HALAL CONCEPT
By Mohamed El-Mouelhy
Islam places a very strong emphasis on cleanlisness in everything. As such, before performing our daily prayers, ablution, as means of cleansing ourselves, is compulsory, and must be performed in the correct manner. The concept of cleanliness is also extended to toher matters, especially in context of ood and drink.
The Qur’an has numerous injunctions, instructing Muslims to choose and consume good and wholesome offdstuffs.
In The selection of food and drink, Islam has laid down three very important guidelines, name:
- Wether the consumption of foodstuff is prohibited by Allah,
- Wehter the Foodstuff is obtained through Halal or Haram means, and
- Wether or not the Material is harmful to health.
There are several factors that determine the Halal/Haram status of a particular foodstuff. Amongst others, it is dependent on its nature, how it is processed and how it is obtained. As an example, any product from pig would be considered as Haram because the material itself is Haram. On the other hand, beef from an animal which has not been slaughtered according to Islamic rites would still be considered Haram. And of course, a stolen foodstuff or foodstuffs that ar acquired through means that are incompatible with Islamic teaching, would also be Haram. Food and drink that are poisonous or intoxicationg, are obviously Haram because they are harmful to health.
If we look carefully, the concept of Haram in Islam has very specific motives, namely:
- To preserve the purity of religion
- To safeguard the Islamic mentality.
- To preserve life.
- To safeguard property.
- To safeguard future generations.
- To maintain self-respect and integrity.
Thus the consumption of Haram foods and drinks may have undesirable effects on the above mentioned factors.
In the context of our daily food intake, any foodstuff that causes, or has the potential to cause, any negative effect to the mind, spirit, integrity and health, is Haram. The habitual consumption of Haram foods may be manifested by the exhibiton of impure spirit, unsound mind, impairment of personal character and unhealthy body.
Islam has introduced the concept of slaughter, whereby a naturally Halal animal would have to be properly slaughtered prior to consumption. The act of slaughtering is to ensure the quality of meat and to avoid any microbial contamination. For example, a dead but unslaughtered animal, is normally associated with disease. Most disease originated or carried in the animals’s blood. Therefore, slaughtering is mandatory to ensure the complete drainage of blood from the animal’s body, thus minimizing the chance of microbial infection. This is compatible with the overall concept of cleanliness that is always emphasised in islams.
Apart from ensuring the cleanliness of foodstuffs, Islam prohibits the usage of any materials that are detrimental to spiritual or mental well-being of a person, such as alcoholic drinks, drugs, etc.
Since Islam has always encouraged its followers to choose wholesome, clean and Halal foods, this awareness is always propagated in the Muslim society. This awareness is strengthened by the widespread knowledge, extolling the virtues of consuming clean and Halal food, and its relationship to our daily religious practices. The population nowadays are even more exposed to the various kinds of ingredients and manufactured foods, arising from the advancement of science and technology in more pertinent examples of such materials are the food additives “Gelatine” and “Emulsifiers” or the addition of rennet in cheese manufacture. The Muslim communities would like to know wether or not, the ingredients or the finished foods contain any Haram substance. These products can become Halal if the raw materials are Halal and the process in compatible with the Islamic way.
To determine the Halal/Haram status of foodstuffs and other materials, Islam has alid general guidelines on this matter, namely:
- All the raw materials and ingredients used must be Halal.
- Naturally Halal animals, such as cattle, goats etc. must be slaughtered according to Islamic rites, the rituals sepcitfy that the act must be performed by a mentally sound Muslim, to sever the blood and respiratory channels of the animal, using a very sharp cutting tool such as a knife.
- The Halal ingredient must not be mixed, or even come into contact with Haram materials, such as products from pig or dog, during storage, transport, cooking, serving, …etc.
It must be understood that, the production of Halal food is not only beneficial to Muslims, but also to non-Muslim food producers, by means of an increased market acceptance of their products.
Mohamed El-Mouelhy
Copyright © 1996 by Halal Helpline. All rights reserved.
Revised: 18 Dec 2001 02:41:41 -0800.
Poste with Permission from http://www.halalhelpline.org/
