Haram and Halal

Haram (unlawful) definition

Haram is an Arabic term that defines anything that is prohibited according to the Islamic law. Every deed or act that violates Allahs (SWT)
rules is a sin. (May Allah (SWT) the most Merciful, forgive us and all Muslims). Allah (SWT) has given us countless goods and allowed us to
enjoy the beauties of this world that He has created. He has prohibited several things like:
Associating Allah (SWT) with a partner (Shirk)
Disbelieving Muhammad (PBUH) and other Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them)
Lying, stealing, fortune telling, adultery, raping
Pork-based product, intoxicants, alcohol and by-products
Therefore eat of what Allah has given you, lawful and good (things), and give thanks for Allahs favor if Him do you serve. Quran
(16:114)
Halal (lawful) definition
The term Halal means permitted or lawful in Islam, it describes anything that is permitted to use or engage in. They can be goods or acts
that are allowed according to the Islamic Law. Halal is the opposite of Haram.
They ask you as to what is allowed to them. Say: the good things are allowed to you, and what you have taught the beasts and birds of prey,
training them to hunt; you teach them of what Allah has taught you, so eat of that which they catch for you and mention the name of Allah
over it, and be careful of Allah; surely Allah is swift in reckoning. Quran (5:4)
The following products are definitely Halal:
1. Milk (from cows, sheep, camels, and goats)
2. Honey
3. Fish
4. Plants which are not intoxicant
5. Fresh or naturally frozen vegetables
6. Fresh or dried fruits
7. Legumes and nuts like peanuts, cashew nuts, hazel nuts, walnuts, etc.
8. Grains such as wheat, rice, rye, barley, oat, etc.
Animals such as cows, sheep, goats, deer, moose, chickens, ducks, game birds, etc., are also Halal, but they must be Zabihah (slaughtered
according to Islamic Rites) in order to be suitable for consumption. The procedure is as follows: the animal must be slaughtered by a Muslim.
The animal should be put down on the ground (or held it if it is small) and its throat should be slit with a very sharp knife to make sure that
the 3 main blood vessels are cut. While cutting the throat of the animal (without severing it), the person must pronounce the name of Allah or
recite a blessing which contains the name of Allah, such as "Bismillah Allah-u-Akbar".
What is Haraam?
1. Meat from swine - pork, ham, gammon, bacon, etc
2. Pork-based products and by-products - sausages, gelatine etc
3. Animals improperly slaughtered, or already dead before slaughtering is due to take place
4. Animals killed in the name of anyone other than Allah.
5. Intoxicants
6. Most carnivorous animals, birds of prey and land animals without external ears (i.e., snakes, reptiles, worms, insects etc.)
7. Blood and blood by-products
8. Foods contaminated with any of the above products
While many things are clearly halal or clearly haraam, there are some things which are not clear. These items are considered questionable or
suspect and more information is needed to categorise them as halal or haraam. Such items are often referred to as Mashbooh, which means
doubtful or questionable. Food falling into this category should be treated as haraam until you know otherwise.
{foods which are forbidden}: The Holy Qur'an, 5:3 - Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which
hath been invoked the name of other thanAllah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by
being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is
sacrificed on stone (altars)...

{prohibition of intoxicants): The Holy Qur'an, 5:90 - O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by)
arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan's handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.
(permissibility of seafood): The Holy Qur'an, 35:12 - Nor are the two bodies of flowing water alike,- the one palatable, sweet, and pleasant to
drink, and the other, salt and bitter. Yet from each (kind of water) do ye eat flesh fresh and tender, and ye extract ornaments to wear; and thou
seest the ships therein that plough the waves, that ye may seek (thus) of the Bounty ofAllah that ye may be grateful.
PRODUCTS:
Intoxicants:
It should be noted that the Qur'an specifies all intoxicants (not just alcohol) as being haraam. An intoxicant is, by definition, a substance
eaten, drunk or smoked with the sole intention of becoming intoxicated, or a substance created with that purpose in mind. This basically
means alcoholic drinks and narcotic drugs.
Any food which was made with an alcoholic drink (usually wine) is haraam because, although the food itself probably couldn't get you
drunk, it's alcoholic ingredient was made for that purpose. In most cases this is obvious - for instance Coq au Vin (chicken in wine) or Beef
and Ale Pie. In contrast, some seemingly innocent foods can be made using alcoholic drinks and are therefore haraam- examples are mince
pies and teriyaki sauce. Always check the ingredients label!
In contrast, alcohol can be found in some halal foods, such as bread and soy sauce. These sometimes contain minute amounts of alcohol as a
result of a natural reaction between certain chemicals during the manufacturing process (as opposed to alcoholic drinks being deliberately
added to food to add flavour), and so couldn't be classed as haraam.
Some medicines and mouthwashes contain alcohol - if you can find an non-alcoholic alternative then use that instead. Medicines containing
alcohol would be considered halal if there were no suitable alternatives available. It should be noted that only ethyl alcohol (such as
methylated spirits and ethanol, the alcohol found in alcoholic drinks) are intoxicating and are therefore haraam. Other forms of alcohol (such
as stearyl) are not intoxicating. These types of alcohol won't be found in any food or drink due to the fact that they are generally poisonous,
but it is a point worth bearing in mind when buying household goods containing these.
Pork By-Products:
This includes ingredients such as gelatine, emulsifiers, fat and enzymes. All of these are haraam. They also have alternatives that are
either halal or vegetarian that can just as easily be used in their place. Items that can contain these pork-based ingredients include:
Jelly / Jell-O desserts
Marshmallows
Jelly / Gum sweets
Lard
A note for Muslims in Britain - some fish and chip shops cook their food in lard (pork fat) in the traditional way, especially Harry Ramsden's.
As far as I know, most chip shops use vegetable oil, probably because it's cheaper. If you enjoy a good fish and chip dinner like me, you may
as well cook it yourself.
Some medicines and supplements (especially Cod Liver Oil) also use gelatine as part of their capsules. It can be permissible to use these, but
ONLY if there are no suitable alternatives.
Seafood:
The Qur'an states that everything from the sea is halal, including carnivores such as sharks. You'll see that the list I wrote above says MOST
carnivorous animals are haraam. Marine predators seem to be the exception to this rule.
I have also seen some sources stating that prawns, crabs and other crustaceans are haraam based on other verses of the Qur'an which
mentions that seawater is bitter. This is not true as the above verse states that all food from the sea is halal.
Cheese:
Some cheeses, including popular types such as Cheddar, are made with an ingredient called 'rennet'. Traditionally, this is obtained from the
cow's stomach which, if the cow was not slaughtered according the Islamic rites, would render it haraam. Many cheeses nowadays are made
using vegetable rennet, so always choose these if possible.