For meat to be halal, the animals need to be cared for with compassion and consideration too. Muslims are actually commanded to eat food that is not just halal but Tayyib meaning pure and wholesome.

Halal food is not a cuisine or a style of cooking in its own right. Therefore any cuisine or style (e.g. Italian, French, modern British, BBQ, etc.) can become halal provided it is cooked using halal ingredients and prepared in a halal manner.

Halal drinks cannot contain alcohol. Although a large variety of soft drinks and

fruit juices are available, innovative drinks (especially premium quality) are sought after by Muslim consumers. Consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants is prohibited 

Between Halal and Haram is Mashbooh Many consumers of halal foods believe that if prepared in the correct way, halal and tayyib (lawful and pure) foods can lead to health and well-being benefits too.

Most food and drinks are considered Halal unless they are stated clearly in the Qur’an (Holy book of Islam) and Hadith (Prophetic sayings) as forbidden or non-Halal.

Whilst Halal and Haraam are clear, in between sometimes we find things that are unclear/doubtful/questionable, the Arabic word to describe this is ‘Mashbooh’ (مشبوه). Any food or drink for which one cannot be sure if it’s Halal or Haram due to insufficient information, unreliable evidence etc. is categorised as Mashbooh.

One example of a Mashbooh product is Whey powder. Rennet is used in the manufacture of Whey Powder. Rennet can be derived from animal rennet as well as non-animal

rennet.

If rennet is produced from pigs or animals that are not slaughtered in strict accordance with the Islamic Shariah laws then such a product and any products \it will be classed as Haram.

If the source of the rennet is not known then it will be classified as Mashbooh. According to the following Hadith, Muslims must not consume anything which is Mashbooh. “"The halal is clear and the haram is clear, and between them are matters unclear that are unknown to most people. Whoever is wary of these unclear matters has absolved his religion and honor.

What is Tayyib? The word ‘Tayyib’ or ‘Tayyaban’, translated as ‘good’, ‘pure’, ‘wholesome’, etc. means pure both in the physical and the moral sense and is strongly linked to halal food but appears to be over looked or not understood otherwise we should be seeing halal foodstuff at very high standards; nutritious, healthy, organic.

Not containing ingredients likely to cause adverse health impacts when consumed in moderation. It is compulsory for Muslims to consume Halal and tayyaban consumables. Here the word Halal, will be used for all things consumable, used/applied.

What about Meat and Poultry The food must come from a supplier that uses halal

practices. Specifically, for meat and poultry, the

slaughter must be performed by a Muslim, who must precede the slaughter by invoking the name of Allah, most commonly by saying “Bismillah” (“In the name of Allah”) and then three times Allah Hu Akbar.

Then, the animal must be slaughtered with a sharp knife by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck (while the animal is conscious), causing the animal’s death without cutting the spinal cord. Lastly, the blood from the veins must be drained.

This final step is performed because blood can harbor harmful bacteria, and also to ensure that there are no blood clots, thus keeping the entire body safe and clean to be eaten.

When an animal is slaughtered, the jugular vein is cut and the blood is allowed to drain from the animal.

Remember, Muslims are prohibited from consuming animal blood.

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.

Animal Welfare Halal is One of the Most Humane Methods of Animal Slaughter.

Muslims are taught through the Qu’ran that all animals should be treated with respect and well cared for.

The goal is to slaughter the animal, limiting the amount of pain the animal will endure. It is forbidden to beat animals unnecessarily, to brand them on the face, or to allow them to fight each other for human entertainment. “They must not be mutilated while they are alive”.

Processed Foods, Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals Muslims must also ensure that all foods (particularly processed foods), as well as non-food items like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, are halal.

Frequently, these products contain animal by-products or other ingredients that are not permissible for Muslims to eat or use on their bodies.

Explicitly Forbidden Halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines. According to these guidelines gathered from the Qu’ran, Muslim followers cannot consume the following:

A variety of substances are considered as haraam (harmful) for humans to consume and, therefore, forbidden as per various Qur’anic verses: Pork [Quran 2:173]

Blood [Quran 2:173] Animals slaughtered in the name of anyone other than “Allah”. All that has

been dedicated or offered in sacrifice to an idolatrous altar or saint or a person considered to be “divine”[Quran 2:173] [Quran 5:3]

Carrion (carcasses of dead animals) [Quran 2:173] An animal that has been strangled, beaten (to death), killed by a fall, gored

(to death), savaged by a beast of prey (unless finished off by a human) [Quran 5:3]

Food over which Allah’s name is not pronounced [Quran 6:121] Alcohol[Quran 5:90] These verses also have information regarding halal foods: [Quran 2:173,

5:5, and 6:118-119, 121].

Exception if there is no halal available If there is absolutely no other food available and one is forced because there is no other choice, then a Muslim is permitted to eat non-halal food. 

Scientific Reasoning 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.

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