Leena Watts
Muslims follow a set of dietary rules called halal, an Arabic term meaning permissible. These rules dictate which foods and drinks are allowed for Muslims to consume and are based on teachings from the Quran and the Hadith. The Islamic faith prescribes specific dietary guidelines for its followers, and these rules bond followers together and establish a sense of identity within the Islamic community. Islamic dietary laws specify which foods are halal and which are haram (Arabic for 'forbidden'). These include alcohol, pork, frog, carrion, the meat of carnivores, and animals that died due to illness, injury, stunning, poisoning, or slaughtering not in the name of God.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dietary laws | Foods that are halal (lawful) and haram (unlawful) are specified in the Quran and the Sunnah |
| Halal foods | Herbivores and cud-chewing animals like cattle, deer, sheep, goats, and antelope that are treated like sentient beings and slaughtered painlessly while reciting the basmala and takbir |
| Haram foods | Alcohol, pork, frog, carrion, the meat of carnivores, and animals that died due to illness, injury, stunning, poisoning, or slaughtering not in the name of God |
| Exceptions | Food of Jews and Christians (other than those explicitly forbidden) is lawful for Sunni Muslims |
| Fasting | During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day for the entire month, except for pregnant and nursing people, children, older adults, and people living with chronic diseases and/or eating disorders |
| Makruh foods | Spoiled or rotten food, prawns, shrimps, crabs, soup stock made of bones, food dye of pink/red colour, lard, gelatine |
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What You'll Learn
- Muslims are forbidden from consuming alcohol, tobacco, and other intoxicants
- Muslims are forbidden from eating pork, dog, cat, and other animals
- Islam permits the consumption of seafood, but with some exceptions
- During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire month
- Islamic dietary laws dictate how animals should be slaughtered
Muslims are forbidden from consuming alcohol, tobacco, and other intoxicants
Islamic dietary laws, found in the Quran and in collections of traditions attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, specify which foods are halal ('lawful' in Arabic) and which are haram ('unlawful'). Alcohol is forbidden for Muslims, and modern Islamic countries have low rates of alcohol consumption. It is banned completely in several countries, while others control it through measures such as allowing consumption only in private places or by non-Muslims.
The Quran does not prescribe a penalty for consuming alcohol, but some hadith sources mention punishments such as 40 lashes. However, there is a lack of consensus among Muslim jurists on how to deal with alcohol consumption. While a minority of Muslims do drink and believe consuming alcohol is not forbidden by the Quran, the majority interpret Quranic verses as discouraging alcohol consumption. For example, one verse states, "They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, 'In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.'" Another verse says, "O you who acknowledge, Do not go near prayer while you are stupified (under influence), until you know what you are saying."
Over time, some jurists have classified other intoxicants, such as opium and khat, as khamr (an intoxicating liquor), based on a hadith attributed to Muhammad: "The Holy Prophet said: 'every intoxicant is khamr, and every intoxicant is forbidden.'" Early Hanafi scholars restricted the definition of intoxication to fermented juice of grapes or grapes and dates, allowing alcohol derived from honey, barley, wheat, and millet. However, from the 12th century onwards, the Hanafi school embraced the general prohibition of all alcoholic beverages, in line with other schools of Islamic jurisprudence.
Islamic views on tobacco vary by region, and while tobacco or smoking is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran or hadith, contemporary scholars have condemned it due to its harmful health effects. Several fatwas (Islamic legal pronouncements) have been issued, declaring smoking haram (forbidden). For example, Malaysia's National Fatwa Council issued a fatwa in 1996, declaring smoking haram due to its detrimental health effects. Similarly, the Indonesian Ulema Council, an organization of Indonesian religious scholars, declared smoking in public or near pregnant women as haram in 2009. These fatwas have had varying levels of impact, with some studies showing that religious pressure against smoking has been more effective than social pressure in encouraging people to quit.
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Muslims are forbidden from eating pork, dog, cat, and other animals
Islamic dietary laws, known as halal, govern what Muslims can and cannot eat. These laws are outlined in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as well as in the collections of traditions attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Quran and Hadith specify which foods are halal (lawful) and which are haram (forbidden).
Muslims are forbidden from consuming pork, blood, alcohol, intoxicants, and meat from animals not slaughtered in the name of Allah. This includes the meat of carnivores and animals that died due to illness, injury, stunning, or poisoning. Additionally, animals that are considered vermin, such as snakes, scorpions, mice, and crows, are prohibited. Eating monkeys is also forbidden in Islam.
The method of slaughter is crucial in determining whether meat is permissible. For meat to be considered halal, the animal must be treated humanely and slaughtered painlessly while reciting the basmala and takbir. If the animal is tortured or mistreated during slaughter, the meat is considered haram.
In terms of seafood, the Shafi school permits all non-poisonous fish, such as pufferfish and rock fish, as well as crustaceans that do not live on land, like soft-shell crabs and lobsters. However, hermit crabs, crocodiles, and sea snakes are forbidden. Horse meat is allowed according to Sunni sources, and it is especially popular among Muslims in Central Asia due to their nomadic heritage. On the other hand, donkey meat is prohibited, and so is the meat of predator animals with fangs, including cats, dogs, bears, lions, and wolves.
Muslims are encouraged to look for halal certification labels on food products and to be cautious of haram ingredients such as gelatin, alcohol, or lard. Even if meat is labelled organic or free-range, it must still be slaughtered according to Islamic law (dhabihah) to be considered halal.
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Islam permits the consumption of seafood, but with some exceptions
However, there are differing opinions among Islamic scholars regarding the consumption of certain types of seafood. For example, some Shia Muslims believe that only fish with scales are permissible, while Sunni Muslims generally consider all "sea game" or aquatic animals permissible with a few exceptions. The Hanafi school, one of the four Sunni schools, restricts permissible seafood to "fish," excluding other sea creatures.
The status of shellfish, such as shrimp, prawns, and crabs, is debated, with some scholars considering them halal and others haram. Lobsters, in particular, are a subject of controversy, as some scholars view them as scavengers, while others argue for their permissibility if killed humanely according to Sharia law. Tuna is widely considered halal, although there is a minority opinion against dog-tooth tuna.
It is important for Muslims to understand the ingredient lists and certifications to determine if seafood is halal or haram. The Halal Foundation provides guidelines and insights to help Muslims navigate dietary laws and make informed choices about their consumption of seafood and other foods.
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During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire month
Muslims follow Islamic dietary laws, which specify what is halal (lawful) and what is haram (unlawful). During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire month. This period is meant for introspection, prayer, and reading the Quran. Those who observe it with fasting, prayer, and faithful intention are believed to be forgiven of their past sins.
Ramadan is a time for self-restraint or sawm, which translates to "to refrain" in Arabic and is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims are expected to abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset every day for the entire month. However, pregnant and nursing people, children, older adults, and individuals with chronic illnesses or eating disorders are exempt from fasting.
During Ramadan, Muslims prepare a meal called Suhoor before sunrise. After sunset, they break their fast with a meal known as Iftar. While the way Muslims eat can vary based on family and cultural practices, Islamic dietary laws remain consistent. Muslims are prohibited from consuming alcohol, pork, blood, and meat considered haram, such as dog, cat, and monkey. Seafood is generally halal, but there are exceptions, including alligator, crocodile, and frog meat.
Muslims also avoid intoxicants like tobacco, paan, dokha, and khat. Additionally, certain foods are classified as "doubtful" or mushbooh, such as ingredients of unknown origin or with uncertain halal status. These may include extract from brewer's yeast, which is non-alcoholic but derived from alcohol production. Muslims are encouraged to read ingredient lists and contact food companies to ensure they follow halal guidelines.
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Islamic dietary laws dictate how animals should be slaughtered
Islamic dietary laws are laws that Muslims follow in their diet. Islamic jurisprudence specifies which foods are halal (lawful) and which are haram (unlawful). These dietary laws are found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as well as in collections of traditions attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Quran and the Prophet Muhammad's teachings emphasise compassion for animals, and the humane treatment of animals is an essential part of normative Islam.
Islamic law dictates that herbivores and cud-chewing animals like cattle, deer, sheep, goats, and antelope are halal only if they are treated like sentient beings and slaughtered painlessly while reciting the Basmala and Takbir. The butcher is required to call upon the name of Allah (Bismillah) individually for each animal. The prescribed method of slaughter for halal animals is called dhabīḥah, which involves a swift, deep incision to the throat with a very sharp knife, cutting the windpipe, jugular veins, and carotid arteries on both sides but leaving the spinal cord intact. The carcass should then be hung upside down to drain of blood. If the animal is treated poorly or tortured while being slaughtered, the meat is considered haram (unlawful).
Animals slaughtered for food must not be killed by boiling, electrocution, strangling, or beating, and animals that die by falling or due to a wild animal are also forbidden. The meat of carnivores, predators with fangs (such as cats, dogs, and lions), and animals that die of illness, injury, stunning, or poisoning is also haram. In Sunni and Shia hadith, the meat of mules is prohibited, but horse meat is allowed in Sunni sources. Donkey meat is prohibited according to one hadith.
Foods of uncertain halal status may be classified as mushbooh ('doubtful'). This includes foods of unknown sources or ingredients that are subject to differing interpretations, such as extracts from brewer's yeast, which is non-alcoholic but derived from the production of alcohol.
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Frequently asked questions
Islam provides its followers with guidelines about food and drink. Islamic dietary laws specify which foods are halal ('lawful' in Arabic) and which are haram ('unlawful' or 'forbidden').
Haram foods include alcohol, pork, frog, carrion, the meat of carnivores with fangs (e.g. cats, dogs, bears, lions, wolves), and animals that died due to illness, injury, stunning, poisoning, or slaughtering not in the name of God.
Seafood is generally halal, but there are some exceptions, such as the prohibition of consuming alligator, crocodile, or frog meat.
Food package labels that identify as halal, vegetarian, or vegan are permissible for Muslims as long as they do not contain wine or other intoxicants. However, some seemingly vegetarian or vegan ingredients may be non-halal, such as gelatine, which is often obtained from animals, and vanilla extract, which contains alcohol.
While Islamic dietary laws are consistent, the way Muslims eat can vary significantly based on family and cultural practices. Some individuals and cultures adhere more closely to the teachings of Islam than others.
