Halal is something you may have heard, read or seen on food labels and packages indicating that this particular food or commodity is OK for Muslim consumption and you may infer the meaning of Halal by context so you will think that Halal means pork-free.
This is true, Halal is pork free but only partially true. Something being halal has more to it than being pork-free or something that is only related to food. This is a brief insight into the world of Halal.
THE LITERAL MEANING OF HALAL
Halal literally means allowed and the opposite of it is Haram or that which is disallowed. Halal may be typically spoken of with regards to food but in Islam, Halal could be said about anything that is allowed in Islam such as merchandise, businesses, relationships and others.
HALAL FOOD AND COMMODITIES
Being Halal means that the food, commodity or transaction in question is in accordance to Islamic teachings and does not contain or have anything that is disallowed. Halal food is easily identifiable as all kinds of animals are Halal except that which is specifically mentioned in the Islamic teachings as Haram. Vegetables and seafoods are generally Halal themselves. Allah said in the Quran,
“He has forbidden you only the Maytah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine…”
Quran 2:173
However, food that is prepared in Islamic way or from Halal animals is only half way from being Halal and if the other conditions are not met, they remain as Haram.
For a food to be Halal, there should be a total absence of contaminants or Non Halal or Haram ingredients such as swine flesh, blood, oil or any other animals or materials that are forbidden to be consumed such as drugs and liquors.
Animals or birds with sharp teeth and claws such as lions and eagles are Haram.
Blood of any animal is also Haram to be eaten. Therefore, if one puts chicken blood to his food, his food becomes Haram nonetheless.
Any Animal even if they are Halal in and of themselves such as chickens and goats if not slaughtered according to Islamic way of cutting the throat with a sharp knife are considered Haram. Those which are killed by electrocution, gunshot and others other than slitting of the throat are considered Haram. Slaughtering may only be done by Muslims, Christians or Jews. Any animal that is slaughtered by other than them even if in an Islamic manner is not considered Halal. Allah said in the Quran:
“Made lawful to you this day are At‑Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful) foods, which Allaah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits)]. The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them.” Quran5:5
Any part of an animal that is cut off while it is still alive is Haram. For example, if a foot of a cow was cut off in an accident, this foot is not Halal even if that same cow shall be slaughtered later.
Food preparation is also a factor in determining whether the Food is Halal or Haram. Food that is totally Halal such as corned beef that comes from a properly slaughtered cow yet prepared in machine where pork products are also prepared is in danger of contamination so therefore could not be considered Halal.
Food and other commodities that are bad for the health are immediately labelled as haram such as cigarettes because of their adverse effects to the human body.
Halal commodities also means that they are from Halal materials such as plastic or leather and are free from any Haram materials or contaminants such as pig leather, hair or oil.
HALAL TRANSACTIONS
Halal transactions are those which are done without usury or interest such as those incurred in banks and pawnshops during lending, deposit and others. Halal Business also means that there is no uncertainty in business dealings or ambiguity that may give rise to problems later for those involved.
In Islam, one cannot sell anything that is not yet in his possession or sell something that is of unknown quantity or quality because it will result in uncertainty whether the buyer or the seller will gain benefit from it or not.
HALAL IS NOT ONLY FOR MUSLIMS
Today, the Halal industry for food, merchandise and business is a billion dollar industry that will accelerate further as more and more countries see the benefit of Halal. We are saying this because Halal does not only mean that it is good for Muslims. Halal is also good for Non-Muslims too.
Halal food, since it is prepared in the most pristine way using the purest raw materials and high quality of production means that is a healthy option for Non-Muslims as well. As we can see, people who are suffering from high-blood pressure, heart conditions, obesity and others are immediately advised by doctors to stop consuming pork, alcohol or smoke cigarettes. A real health conscious person will enjoy Halal food as they are healthy for everybody’s consumption.
Halal business practices is also good even for Non-Muslims since they would find it more humane than most hostile business practices done by usurers and bankers. Nowadays, rent-to-own plans are widespread in the purchase of cars, houses and other commodities and this is based in an Islamic financing scheme. Microfinancing, or lending money without interest to small business owners has been proven successful especially in poor countries is also an Islamic financing scheme.
HALAL CERTIFICATIONS
Recently there has been Halal certifying bodies worldwide that test, regulate and certify that a particular food, commodity or business is Halal. It is good for a Muslim to look for the official Halal seal every time they go shopping. However, some things do not require Halal certification for it to be considered Halal such as food that you buy from a trusted wet market vendor, restaurants and others.
