Islamic dietary laws

Islamic dietary laws,

Islamic dietary laws provide direction on what is to be considered clean and unclean regarding diet and related issues.

Overview

Islamic jurisprudence specifies which foods are halāl (lawful) and which are harām (unlawful). This is derived from commandments found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, as well as the Hadith and Sunnah, libraries cataloguing things Prophet Mohammed is reported to have said and done. Extensions of these rulings are issued, as fatwas, by Mujtahids, with varying degrees of strictness, but they are not always widely held to be authoritative. According to the Quran, the only foods explicitly forbidden are meat from animals that die of themselves, blood, the meat of pigs, and animals dedicated to other than God, but a person is not guilty of sin in a situation where the lack of any alternative creates an undesired necessity to consume that which is otherwise unlawful. (Quran 2:173)

Healthy diet

A healthy diet is considered important in Islam. Some Muslim scholars consider excessive consumption a sin, citing the following verse in the Qur'an, which they interpret as supporting that position:

It is He Who produceth gardens, with trellises and without, and dates, and tilth with produce of all kinds, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety): eat of their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered. But waste not by excess: for Allah loveth not the wasters. (Qur'an 6:141)

Prophet Mohammed is reported to have stated:

Man fills no vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to have a few mouthfuls to give him the strength he needs. If he has to fill his stomach, then let him leave one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air. (Reported by al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5674).

Food Hygiene

Food hygiene is an important part of Islamic dietary law.

Slaughter

Main article: Dhabīḥah

Dhabīḥah (ذَبِيْحَة)is a prescribed method of ritual, animal slaughter, it does not apply to most aquatic animals. The animal must be slaughtered by a Muslim or by one of the People of the Book, generally speaking, a christian or a Jew, while mentioning the name of God (Allah in Arabic). According to some fatwas, the animal must be slaughtered specifically by a Muslim, however, other fatwas dispute this, ruling that, according to verse 5:5 of the Qur'an, an animal properly slaughtered by People of the Book is halal. Thus, many Muslims will eat kosher meat. Other relevant verses in Qur'an include 2:173, 5:3, 5:5, 5:90, 6:118, 6:145, 16:115.

Animals for food may not be killed by being boiled or electrocuted, and the carcass should be hung upside down for long enough to be blood-free.[citation needed] All water game is considered halal (according to some muslims): Lawful to you is all water-game, and what the sea brings forth, as a provision for you [who are settled] as well as for travellers, although you are forbidden to hunt on land while you are in the state of pilgrimage. And be conscious of God, unto whom you shall be gathered. Quran 5:96

There are generally no restrictions on the consumption of vegetarian food as the restrictions pertain to slaughter.

Food certification

Halal India

Due to the recent rise in Muslim populations in the United States and Europe, certain organizations have emerged that certify that food products and ingredients met dhabiha standards. The Muslim Consumer Group is an example of an organization that employs certification labelling, using the H-MCG symbol, to identify the status of different edible and non-edible consumer products.

In Islam, Halal is an Arabic term meaning “lawful or permissible” and not only encompasses food and drink, but all matters of daily life. When it comes to halal food, most people think of meat products only. However, Muslims must ensure that all foods, particularly processed foods, pharmaceuticals and non food items like cosmetics are also halal. Often these products contain animal by-products or other ingredients that are not permissible for Muslim consumption.

Since 1991, mainstream manufacturers of soups, grains, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, prepared foods, and other industries, as well as hotels, restaurants, airlines, hospitals and other service providers have pursued the halal market. Halal Certification tells Muslims that the ingredients and production methods of a product have been tested and declared permissible by a certification body. It also allows companies to export products to most Middle Eastern countries and South East Asian Countries. The oldest and most well known Halal Certifier in the USA is Islamic Services of America.

Prohibited food

Some animals and manners of death or preparation can make certain things haram to eat, that is, taboo food and drink. These include what are regarded as unclean animals.

Alcohol

In Islam, alcoholic beverages—or any intoxicant—are generally forbidden. Intoxicants were forbidden in the Qur'an through several separate verses revealed at different times over a period of years. At first, it was forbidden for Muslims to attend to prayers while intoxicated (4:43). Then a later verse was revealed which said that alcohol contains some good and some evil, but the evil is greater than the good (In Surah Al-Baqarah: 219, it states "They ask Thee concerning Wine and Gambling, Say: In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit."). This was the next step in turning people away from consumption of it. Finally, "intoxicants and games of chance" were called "abominations of Satan's handiwork," intended to turn people away from God and forget about prayer, and Muslims were ordered to abstain (5:90-91). In addition to this, most observant Muslims refrain from consuming food products that contain pure vanilla extract or soy sauce if these food products contain alcohol; there is some debate about whether the prohibition extends to dishes in which the alcohol would be cooked off or if it would be practically impossible to consume enough of the food to become intoxicated.

The Zaidi and Mutazili sects believe that the use of alcohol as always been forbidden and refer to this Qur'an Ayah (4:43) as feeling of sleepiness and not to be awake.

However, there are no prohibitions on using alcohol for scientific, medical, industrial or automotive use (either as a biofuel, solvent or a coolant, for instance). Indeed, distillation was first invented and applied to alcohol in the Muslim world; the first distilled beverages were likely clear brandies produced if not by the Muslim scientists then by their Christian and Jewish neighbors.

The Alevi, a Shi'a sect that adheres to an allegorical interpretation of the Qur'an, break with orthodox interpretations in allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Blood

Drinking blood and its by-products is forbidden. This includes meats that have not been drained of blood. However, this does not apply to blood transfusions or organ transplants because they are not eaten and digested.

Pork

Consumption of pork and products made from pork is strictly forbidden in Islam.

The origin of this belief is derived from the chapter of the Cow (Al Baqara) speaks of this: Quran 2.173 which states: He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

Gelatin made from porcine skin or bones, which makes up roughly 50% of the supply of gelatin on the market, is forbidden.

Gelatin made from other animals, for example, fish is acceptable. Kosher gelatin is questionable. While all kosher foods follow avoiding the Kashrut (Jewish) prohibition of eating impure animals, which include pigs, in Israel, there are more lenient positions that allow pig gelatin, arguing that it has been so deformed, it is no longer pig. Therefore, gelatin in food items depends on the level of stringency of the kosher certificate on the food. However, it is typical to use algal sources of thickeners, in the home or in commercial products, to ensure they are halāl.

(source:wikipedia)