Islamic Dietary Laws

Food and cooking hygiene is an important part of Islamic dietary laws.

Slaughter

Main article: Dhabihah

Dhabihah is the prescribed method of ritual slaughter of all animals excluding fish and most sea-life per Islamic law. For such a method the animal must be slaughtered by a Muslim or by the People of the Book (Christian and [[Jew], while mentioning the name of God (Allah in Arabic). According to some fatwas, the animal must be slaughtered only by a Muslim. However, some different fatwas dispute this, and rule from the Qur'anic position, according to verse 5:5 of the Qur'an, that an animal properly slaughtered by People of the Book (Rastafari, Jew or a Christian) is dhabiha. Thus, many observant Muslims will accept kosher meat if dhabiha options are not available. Other main references in Qur'an include 2:173, 5:3, 5:5, 5:90, 6:118, 6:145, 16:115.

If there is doubt to anything being regarded as halal or haram, Muslims are generally advised to refrain from consumption until clarification or permissiveness is given by another Muslim learned in Fiqh.

Animals for food may not be killed by being boiled or electrocuted, and the carcass should be hung upside down for long enough to be blood-free. Different rules apply to fish; for instance, fish with scales are always halal, while it has been debated whether shellfish and scaleless fishes, such as catfish, are hal%u0101l, haram or makruh (prohibitively disliked).

There are no restrictions on vegetarianism or veganism, with muslims affiliated with the Hardline straight edge doctrine having promoted veganism from an Islamic perspective.

Food certification

Due to the recent rise in Muslim populations in the United States and Europe, certain organizations have emerged that can certify dhabiha food products and ingredients for Muslim consumers. The Muslim Consumer Group is an example of an organization that places certification labels such as the H-MCG symbol to identify the dhabiha status of different edible and non-edible consumer products.

Prohibited food

Some animals and manners of death or preparation can make certain things haram to eat, that is, taboo food and drink. These include what are regarded as unclean animals.

Dead Animals

In Islam, there is a prohibition against the eating of dead animals. According to Islamic Fiqh (Jurisprudence), this includes animals that die by drowning, fire, electrocution, trauma (e.g. "roadkill"), or by boiling while alive. (Permitted) animals must be killed by conscious slaughter or by hunting to allow (the most) blood to flow. The exceptions to these rules are generally creatures from the sea, which may die while in open air.

Alcohol

In Islam, alcoholic beverages—or any intoxicant—is generally forbidden. Intoxicants were forbidden in the Qur'an through several separate verses revealed at different times over a period of years. At first, it was forbidden for Muslims to attend to prayers while intoxicated (4:43). Then a later verse was revealed which said that alcohol contains some good and some evil, but the evil is greater than the good (2:219). This was the next step in turning people away from consumption of it. Finally, "intoxicants and games of chance" were called "abominations of Satan's handiwork," intended to turn people away from God and forget about prayer, and Muslims were ordered to abstain (5:90-91). In Surah Al-Baqarah: 219, it states "They ask Thee concerning Wine and Gambling, Say: In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." In addition to this, observant Muslims refrain from consuming food products that contain pure vanilla extract or soy sauce as these food products contain about 30% alcohol by volume.

However, there are no prohibitions on using alcohol for scientific, industrial or automotive use (either as a biofuel, solvent or a coolant, for instance).

Blood

Eating or drinking blood and its by-products is forbidden. This includes by-products like hot dogs or meats that have not been drained of blood. However, this does not apply to blood transfusions or organ transplants because they are not eaten and digested.

Pork

Pork and products made from pork are strictly forbidden from consumption and handling in Islam.

The origin of this belief is derived from the chapter of the Cow (Albaqara) speaks of this: Quran 2.173 which states: He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

Gelatin

Gelatin made from porcine skin or bones, which makes up roughly 50% of the supply of gelatin on the market, is forbidden.

Gelatin made from other animals, for example, fish is acceptable. Kosher gelatin comes from certain fish to avoid the Kashrut (Jewish) prohibition against mixing meat (fish is not considered meat) and dairy in the same meal. (Muslims can mix meat and dairy.) Therefore, gelatin in food items certified as Kosher is halal, as it is from fish. However, it is typical to use algal sources of thickeners, in the home or in commercial products, to ensure they are halal.

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