Halal - an Islamic Dietary Laws

Islamic dietary laws provide a set of rules defining what Muslims may eat in their diet and related issues. These laws specify which foods are halal (lawful) and which are haram (unlawful) based on rules found in the Koran and according to some, declarations by religious leaders. Many, especially in the Western world, are still unsure what constitutes a Halal food. Halal translates to lawful or legal and is, at its most simple, a term that is assigned to any action that is permissible under Islamic law. The term is extended to food to denote all foods that are consumable under Islamic law, much in the same way that the Kashrut denotes what foods a member of the Jewish faith can eat. While the term is used widely throughout Islamic countries to denote any illegal activity under Islamic law, it has become synonymous with food in the West. The laws in relation to Halal foods are actually quite complex, and do not simply relate to the method in which the animal is slaughtered, as many believe. The main focus of many people on the Halal laws in regards to food is the slaughtering method. This relates most directly to the consumption of blood, as the method of slaughter is intended to prevent this. There are a number of foods which Muslims can't eat under the Halal guidelines according to the Qur'an. These include; 1. Pork  2. Blood  3. Animals not slaughtered in the name of Allah  4. Carrion  5. Animals that have been killed by methods such as strangulation, beating or attack by another animal  6. Alcohol and other intoxicants While these rules are strictly upheld in many Muslim societies, The Qur'an also states that when in a position where no other food is available, a Muslim may eat non-Halal food. Islamic ritual slaughter involves cutting the jugular veins and carotid arteries as does kosher ritual slaughter. Some Moslems deem kosher meat to be acceptable; others do not. Hunted animals may also be eaten. Their carcass must hang upside down to let the blood drain out. The method of slaughter is known as Dhabiha, and is essentially a ritual slaughter of an animal that makes it legal for Muslim consumption. The ritual disregards fish, and most other sea-life, relating mostly to cattle and other animals bred on land for slaughter. The method itself consists of a fast and deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck of the animal, cutting both the jugular vein and carotid arteries, while keeping the spinal cord intact. This causes instant death to the animal in question, killing it painlessly. A blessing in the name of Allah is made on the animal, and thus the food becomes Halal, or legal to eat . People's view on Halal foods take many forms. Strict Muslims insist that the blessing in the name of Allah is a hugely important part of the process, and food is not legal for consumption without it. Other Muslims are more lenient in this regard, feeling willing to eat any meat as long as all the blood has been drained from the carcass. The issue is a contentious one amongst many Muslims, as is the issue between the similarities between Kosher foods and Halal foods. Debate still rages on whether Kashrut standards are interchangeable with Halal standards, with the main sticking point being the blessing made in the name of Allah. All of the frozen foods supplied by any good halal frozen food distributor adhere to the Halal standards above, however this is not all that worries many consumers of Halal goods in a Western society. It is becoming more and more difficult to prevent cross-contamination with non-halal foods, such as Pork, in many restaurants and food vendors throughout the country. Many suppliers that claim to offer both Halal and non-halal foods may in fact put their Halal products in close proximity to pork products, thus making it non-halal. The increase in the Muslim populations of the United States and Europe has given rise to organizations that certify food products and ingredients as halal for Muslim consumers. For example, the Muslim Consumer Group is an American organization that that certifies both edible and non-edible consumer products. Their web site records over half a million hits a month and is visited by Moslems in more than ninety countries. The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) is a non-profit Islamic organization dedicated to promote halal food and the institution of halal. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, it certifies halal food production in over 20 countries around the globe