receptive of halal food and certification.[54][55] Members of the right-wing Hindutva groups in India have protested against the sale of Halal food in India. Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad and other Hindutva groups have run door to door campaigns in the state of Karnataka, asking people not to purchase halal meat. In March 2022 the Hindutva group Bajrang Dal physically attacked a Muslim meat seller, five persons were arrested in the incident. In March 2022, C. T. Ravi, national general secretary for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, referred to halal food as "economic jihad".[56]

United Kingdom

As of August 2012, an estimated 27 UK Tesco supermarkets, in addition to most urban Asda and many Morrisons supermarkets, had halal meat counters, selling meat approved for consumption by Muslims.[57] According to the Food Standards Agency Animal Welfare Update report, published September 2017, 16 percent of animals slaughtered by the halal method were not stunned before slaughter, which violates RSPCA standards on animal welfare.[58] However, it is legal in the UK due to an exemption in the law granted to Jews and Muslims.[59]

Non-food applications

In addition to food and diet, a halal lifestyle can include travel, finance, clothing, media, recreation, cosmetics.[60] A halal lifestyle can even involve professional practises ranging from industrial and manufacturing logistics to supply chains.[46]

Pharmaceuticals

Some Muslims refrain from using pharmaceuticals that are not halal. This distinction is most noticeably practiced in Malaysia,[61] which has a large halal pharmaceutical industry, complete with government regulations to make sure the products are tayyib.[62] On the other hand, the Quran obliges Muslims to seek treatment, including preventive ones, for diseases regardless of what the care provider believes in.[63] In particular, medicines containing animal products like gelatin have been deemed permissible by a 1995 council of Islamic jurisprudents, making such distinction unnecessary.[64] The decentralized nature of Islam allows both opinions to exist.

Vaccines

The controversy over pharmaceuticals has led to the refusal of childhood vaccination in some Muslim-majority countries,[65] despite many religious leaders expressly endorsing vaccination.[66] It is also a concern in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.[63][67][68]

Personal care

Feminine hygiene products and diapers have been certified as halal in Malaysia. Such certification is not required by the religion, nor is there a demand from Muslims. Critics consider such "unnecessary" certification as little more than a marketing gimmick, e.g., halal labels on clearly vegetarian soft drinks or naturally grown food items like cereals, pulses, vegetables and processed foods made exclusively from vegetable products.[69]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Definition of HALAL". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 Vikør, Knut S. (2014). "Ḥalāl". In Emad El-Din Shahin (ed.). Sharīʿah. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Politics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-530513-5. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  3. ↑ Juan Eduardo Campo, ed. (2009). "Halal". Encyclopedia of Islam. Infobase Publishing. p. 284.
  4. 1 2 Lowry, Joseph E (2006). "Lawful and Unlawful". In Jane Dammen McAuliffe (ed.). Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān. Brill. doi:10.1163/1875-3922_q3_EQCOM_00107.
  5. ↑ "Definition of Halal". Halal Monitoring Committee U.K.
  6. ↑ "What is Halal? A Guide for Non-Muslims". Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV). Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  7. ↑ "Pork (لَحم الخنزير) From the Quranic Arabic Corpus – Ontology of Quranic Concepts". Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Surah Al-Baqarah [2:173]". Surah Al-Baqarah [2:173]. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 "Surah An-Nahl - 115". Quran.com.
  10. ↑ "You searched for seafood • Muslimversity".
  11. ↑ "Is Vegetarian Cuisine always Halal?". Islamic Services of America (ISA). 24 June 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  12. ↑ Kenji Sugibayashi, Eddy Yusuf, Hiroaki Todo, Sabrina Dahlizar, Pajaree Sakdiset, Florencio JrArce, and Gerard Lee See (1 July 2019). "Halal Cosmetics: A Review on Ingredients, Production, and Testing Methods". Cosmetics. 6 (3): 37. doi:10.3390/cosmetics6030037.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "Halal for health: Scaling up halal pharmaceuticals" (PDF). The Economist. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  14. ↑ Quran Surah Al-Maaida ( Verse 3 )
  15. ↑ Quran Surah Al-Maidah ( Verse 90 )
  16. ↑ Maqsood, Rubaiyat Waris (2004). Islam. Teach Yourself World Faiths. London: Hodder & Stoughton. p. 204. ISBN 978-0-340-60901-9.
  17. 1 2 "USDA Foreign Agricultural Service – Halal Food Market" (PDF). Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "Halal la carte". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  19. 1 2 Omobowale EB, Singer PA, Daar AS. (2009) The three main monotheistic religions and gm food technology: an overview of perspectives. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2009 Aug 22;9:18.
  20. ↑ "Islamic scholars back agricultural innovations as 'halal'". Dhaka Tribune. 25 July 2019.
  21. ↑ Bangladesh, Farming Future. "Farming Future Bangladesh". Farming Future Bangladesh.
  22. ↑ "yahyayunus.net". www.yahyayunus.net. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009.
  23. ↑ Rahman, Sira (17 February 2017). "Religion and Animal Welfare—An Islamic Perspective". Animals. 7 (12): 11. doi:10.3390/ani7020011. PMC 5332932. PMID 28218670.
  24. ↑ "Islamic Method of Slaughtering – Department of Halal Certification". halal certification.ie.
  25. ↑ Qasmi, Qazi Mujahidul Islam (1 January 2009). The Islamic Concept of Animal Slaughter: احكام الذبيحة من المنظور الاسلامي [انكليزي] ترجمة. Dar Al Kotob Al Ilmiyah دار الكتب العلمية. p. 44:47. ISBN 978-2-7451-6060-7.
  26. ↑ "Islamic Method of Slaughtering".
  27. 1 2 "Department of Halal Certification EU". Department of Halal Certification EU.
  28. ↑ [Quran 5:3]
  29. ↑ "Lawful Foods". Just Islam. Retrieved 2 May 2014. Now in the case of Jews this is very easy. As long as the Jew is a practicing Jew and the meat is slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law (Torat Moshe) then this meat and other Kosher food is lawful (halal) and can be eaten by Muslims.
  30. ↑ Menon, Aditya (14 May 2020). "Why Hindutva Outfits Are Calling for a Boycott of Halal Products". TheQuint. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  31. ↑ Karen Pechilis; Selva J. Raj (2013). South Asian Religions: Tradition and Today. Routledge. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-415-44851-2. The Sikh Rahit Maryada forbids hair cutting, adultery, the use of intoxicants, and the eating of kutha meat, or meat of an animal or fowl slaughtered slowly.
  32. ↑ "What does this mean in practice? - Animal rights - GCSE Religious Studies Revision". BBC Bitesize. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  33. ↑ "'Halal' or 'jhatka'? Punjab govt advised to make eateries disclose meat category". Hindustan Times. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  34. ↑ "'Halal' meat against Hinduism, Sikhism, restaurants must specify: South Delhi body". The Indian Express. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  35. ↑ "Netizens slam BCCI for making Halal meat compulsory for Indian cricket team; raise questions on new diet plan". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  36. ↑ Kounteya Sinha, Amit Bhattacharya & Anuradha Varma (27 March 2012). "Science of meat". The Times of India.
  37. ↑ M Hasan (4 April 2022). "Halal versus jhatka: Both schools of slaughter have meat in their arguments". News Nine.
  38. ↑ Eardley, Nick (12 May 2014). "What is halal meat?". BBC News.
  39. ↑ Sekularac, Ivana (28 June 2011). "Dutch vote to ban religious slaughter of animals". Reuters. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "Comment: Danish halal, kosher ban leaves religious groups with nowhere to turn". Special Broadcasting Service. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  41. ↑ Ganeshan, Balakrishna; John, Haritha (5 April 2022). "What exactly is halal certification for meat and non-meat products? Explained". The News Minute. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  42. ↑ "Halal Monitoring Services - Home". hmsusa.org.
  43. ↑ Masanauskas, John (18 July 2014). "Halal food outrage from anti-Islam critics". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  44. ↑ Johnson, Chris (28 December 2014). "Why halal certification is in turmoil". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  45. ↑ Masanauskas, John (18 July 2014). "Halal food outrage from anti-Islam critics". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  46. 1 2 El Daouk, Mohamad (1 January 2022). "Introducing ḥalāl to construction supply chains in the UK's construction sector". Journal of Islamic Marketing. 14 (10): 2385–2403. doi:10.1108/JIMA-01-2022-0016. ISSN 1759-0833. S2CID 252059540.
  47. ↑ "Dubai Chamber Report shows increasing preference for halal food as global market grows to US$1.1 trn | Zawya". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  48. ↑ "REPORT: Consumer Demand for Halal is on the Rise". www.fdfworld.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  49. 1 2 "Halal Food Market". Gain.fas.usda.gov, Growth Agricultural Information Network, 15 November 2015, gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent GAIN Publications/Halal Food Market_Paris_France_11-15-2013.pdf. Accessed Nov.2018 1:00 pm
  50. ↑ Baume, Maïa de la (8 September 2010). "Halal Food in France Takes an Upscale Turn". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  51. ↑ Johan, Eva; Schebesta, Hanna (1 March 2022). "Religious Regulation Meets International Trade Law: Halal Measures, a Trade Obstacle? Evidence from the SPS and TBT Committees". Journal of International Economic Law. 25 (1): 61–73. doi:10.1093/jiel/jgac003. ISSN 1369-3034.
  52. ↑ "Matrix of actual cases on NTMs/trade barriers" (PDF). ASEAN portal.
  53. ↑ Nelsen, Arthur (17 December 2020). "EU states can ban kosher and halal ritual slaughter, court rules". Politico.
  54. ↑ "'Discrimination based on religion…": Owaisi on Muslim vendor row in Karnataka". Hindustan Times. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  55. ↑ "The Halal certification in the food industry and this meanings". BTSA. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  56. ↑ "Muslim Meat Seller Attacked as Karnataka Hindutva Groups Now Train Focus on 'Halal' Meat". The Wire. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  57. ↑ "National Halal Centre". National Halal Food Group. National Halal Food Group. 20 August 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  58. ↑ "Religious Slaughter – RSPCA". RSPCA. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  59. ↑ "Halal hysteria". New Statesman. 9 May 2012. The stunning of livestock before slaughter has been compulsory in the EU since 1979 but most member states, including the UK, grant exemptions to Muslims and Jews.
  60. ↑ "Halal Lifestyle in Indonesia – UN World Tourism Organization" (PDF). Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  61. ↑ "Halal And Haram Medicines (Islamic Perspective)". PORTAL MyHEALTH. 8 November 2016.
  62. ↑ "Prospects of Halal Pharmaceuticals".
  63. 1 2 Hussain, Shadim (27 November 2020). "Why are some Muslims suspicious of a COVID-19 vaccine?". ABC Religion & Ethics.
  64. ↑ Gezairy HA (17 July 2001). "(Form letter EDB.7/3 P6/61/3)" (PDF). World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  65. ↑ Ahmed, Ali; Lee, Kah S.; Bukhsh, Allah; Al-Worafi, Yaser M.; Sarker, Md. Moklesur R.; Ming, Long C.; Khan, Tahir M. (March 2018). "Outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases in Muslim majority countries". Journal of Infection and Public Health. 11 (2): 153–155. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2017.09.007. PMID 28988775.
  66. ↑ "Religious Views of Vaccination At-A-Glance" (PDF). Maine Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics.
  67. ↑ "Birmingham mosque becomes UK's first to offer Covid vaccine". BBC News. 21 January 2021.
  68. ↑ Paddock, Richard C. (5 January 2021). "Is the Vaccine Halal? Indonesians Await the Answer". The New York Times.
  69. ↑ Gateway, Salaam. "Malaysian company says halal certification for its diapers, sanitary pads signal safety and quality but experts question motives". Salaam Gateway - Global Islamic Economy Gateway.

Further reading

  • Yungman, Limor, "Food", in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol I.
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