What Is Halal?
What you need to know about Islamic dietary guidelines.
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By Layla Khoury-Hanold for Food Network Kitchen
Layla Khoury-Hanold is a contributor at Food Network.
You may have noticed packaged foods or restaurant menus labeled with the word Halal. Or, perhaps you frequent Halal grocers or butcher shops to honor your religious beliefs.
But what does Halal mean? For more info, we consulted Yvonne Maffei, MA, a leading expert on Halal cuisine, founder of My Halal Kitchen and author of My Halal Kitchen: Global Recipes, Cooking Tips, and Lifestyle Inspiration.
What Is Halal?
Halal is an Arabic word that translates to permissible in English. Halal is commonly used to refer to foods that are allowed to be consumed by Muslims.
“What is ‘Halal’ to Muslims—followers of Islam—is prescribed in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam,” Maffei says. “It is understood by Muslims around the world as something that is allowed. Most commonly, it is used in regards to food.”
The opposite of halal is haram, which means forbidden or not permissible. Maffei outlines things that are haram as the consumption of things such as pork and all of its derivatives (such as gelatin or lard); the blood of animals; anything that comes from the human body; birds of prey, such as vultures; animals with fangs, such as snakes; and any form of intoxicant that could impair cognition, such such as wine, beer and all forms of alcoholic beverages, and those that have the potential to harm the body, like recreational drugs.
Maffei notes that while several of the foods listed above are not common in Western culture, they are found in dishes in other countries around the world.
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What Is Halal Meat?
Halal meat is that which is permissible according to Islamic law, as well as that which has been sacrificed according to Islamic ritual.
“When done correctly, the Halal way of sacrificing an animal is the most humane way possible. A truly Halal sacrifice of any animal includes the following: giving the animal a good and happy life, including food that is biologically appropriate and a healthy environment in which to live. At the time of sacrifice, even that should be done in the most humane way possible.”
A process that ensures that meat can be certified Halal is dhabiha. “Dhabiha is the ritual slaughter that is mandated in Islamic dietary law,” Maffei says. “It means that the way the animal has been sacrificed follows some basic principles related to the physical cut of the animal at the time of sacrifice.”
In addition, she notes the following mandates that are part of dhabiha:
The animal being sacrificed must be removed from the herd and out of sight of the other animals.
The animal must be calmed (i.e. given water, relaxed), laid on its side (if outdoors) and facing Mecca.
It must be slaughtered with one swift cut at the neck that severs the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe.
The name of God must be recited over the animal at the time of sacrifice.
All of the blood must be drained out from the animal
There is also a reverence for the animal, and as such, Maffei says that the entire animal should be utilized, including the bones, the wool or fur, its cartilage, etc. “Everything has a purpose and should not be wasted. Muslims are even encouraged to limit the consumption of meat, as it's not seen as something we should indulge in, either,” Maffei says. “When one has the opportunity to witness a sacrifice done in the proper way, as I have, it is a truly humbling experience. It makes one realize that this animal gave up its life for us and deserves the respect of being consumed properly and in its entirety, so that sacrifice was not in vain.”
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What Is Not Allowed in Halal?
Foods that are not allowed in Halal include pork and its by-products, the blood of animals, anything coming from the human body, birds of prey, animals with fangs and any form of intoxicant that could impair cognition, such as alcohol or recreational drugs. Some foods that can never be halal include pork or blood sausage.
Maffei notes that Halal certification has become increasingly important for Halal consumers to ensure that products are free from haram foods and substances. “Increasingly, the food industry is mass producing products and ingredients made with byproducts of many other ingredients that are haram, i.e., pork gelatin in yogurt, emulsifiers that are derived from pork and dough conditioners found in bread that can come from human hair but are labeled as L-cysteine,” she explains.
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