Halal and Non-Halal Products

Halal products:

Milk (or goat's milk, camel's milk), honey, fish Plants (non-intoxicating), fresh or frozen vegetables, fresh fruits and their dried fruits Legumes and nuts such as peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts and walnuts Grains such as wheat, rice, rye and oats Animals such as cattle, sheep, deer, moose, chicken, duck and game birds are also halal, but they must be slaughtered in a manner that complies with Islamic law before they can be eaten (or otherwise used). The slaughtering process is as follows: the slaughterer must be a Muslim (or another People of the Book, such as a Jew or a Christian); the animal to be slaughtered is placed on the ground (very small animals may be held by hand); a sharp knife is used to simultaneously cut the three main blood vessels (but not to cut through the entire neck); and the slaughterer must at the same time recite the name of Allah or another praise containing the name of Allah. In addition, some food additives in halal food that may be Muslim taboos, such as gelatin, bone meal, leavening agents, animal fats and animal enzymes, are chemically analyzed; if these products contain components such as pork or lard, their use is strictly prohibited.

Non-Halal products

1. Pigs and their derivatives

2. Blood and alcohol

3. Animals not slaughtered in the name of halal.

Sources of taboos for Halal food:

1. Prohibited foods. According to the principle: it is forbidden to eat carrion, blood, pork, and animals slaughtered in a name other than Allah's. Moreover, drinking alcohol, gambling, idol worship and divination by lots are forbidden acts and must be kept away from. Therefore, for Muslims' diet, it is by no means as simple as just 'not eating pork'; 'drinking alcohol' is an even greater taboo.

2. Animal foods must be slaughtered according to halal principles before they can be eaten. The so-called 'slaughtering while reciting the name of God' basically means that the person slaughtering the livestock must be a Muslim, the livestock must be slaughtered after reciting 'the name of Allah,' and the livestock must be alive—Muslims do not eat 'carrion.' During slaughter, the throat is cut so that the animal suffers less.

3. Regarding aquatic products, according to the principle: animals and food from the sea are lawful and may be eaten. Therefore, aquatic products do not need to be slaughtered in the manner described above.

Currently, in China, the Hui, Uyghur, Kazakh, Bonan, Dongxiang, Uzbek, Tatar, Tajik, Kirgiz and other fellow ethnic groups follow halal dietary principles, and their daily diet is based on halal standards.