Basics of Halal

Consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants is prohibited according to the following guidance:

“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and games of chance, and idols and divining arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed.” (Chapter V, Verse 9)

Meat is the most strictly regulated of the food groups. Not only are blood, pork, and the meat of dead animals or those immolated to other than Allah strongly prohibited, it is also required that the Halal animals be slaughtered while pronouncing the name of Allah at the time of slaughter.

“Eat of that over which the name of Allah hath been mentioned, if ye are believers in his revelations” (Chapter VI, Verse 118)

“And eat not of that whereon Allah’s name hath not been mentioned, for lo! It is abomination. Lo! The devils do inspire their friends to contend with you. But if ye obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters”. (Chapter VI, Verse 121)

Attempts have been made to explain or justify some of the prohibitions based on scientific reasoning as follows:

• Carrion and dead animals are unfit for human consumption because the decaying process leads to the formation of chemicals which are harmful to humans

• Blood that is drained from the body contains harmful bacteria, products of metabolism, and toxins

• Swine serves as a vector for pathogenic worms to enter the human body. Infections by Trchinella spiralis and taenia solium are not uncommon. Fatty acids, composition of pork fat have been mentioned as incompatible with human fat and biochemical systems

• Intoxicants are considered harmful for the nervous system, affecting the census and human judgement leading to social and family problems and in many cases even death.

Although these explanations are sound, the underlying principle behind the prohibitions remains the above mentioned Divine orders.

Accordingly, Muslims permit all foods, pure and clean for consumption. Islamic Jurisprudence has derived certain principles from the Ahadeeth to determine whether a particular animal or bird is lawful or unlawful.

Halal Animals

The following animals are fit for Muslim consumption:

• All domestic birds

• All cattle

• Sheep

• Goats

• Camels

• All types of buck

• Rabbits

• Fish

• Locusts

The aforementioned animals excluding fish and locusts will only be considered Halal when they are slaughtered according to the following guidelines:

• The slaughter man must be a Muslim

• Prior to slaughter, the slaughter man must invoke the name of Allah upon the animal to be slaughtered by reciting “Bismillahi Allahu Akbar” or at the very least recite “Bismillah”

• He must immediately slaughter the animal after the recital without any significant delay

• His knife must be extremely sharp in order that the slaughter may be conducted efficiently and easily and the animal suffers minimal agony

• He must sever the following arteries:

• Trachea (windpipe), Oesophagus (gullet), both Jugular Veins

• If it is not possible for the slaughter man to cut all four arteries due to whatever reason then he must sever at least three in order to render the meat Halal.

• He must conduct the slaughter manually (i.e. by hand) and swiftly. The knife must not be lifted before the cut is complete and the cut must be below the Adam’s apple

Haram Animals

The consumption of the following animals is against the dietary laws of Islam. Likewise any ingredient or product derived from them or contaminated with them is also prohibited for a Muslim to consume:

• Meat of swine (pig) including all it’s by products

• Meat of an animal that was not blessed with the name of Allah at the time of slaughter

• Meat of dead animals (carrion)

• Meat of animals that were strangled to death

• Meat of animals that were beaten to death

• Meat of animals that died due to falling from a height

• Meat of animals that were gored to death by a horn

• Meat of animals that were devoured by wild beasts

• Animals killed in a manner which prevents their blood from being fully drained from their bodies;

• Carnivorous animals with fangs, e.g. lions, dogs, wolves, tigers, etc…

• Birds of prey e.g. falcons, eagles, owls, vultures, etc

• Reptiles, snakes, crocodiles

• Mules and Asses

• Pests’ e.g. rats and scorpions

• Insects excluding locusts

Unlawful Organs of Animals Slaughtered as Halal

• Flowing Blood

• Male reproductory organ

• Testicles

• Female reproductory organ

• Pancreas

• Gall bladder

• Bladder

Haram Fluids

• All types of alcohol

• Blood

• Intoxicating of all types, including alcohol and drugs

The Importance Of Consuming Halal

Consuming Halal is an order of Allah and an essential part of the Islamic faith. Allah has repeatedly emphasised the consumption of Halal in His book. The following are some examples of such verses:

• “O Messengers, eat from the pure foods and work righteousness”

• (Holy Quran 23:51)

• “O you who have believed, eat from the pure things which we have provided you” (Holy Quran 2:172)

• “O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth (that is) lawful and pure”

• (Holy Quran 2:168)

• “So eat of that (meat) upon which Allah’s name has been mentioned, if you are believers in His verses” (Holy Quran 6:118)

• “And do not eat that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed it is a grave disobedience”. (Holy Quran 6:121)

By being careless about the dietary laws of Islam a believer puts himself in harms way both in this world and the world hereafter. In this world, due to in taking such a product he deprives himself from having any of his good deeds and duas accepted by his creator while in the hereafter he suffers the greatest loss ever imaginable i.e. refusal from being admitted to Paradise . All this is confirmed in the following traditions:

1. Abu Hurairah RA related,” Allah’s Messenger PBUH said: Verily Allah is pure and He accepts only what is pure and indeed Allah has given those orders to the believers, which he has given to the Messengers. He has said, “O Messenger, eat from the pure foods and work righteous”. He -also- has said: “O you who have believed, eat from the pure things which we have provided you.” Then (the Prophet PBUH) made mention of a man who undergoes a lengthy journey in a state that he is dishevelled and dusty. He spreads his hands towards the sky (calling), “O my lord, O my lord”, however his food is Haram, his drink is Haram, his clothes are Haram and he has been nourished with Haram! So how will his call be answered?” (Muslim)

2. S’ad RA relates: Allah’s messenger PBUH said “O S’ad purify your food (and as a result) you will become one who’s supplications are accepted. I swear by He in whose hands the soul of Muhammad PBUH lies, verily a servant (of Allah) tosses a Haram morsel in his stomach (due to which) no deed is accepted from him for 40 days” (Tabarani)

3. Abu Baker RA narrated that Allah’s Messenger PBUH said “That body will not enter Paradise which has been nourished with Haram” (Baihaqi)

4. Ka`b Ibn Ujrah relates that the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said, “a body nourished with Haram will not enter Jannah”. (Tirmidhi)

5. Jabir RA reported, Allah’s Messenger PBUH said, “That flesh will not enter Paradise which has grown from Haram, and all that flesh which has grown from Haram, the fire (of hell) is more worthy of it.” (Ahmed, Darimi, Baihaqi)

6. Abu Hurayrah (RA) reports that the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said, “a time will come upon the people wherein a man will not bother what he intakes; whether from Halal source or Haram.” (Bukhari)

In our times, it becomes even more important to ensure the meat and poultry consumed is genuinely Halal due to the excessive deceit, cheat and false labelling of Halal in the industry.

Rules & Conditions Pertaining To A Valid Halal Slaughter

The rules and laws governing hunting and slaughtering are given great importance in traditional Islamic jurisprudence, because of the importance Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace) gave them.

The fuqaha (jurists) have explained these rules in great detail in their various works, deducing from the Qur’an, Prophetic example (sunna), and the sayings of the Companions (Allah be pleased with them). Very rarely will one find a book in traditional Islamic jurisprudence without a complete chapter on hunting and slaughtering.

We can obviously not cover all of these rules in this brief article; neither is that our aim, but the basic fundamentals and important principles with regards to the slaughtering of animals can be mentioned.

There are basically three conditions for a valid slaughter according to Shariah:

a) Most of the four veins (including the Jugular vein, according to some) must be cut with a knife or a tool that is sharp and has a cutting edge;

b) The name of Allah must be taken at the time of slaughtering, whether actually or effectively (such as when it is forgotten by someone who would normally have said it);

c) The slaughterer must be either a Muslim or from the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab). (As mentioned by al-Haskafi and Ibn Abidin in Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar)

It should be also remembered here that, all these conditions are necessary individually and separately. Failure to fulfil them will render the animal unlawful.

Let us look at these rules and conditions in more detail:

The first condition

Those animals which are within ones capacity to slaughter, whether domesticated or wild, it is necessary that its blood is shed by a tool that has a cutting edge, and that it kills the animal with its sharpness and not by its force. This sharp thing may be a knife or anything else. However, it is disliked (makruh) to use a tooth or a claw in the Hanafi School and impermissible to do so in the Shafi’i school. (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 5/208)

Allah Almighty says:

“Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been invoked the name of other than Allah, that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death, that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it (before the animal dying due to the above causes).” (Qur’an, Surah al-Ma’idah, 5.3)

In a rigorously authenticated (sahih) Hadith recorded by Imam al-Bukhari and others, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said:

“If the killing tool causes the blood to gush out, and the name of Allah is mentioned, then eat (of the slaughtered animal), but do not use a nail (claw) or a tooth.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said:

“Whatever cuts the jugular veins, then (after cutting it) eat the animal.” (Muwatta of Imam Malik, 2/489)

Ibn Abbas and Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with them) report:

“The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) prohibited the Sharita of Shaytan. It is an animal which is slaughtered by cutting it open and the veins are not cut, and it is then left to die.” (Sunan Abu Dawud)

From the above Hadiths and other evidences, the fuqaha (jurists) have deduced that for the animal to be lawful (halal) it is necessary that its veins are cut open in a way that the blood streams and gushes out. This is to make sure that the impure elements are removed from the animal as much as possible.

The Fuqaha differ as to which of the veins must be cut. According to Imam Shafi’i, both the wind pipe and the gullet must be slit in order for the animal to be lawful. According to our (Hanafi) school, three from the four must be cut. However, all the fuqaha agree that the place to slaughter is the throat and the upper part of the chest.

The second condition

As far as the second condition (taking Allah’s name) is concerned, the majority of the jurists are of the view that, this is necessary. If one failed to recite Allah’s name intentionally and deliberately, the animal will be unlawful to consume. However, if it is left out due to forgetfulness, it will remain Halal, as the primary texts indicate

This is the ruling according to the majority of the jurists. It is usually related from Imam Shafi’i (Allah be pleased with him) that the animal will be Halal even in the situation of leaving pronouncing the name of Allah intentionally, and to recite the name of Allah is merely a Sunnah. However, my respected teacher, Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) argues (after giving proofs from the extensive works of the Shafi’i school) that, this is only when it occurs infrequently. If a habit is made of leaving pronouncing the name of Allah due to negligence and taking the matter lightly, it will not be permissible according to the Shafi’i school also.

Some evidences regarding the necessity of pronouncing the name of Allah when slaughtering:

a) Allah Most High says:

“Eat not of (meats) over which Allah’s name has not been pronounced. That would be impiety.” (al-An’ am, V. 121)

The above text is clear in determining the necessity of taking the name of Allah when slaughtering, and the unlawfulness of the animal when it is left out, as the major Qur’anic commentators explain.

b) Allah Almighty says:

“They ask you what is lawful for them (as food). Say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure and what you have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah. Eat what they catch for you and pronounce the name of Allah over it.” (al-Ma’idah, V.4)

C) Allah Almighty says:

“Why should you not eat of (meats) on which Allah’s name has been pronounced?” (al-An’am, V. 119)

d) Jundub ibn Sufyan al-Bajali narrates that:

“Once we offered some animals as sacrifices with the Messenger of Allah. Some people slaughtered their sacrifices before the Eid prayer. When the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) completed his prayer, he saw that they had slaughtered before the prayer. He said: “Whoever slaughtered before the prayer, should slaughter another animal (sacrifice) in place of it and those who did not slaughter until we prayed, should slaughter by mentioning Allah’s name.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The third condition

The third condition is that the slaughterer must be either a Muslim or from the people of the book (Ahl al-Kitab). The animal slaughtered by other than Muslims or the People of the Book (namely, Jews and Christians, if the other conditions are also fulfilled) is Haram according to all the jurists of Islam. Scholarly consensus (ijma`) has been transmitted on this matter by major authorities. (See: Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni 9.312, and other works)

Allah Most High says:

“Today are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them.” (Surah al-An’am, V. 5)

The meaning of “food” in the above verse is specifically the animals slaughtered by the People of the book (Christians and Jews). (See Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 2/19).

Overtly, the above verse reads that the animal slaughtered (zabiha) by the People of the Book is permissible and lawful to consume. However, there is a fundamental principle in the science of the exegesis of the Holy Qur’an (Tafsir) which states, very understandably, that, “One part of the Qur’an explains the other.” (See: Qurtubi’s introduction to his al-Jami` li Ahkam al-Qur’an, and Suyuti’s al-Itqan fi `Ulum al-Qur’an)

Therefore, this verse should be understood in the light of another verse mentioned earlier relating to the same matter: “Eat not of (meats) on which Allah’s name has not been pronounced” (al-An’am, 121).

In light of the both verses, it is deduced and understood that the Zabiha of the Ahl al-Kitab is only permissible when the name of Allah is taken at the time of slaughtering the animal, and the slaughtering itself is done in the proper manner. As mentioned earlier, this condition of reciting the name of Allah is independently necessary.