Ramadan: What are the Different Views of ‘Halal’ and What Does it Have to Do With the Islamic Holy Month?
While Ramadan starts tomorrow, many are still confused about the different certifications of halal
As Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic year is about to start, perhaps we can step back and take a look at important elements of this annual holy month for Muslims. Studying the Quran, fasting and praying are some of the core practices. Fasting requires complete abstinence from food, beverages and “unholy” actions from sunrise to sunset. At sunset, an “Iftaar” meal is served.
Another critical factor is that food that is made during the month of Ramadan should be “halal.”
Halal, the Arabic word for “permissible,” in terms of food is the standard to which Muslims must adhere in terms of the way animals are raised and butchered.
Confusion about halal certifications
There are several qualifications that come into play in order for a food to be considered halal. In terms of meat, the animal must be slaughtered Islamically, which means it’s killed humanely by a qualified Muslim butcher, invoking Islamic scripture. There are several halal meat category procedures, including hand slaughtering known as “zabiha” or “thabiha,” stunning and machine slaughter.
Just to complicate matters, it should be noted that many Muslims have their own differentiation between halal and zabiha. Some believe anything that is slaughtered Islamically is considered “Zabiha” and all other meat except for pork (pig) is considered “halal.” Others believe that Zabiha only applies to Islamically prepared meat that is hand slaughtered and machine slaughtered with recordings of scriptures being played in the background cannot be Zabiha.
What the experts say
According to the American Halal Council (AHC), in order for meat to be considered halal, it must be certified by an accredited Muslim organization.
Pictured: Marwan AhmadMarwan Ahmad, president of the American Halal Council (AHC), clarifies where his organization stands on the issue of certifications.
“We discuss halal labeling in depth because today there are two different labels for halal issued by the USDA,” he said. “One is ‘halal-certified,’ which means they show who certified the product and the other type is called ‘generic label.’ [It] has only the logo and doesn’t say who certified it.”
He added that AHC is working to add more transparency to halal labeling.
“We are encouraging producers and the government to put on the halal label who certified it and how it was slaughtered,” he said. “By putting this information on the label, each individual can decide if that product is for them or not.
In addition to their work with the USDA, Ahmad said AHC’s mission is to “protect” halal consumers.
“We do this by educating them, educating businesses who produce halal and we also advocate with the government, especially the USDA, in terms of what halal is about and halal labeling,” he said.
He emphasized that ensuring the meat is correctly slaughtered as well as properly labeled is important in achieving “taqwa,” which is an Islamic concept of cognizance and understanding of God’s existence. To achieve this, one must make lifestyle changes, including the decision to eat halal.
Halal references in scriptures
Three are a number of references to halal in Islam’s holy book — the Qu’ran:
“O mankind, eat of that which is lawful and wholesome and follow not the footsteps of the devil.” (Qur’an: 2:168)
“They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, ‘Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah.’ Indeed, Allah is swift in account.” (Qur’an: 5:4)
“O messengers! Eat from what is good and lawful, and act righteously. Indeed, I fully know what you do.” (Qur’an: 23:51)
The meaning of haram
Things that are not permissible or allowed in Islam are referred to as “haram.” Certain foods or beverages that are considered haram are alcohol, pig and pig products (lard, gelatin, bacon, etc), blood and blood by-products, reptiles, amphibians, carnivorous animals and animals that died of natural causes. The reason this food is forbidden in Islam is that it is believed it can cause harm to the consumer. Some health problems connected with eating specific haram foods have been heart disease, digestive problems, liver disease and high blood pressure.
Muslims often check the labels of food products to make sure that ingredients do not include things such as gelatin, lard, or other haram items listed. If a product is marked “halal” or “kosher” then that means the product is pork-free.
