THE WIKI COMMUNITY

Saturday, 28 August 2010

What Halal In Restaurants Mean

By Anne Sanders

Decades ago, the word Halal has not even been noticed by non-Muslims. Now, more and more eateries are obeying halal rules. And even though it is now a common term in the food industry, some still don't know the full substance of it. Some just think that the term is a Muslim food law that forbids them from consuming pork and taking alcohol. Although partially correct, halal diet goes beyond than just those prohibitions.

Halal is taken from Qur'an, meaning legal or permitted. As Islamic religion places strong stress on cleanliness in what they consume, Muslims are expected to observe the same. They are told to eat food that are beneficial and nourishing, and keep away from those that are harmful to the body.

Restaurants that comply to Islamic dietary laws use great effort to ensure that all the ingredients they use and the meals they serve are permitted in Islam. For foods and drinks to be approved for consumption, they must be in accordance to the Islamic dietary laws as written in the Qur'an. The laws supply guidelines that cause an ingredient halal or haram, which means prohibited.

Among those rules include the method of slaughtering of the animals to be used for meat. The ritual slaughter involves the swift cutting of the animal's windpipe and gullet while reciting God's name. This recognizes the sacredness of life and that one must slaughter only with God's consent.

Muslims may not eat omnivores, such as dogs and monkeys. They are also forbidden to consume meats that were not properly slaughtered, with the exemption of fishes.

Foods are considered halal or haram depending on how they were acquired and on how they were processed. There are factors that determine whether a food product is permitted or prohibited to be eaten. Example of this is lard, or pig fat. A halal food, like apple pie, is considered haram if lard has been used as an ingredient.

Gelatins may appear unthreatening at first, however there are brands that are made from pork and therefore considered haram. To rectify this, Muslim consumer groups have published food list of products that conform to Islamic dietary laws.

Although Muslims have different races and lifestyles nowadays, they are still under one religion. So when it comes to Islamic regulations, they rigorously follow their dietary laws. And that is why an progressing number of eateries are also complying halal rules.

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