What Is Halal?

"Halal" comes from Arabic, meaning "permitted" or "acceptable." Its diametric opposite is HARAM (non-Halal), meaning "forbidden."

HALAL and HARAM are general terms applicable to all aspects of Muslim life, but this discussion is limited to food, meat products, cosmetics, personal-care products, drugs, food ingredients and food-contact materials.

Although many things are very obviously judged as HALAL or HARAM, some things are not clear. Further information is needed to classify them as HALAL or HARAM. Such items are often called Mashbooh, meaning doubtful or suspect.

Except for the following sources, all food is considered HALAL:

Pigs, pork, dogs, dog meat and their by-products;

Animals not properly slaughtered according to HALAL standards or that died before slaughter;

Alcoholic beverages and narcotics;

Carnivorous animals and birds of prey;

Blood and blood by-products;

Products directly or indirectly contaminated by any material in the above categories;

Foods containing ingredients such as gelatin, enzymes, emulsifiers and flavorings are doubtful (mashbooh), because these raw materials or their sources may be HARAM;

Meat and poultry should be processed according to HALAL standard requirements. This is often called Zabiha or Dhabiha. Zabiha refers to slaughtering an animal or bird according to the requirements of HALAL certification standards.

Products confirmed as HALAL

All plants (except intoxicating products such as alcohol);

Meat of HALAL animals and birds slaughtered by a dedicated imam according to HALAL standard requirements;

Fish and most seafood;

Milk and eggs from HALAL animals;

Products confirmed as HARAM:

Alcoholic beverages and intoxicating drugs;

Meat of HALAL animals/birds not slaughtered by a dedicated imam;

Meat of animals that died before slaughter;

Blood;

Pork, dog meat, donkey meat and their by-products.

Mashbooh (doubtful) products requiring further confirmation

Animal fat or protein (need to further confirm whether the fat or protein comes from a HALAL animal and was slaughtered by a dedicated imam);

Antioxidants (need to further confirm whether the material comes from animal or plant; if from animal, it must be slaughtered by a dedicated imam);

Dairy products (need to further confirm the source of the enzyme/cheese/whey);

Emulsifiers (need to further confirm animal or plant source);

Enzymes (need to further confirm animal/microbial/plant source);

Flavorings (need to further confirm whether the raw material source is HALAL or HARAM);

L-cysteine and other amino acids (need to further confirm whether the raw material source is HALAL or HARAM);

Gelatin (need to further confirm whether the gelatin is of animal, fish or plant source);

Glycerin (need to further confirm whether of animal or plant source);

Vitamins (need to confirm whether the carrier source is HALAL or HARAM, such as corn gluten meal, corncob meal, rice husk, defatted rice bran, pharmaceutical starch, modified starch, light calcium carbonate, sepiolite).