Halal and Haram Foods in Islam
All foods cited as Halal in the Holy Book (The Koran) are authorised and all foods cited as Haram are forbidden. Foods with no explicit reference given to as being authorised or forbidden in the Holy Book, The Koran, are Halal, according to all tendencies in Islam. It is initially the authorisation and not the banning that is a rule in Islam.
Sürah 2 - Al Baqarah (the Cow).
Verse 29 : "He it is Who created for you all that is on the earth".
Definitions of Halal and Haram :
Halal refers to all that is authorised and allowed to be consumed in Islam (lawful). It is the opposite of Haram which refers to all that is forbidden to be consumed in Islam (unlawful).
What has not been specifically mentioned in the Holy Book (The Koran) as Halal or Haram is a gift from God, not an oversight.
Sürah 19 - Maryam (Mary).
Verse 64 : " ; and your Lord is never forgetful -".
I – Forbidden foods :
Foods forbidden in Islam according to the Holy Book (The Koran) are limited to 10.
Sürah 5 - Al-Mä'idah (Table Service).
Verse 3: "Forbidden for you (for food) are : Al-Maytah (the dead animals – cattle – beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering (that which has been slaughtered for others than Allah, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns – and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal – unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) – and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An Nusub (stone alters). (Forbidden) also is to use arrows seeking luck or decision; (all) that is Fisqun (disobedience of Allah and sin).
1. dead animals
2. blood
3. pork meat (the flesh of swine)
4. meat slaughtered on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering.
5. an animal slaughtered by strangling
6. an animal killed by a violent blow
7. an animal killed by a headlong fall
8. an animal which has been gored to death
9. an animal already partly eaten by a wild animal
10. an animal sacrificed on stone alters
Dead animals: animals which have died naturally and which have not been slaughtered accordingly. This term also applies to all parts cut from the body of the animal before its slaughter.
Pork meat (the flesh of swine): the meat, the fat, the bone, the marrow etc…
An animal that was slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah: an animal on which, at the moment of slaughter, a name other than that of Allah was pronounced.
A strangled animal: an animal killed by strangulation.
An animal killed by a violent blow: an animal that has died after heavy blows from a stick or any other object (except hunted animals killed by arrows or a bullet).
An animal killed by a headlong fall: an animal that dies after the fall of a certain height into a ditch or any similar hole.
An animal which has been gored to death: an animal that has been gored to death by another animal.
An animal eaten by a wild animal: an animal (other than a hunted animal) that has been partially eaten by a predatory or rapacious animal.
A sacrificed animal: an animal that has been sacrificed by pagans on sacred stones, idols or alters.
II - Other forbidden foods :
Meat from wild animals which have canine teeth and claws (lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, cats, etc…).
IMPORTANT :
There is a right to consume forbidden foods in cases of absolute necessity.
For those for whom it is necessary to consume the meat of forbidden animals in order to survive and hence avoid death, the consumption is authorised, according to the word of God.
Sürah 4 - An Nisä (Women).
Verse 29 : "And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another.)".
Criteria of Necessity :
Man is constrained by hunger in order to avoid death as he is constrained by ignorance or disregard.
Sürah 2 - Al Baqarah (the Cow).
Verse 173: "But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful".
