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GUIDANCE FROM THE QUR'AN O ye who believe! Eat of what is on earth, halal and good, and do not follow the footsteps of the Evil One, for he is to you an avowed enemy. II: 168 O ye who believe! Forbid not the good things which God had made lawful for you, and transgress not. Lo God loveth not transgressors. Eat of that which God hath bestowed on you as food, lawful and good, and keep your duty to God in whom you are believers. V: 87-88 |
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Background:
The concept of providing such information is based in the student associations on campuses throughout USA, in seventies and eighties. For a number of years we published lists of haram or questionable products to help Muslim students make better choices, when halal certified products were not readily available. Thirty years later the land scape of halal products has changed dramatically and students can find halal products throughout the super markets and grocery stores. However, food service organizations and cafeterias are just warming up to providing halal certified options. Accompanying document, Halal Food Service Kit has been created to help the food service industry to meet the needs of Muslim students and other users of their services. Halal Foundation utilizes IFANCA's team of scientists and Islamic scholars to find solutions to problems facing halal consumers in the Western countries. The information provided here will be helpful for people in all walks of life.What is Halal
Halal is an Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted. The opposite of halal is haram, which means unlawful or prohibited. Halal and haram are universal terms that apply to all facets of life. However, we will use these terms only in relation to food products, meat products, cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, food ingredients, and food contact materials. While many things are clearly halal or haram, there are some things which are not clear. Further information is needed to categorize them as halal or haram. Such items are often referred to as mashbooh, which means doubtful or questionable. All foods are considered halal except the following (which are haram): Swine/Pork and its by-products Animals improperly slaughtered or dead before slaughtering Alcoholic drinks and intoxicants Carnivorous animals, birds of prey and certain other animals Foods contaminated with any of the above products Foods containing ingredients such as gelatin, enzymes, emulsifiers, and flavors are questionable (mashbooh), because the origin of these ingredients is not known.