Frequently Ask Questions(FAQ)

What is Halal & Haram ?

Halal Definitions:
The meaning of the word Halal is: "Permitted, allowed, authorized, approved, sanctioned, lawful, legal, legitimate or licit." When used in relation to food or drink in any form whatsoever it means that it is permitted and fit for consumption by Muslims.
For a food or drink to be described as Halal, it must conform to the Islamic dietary laws as specified in the Qur'an, the Hadith (sayings) of the Prophet Muhammad, his Sunnah (tradition), and in the fiqh (teachings) of the Islamic Jurists: Hanafi, Shafi'i, Malki, and Hanbali, products that satisfy all of the above, therefore approved products are acceptable to all Muslim denominations.

For a product to be Halal it must be as a whole and in part:

• Free of, and not containing any substance or ingredient taken or extracted from a Haram animal or ingredient.
• Made processed, produced, manufactured and/or stored by using utensils, equipment and/or machinery that has been cleansed according to Islamic law.
• Must never have come into contact with, touch or be close to a Haram substance during preparation, making, production, manufacture, processing and/or storage.

Haram Definitions:
The meaning of the word Haram is:"Not permitted, not allowed, unauthorized, unapproved, unsanctioned, unlawful, illegal, illegitimate or illicit." When used in relation to food or drink in any form whatsoever it means that it is not permitted and unfit for consumption by Muslims.

Haram Products:
product is considered Haram if it comes into contact with or as a whole or in part contains:

• Animals not slaughtered in a Halal manner.
• Pig, Dog, Donkey or Carnivores.
• Dead animals due to strangulation. a blow to the head (as in clubbing), a headlong fall, natural causes (carrion), being gored or attacked by another animal.
• Animals having protruding canine teeth such as monkeys, cats, and lions.
• Amphibious animals such as frogs, crocodiles, and turtles.
• Undesirable insects such as worms, flies, and cockroaches.
• Birds or pray with talons such as owls, and eagles.
• Alcohol, harmful substances, poisonous and intoxication plants or drinks.
• Blood

What is Mashbooh ?

Mushbooh means suspect, in doubt, or questionable. If the origin of a certain food item is in doubt, or there is uncertainty about its permission or Prohibition under Islamic laws, then the product is considered Mashbooh. A wide range of products in todays marketplace fall under this category, which forms the gray area between what is permitted and what is prohibited. While many things are clearly Halal or clearly Haram, there are some things that are not clear.

These items are considered questionable or suspect and more information is needed to categorize them as Halal or haram. Foods containing ingredients such as gelatin, enzymes, emulsifiers, etc. would be Mashbooh because the origin of these ingredients is not known Allah (SWT) knows best.

What is Makrooh ?

Makrooh means detested or discouraged. Products that are discouraged by Allah(SWT) or His messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him): are offensive to ones psyche: or may be otherwise harmful fall under this category, including stimulants and smoking. Allah (SWT) knows best.

How do we know that the meat at the
Halal store is Halal certified ?

A Muslim consumer must make sure that the Halal meat is certified by an authentic Halal certifying organization. The certification should be by a third-party, not the manufacturer and not the retailer. Allah (SWT) knows best

Are all marine animal Halal ?

All marine animals - fresh water and saltwater animals (those which live in water all the time) are permitted unless they are harmful to health. There is no requirement to slaughter the marine animals.

Are all plants products Halal ?

All the products derived from plants are lawful for Muslim consumption except when fermented to contain alcohol, or when containing intoxicants otherwise harmful to humans.

What is Najs (unclear) ?

Accordingly to Shariah Law, Najs are :

• Things that are themselves not permitted such as;Pig (Khinzir) and all its derivatives, blood and carrion,
• Any liquid and objects discharged from the orifices of human being of animals such as; urine, excrement, blood, vomit, pus, sperm and ova of pigs
• And Dogs except sperm and ova of other animals.

Are all Halal products & services can be consumed
and used by Non-Muslim ?

YES- Halal products and services are pure, hygienic & lawful for all human being.

What is Vegetarian food ? Can Muslims consume it ?

Vegetarian food refers to food that does not contain meat, and sometimes other animal products (e.g. eggs,milk,etc.) . Individual that adopt a vegetarian diet usually to do so for moral,religion or health reasons. In general vegetarian food is suitable for Muslim consumption if it doesn’t contain non-Halal substances.

What is Kosher food ? Can Muslims consume it ?

Kosher is English word of Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law). Kosher food refers to food that is suitable for consumption by Jews.
There are similarities and differences between Kosher and Halal food,for instance; vegetable is both Kosher and Halal.

• HALAL REFERENCE FROM WIKIPEDIA

Halal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Halal (حلال, ḥalāl, Halaal) is an Arabic term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. It is the opposite of haraam. The term is widely used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law (Sharia) - ( (الشريعة الإسلامية). It is estimated that 70% of Muslims worldwide follow halal food standards and that the global halal market is currently a $580 (U.S.) billion industry.

"Halal" the word

The use of the term varies between Arabic-speaking communities and non-Arabic-speaking ones. In Arabic-speaking countries, the term is used to describe anything permissible under Islamic law, in contrast to haraam, that which is forbidden. This includes human behavior, speech communication, clothing, conduct, manner and dietary laws.

In non-Arabic-speaking countries, the term is most commonly used in the narrower context of just Muslim dietary laws, especially where meat and poultry are concerned, though it can be used for the more general meaning, as well.

Halal

Islam has laws regarding which foods can and cannot be eaten and also on the proper method of slaughtering an animal for consumption, known as dhabihah. However if there is no other food available then a Muslim is allowed to eat non-Halal food.[3] Surah 2:173 states: If one is forced because there is no other choice, neither craving nor transgressing, there is no sin in him. Indeed, Allah(SWT) is forgiving, merciful Explicitly forbidden substances

A variety of substances are considered as harmful (haraam) for humans to consume and, therefore, forbidden as per various Quranic verses:

• Pork meat (i.e., flesh of pig)[Qur'an 2:173].
• Blood[Qur'an 2:173].
• All carnivores and birds of prey.
• Animals slaughtered in the name of anyone but Allah(SWT). All that has been dedicated or offered in sacrifice to an idolatrous altar or saint or a person considered to be "divine"[Qur'an 2:173] [Qur'an 5:3].
• Carrion [Qur'an 2:173].
• An animal that has been strangled, beaten (to death), killed by a fall, gored (to death), savaged by a beast of prey (except that which you may have slaughtered while it was still alive)[Qur'an 5:3].
• The fish must die out of water and because of natural suffocation in the free air, on the ground or on the deck of the fishing boat. Otherwise, it's not halal.
• Food over which Allah's name is not pronounced[Qur'an 6:121].
• Alcohol and other intoxicants[Qur'an 5:90-91].

All these substances may be consumed as last options in life-threatening situations.

Dhabiha: Method of slaughter
Main article: Dhabihah


Dhabiha is the prescribed method of ritual slaughter of all animals excluding fish and most sea-life per Islamic law. This method of slaughtering animals consists of a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck, cutting the jugular veins and carotid arteries of both sides but leaving the spinal cord intact.

Halal in non-Islamic countries

In Dearborn, Michigan, United States, home to one of the largest Muslim and Arab populations in the United States, a number of fast food chains like McDonald's introduced halal chicken nuggets. [5] In the UK and United States, halal fried chicken has become widely popular with both Muslim and non-Muslim populations, and thousands of outlets serving this fare, such as Chicken Cottage, Kennedy Fried Chicken, Brown's Chicken, and Crown Fried Chicken have emerged. New York in particular is also home to many Halal food carts serving gyros, chicken platters and other fast food, while the UK and Europe more generally have many Muslim-owned Döner kebab shops. In Canada halal is used everywhere.[citation needed]

A 2005 law passed in a county in Ohio, United States made it illegal to sell, distribute, and/or produce food that has been mislabeled "halal," when it is determined that the food does not meet Islamic dietary standards. Similar laws protect kosher foods [6]. See Kashrut.

McDonald's is intending to offer Halal meals in the United States and some parts of the United Kingdom with two of its franchises currently on trial, offering this service. Six McDonald's Restaurants in Australia (two outlets in Melbourne and four in Sydney) have Halal meals. Restaurants in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Pakistan, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa are Halal certified.[citation needed] Mcdonalds, Pizza Hut and KFC have been made Halal in Sri Lanka by the Jamiyathul Ulama of Sri Lanka, the only competent authority to give out the certification.

Pizza Hut, KFC, Wendys, Carls Jr, Burger King, A&W, Dunkin Donuts, Subway stores in Islamic countries also serve halal foods.

While the introduction of Halal meats in local U.S. based restaurants is still ongoing, in early 2004 for the first time in the United States Halal meats began to be offered in local retail chain grocery stores, in particular H.E.B.Grocery. Tex-Med Beef Co. based in Houston,Texas was the first Halal meat/poultry distribution company to offer Halal meats in the United States at the retail store level.

In 2008 and 2009 twelve stores in the Mary Brown's chain in Ontario and Alberta become 100% Halal. [7]

With Muslims making up around 1.79 billion of the world's population, the rapid expansion in the Halal food sector has become a key area of opportunity across the industry, according to senior executives from the World Halal Forum (WHF).

The current estimated value of the total Halal market is USD150 billion, but this has the potential to rise to USD 500 billion by 2010, driven by the increasing value and diversity of the consumer market, combined with strong demographic trends, according to global group HighBeam Research. Commercially, the Islamic consumer market is the fastest-growing in the world. Europe's Muslim population has grown by more than 140% over the past decade to reach 25 million, while Australia has grown by a significant 250% in the same period.

Once Asia's Muslim population of over one billion - including the world's fast-growing populations of Bangladesh, China and Pakistan - is factored in, the full potential of the Halal food market becomes apparent.

"The Halal marketplace is emerging as one of the most lucrative and influential arenas in the world today, particularly as Muslim nations reach the stage of development required to shape global markets, both as producers and consumers," said Salama Evans, organiser of the Halal Industry Dialogue.

Opportunities abound within and beyond traditional Muslim countries - the UK Halal market alone is currently a USD 4 billion market, with strong demand for specialised and healthy Halal food.

These factors are driving an increasing diversity of companies and countries to incorporate Islamic food standards, endorsed by a Halal authority, into the manufacture and preparation of food products.

Major food producing nations like Malaysia, Brazil and Turkey are striving to ensure that Halal standards are introduced into every link of the food chain. In addition, the majority of the world's meat producing countries - including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Bangladesh, New Zealand, UK and USA - are incorporating Halal slaughter techniques across their operations.

Commenting on the strong growth of the Halal market, "It is definitely the case that the global opportunities for specialists in Halal food and food preparation are increasing, as higher numbers of consumers and hotels look for Halal alternatives.

By the numbers …

16% — Halal’s share of global food industry
$632 billion— Annual halal food market
1.6 billion— Worldwide Muslim population