The Quranic Truth

‘Halal‘ means permissible. ‘Haraam‘ means forbidden.

Many Muslims talk about what they call “Halal Meat” without even knowing the Quranic
definition for this term!

Most of those who arrive to the USA or Europe from other countries, or those who convert
to Islam in western countries, are usually faced by some Muslims who tell them,

“do not eat except the “Halal meat“.

So what do they really mean by Halal meat?
How does their concept agree with the Quranic meaning of this term?

The Quran teaches that God is extremely displeased with those who prohibit anything
that was not specifically prohibited in the Quran, See 16:116.

The upholding of any prohibitions not specifically mentioned in the Quran is tantamount
to idolatry, See 6:148-150.

Such prohibitions represent some other god(s) beside God. Worshipping God Alone means
upholding His Laws alone.

God very clearly mentioned in the Quran what is prohibited from the food and meat.
See 2:173, 5:3-5, 6:145, 16:114-116, 2:219, 5:90, 6:118-119, 53:39, 16:14 & 66.1

 

“He only prohibits for you the eating of animals that die of themselves
(without human interference), blood, the meat of pigs, and animals dedicated to
other than God. If one is forced (to eat these), without being malicious or deliberate,
he incurs no sin. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” 2:173

“Halal Meat” as is understood these days is a term used more often for commercial profits
than religious observance. Those who call their meat Halal, are in some way insinuating
that any other meat is not Halal, or specifically that other meat sold in other butchers or
supermarket (in the western countries) is not Halal.

But when we analyse the Quranic verses (below) we find that these sellers are in fact
deceiving the uninformed Muslims into believing that their meat is the only Halal meat for the Muslims.

God knows that many Muslims will be living in the middle of Christians and Jews and will be
sharing their food and for this reason God made it perfectly lawful for Muslims to eat the food
of the people of the scripture (Jews/Christians):

“Today, all good food is made lawful for you. The food of the people of the scripture
(Jews & Christians) is lawful (halal) for you ……” 5:5

The Quranic law is for all times and thus this concession applied when the Quran was
first revealed as well as it does today.

Moreover, God has also specified a very important criteria for His true believers with
regards to food: Mention God’s name on everything you are going to eat.
See 5:4, & 6:118-119,

 

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, 5 v4)

“You shall eat from that upon which God”s name has been pronounced,
if you truly believe in His revelation.” 6:118

“Why should you not eat from that upon which God’s name has been mentioned ?
He has detailed for you what is prohibited for you, unless you are forced. Indeed,
many people mislead others with their personal opinions, without knowledge.
Your Lord is fully aware of the transgressors.” 6:119

“Allah Most High says: “Eat not of (meats) over which Allah’s name has not
been pronounced. That would be impiety.” 6:121

Other Quotes mentioned in the Holy Quran :

Say, “I do not find in the revelations given to me any food that is
prohibited for any eater except: (1) carrion, (2) running blood, (3) the meat of pigs,
for it is contaminated, and (4) the meat of animals blasphemously dedicated to other
than GOD.” If one is forced (to eat these), without being deliberate or malicious, then
your Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful.“ 6:145

“And He committed the sea to serve you; you eat from it tender meat,
and extract jewelry which you wear. And you see the ships roaming it
for your commercial benefits, as you seek His bounties, that you may
be appreciative.“ 16:14

“Therefore, you shall eat from God’s provisions everything that is lawful and good,
and be appreciative of god’s blessings, if you do worship Him alone.” 16:114

“He only prohibits for you dead animals, blood, the meat of pigs, and food which is
dedicated to other than GOD. If one is forced (to eat these), without being deliberate
or malicious, then GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.“ 16:115

“O you prophet, why do you prohibit what GOD has made lawful for you,
just to please your wives? GOD is Forgiver, Merciful.” 66:1

Quran Menton’s intoxicants and gambling

“They ask you about intoxicants and gambling: say, ‘In them there is a gross sin,
and some benefits for the people. But their sinfulness far outweighs their benefit.“
[The Quran 2:219]

“O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and the altars of idols, and the games
of chance are abominations of the devil; you shall avoid them, that you may succeed.“ 
[The Quran 5:90]

 

“There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings,
but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book,
and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.“ Quran 6:38

 

“It is God who provided for you all manner of livestock, that you may ride on some of
them and from some you may derive your food. And other uses in them for you to
satisfy your heart’s desires. It is on them, as on ships, that you make your journeys.“
Quran 40:79-80

 

Sadly, the Muslims scholars have substituted God’s condition for making food lawful
(which is through uttering God’s name on it before eating it) by a new un-Quranic condition
of their own making. Somehow they have made slaughtering the only lawful
method of killing an animal for its meat. Needless to say, there is no such
restriction in the Quran.

As a result of this unquranic requirement, they insist that to make food Halal the name of God must be uttered on it before slaughtering it.

The following arguments all show that this imposed restriction is false and that
it is not part of God’s law in the Quran:

1- The first reason is that (unless you are a butcher) you are not the person who
has slaughtered the animal on your dinner table, and since the Quran is clear
in holding people accountable only to their own work, then the only certain way
to confirm that the name of God has been uttered on the meat is for each person to utter God’s name on the food before eating it.

“Every human being is responsible only for his own works.” 53:39

The Quran makes it clear that the utterance of God’s name should be before eating
and not before killing the animal .

2- The spiritual reason behind uttering God’s name on our food before eating
it is given in 16:114. This is to constantly remember and be appreciative of
God’s blessings on us:

“Therefore, you shall eat from God’s provisions everything that is lawful and good,
and be appreciative of God’s blessings, if you do worship Him alone.” 16:114

This act of appreciation for God’s blessings would not belong to us if we rely
on someone else, in a slaughter house, uttering God’s name.

3- By reading 6:114, we note that the command of uttering God’s name is related
to what we eat in general and not just meat. Thus this equally applies to
fruit, vegetables, biscuits, peanuts … etc … plus all types of drinks. Consequently,
and since we cannot slaughter an apple nor a glass of orange juice, then the
only method to obey God’s law is to utter His name before eating all foods
(and not just meat).

4- If we read 5:5, we note that God made it lawful for us to eat the food of
the people of the scripture (Jews, Christians).
But as non Muslims may not utter the name of God before killing the animal, yet
their food is still lawful for us (5:5), this would only prove that the utterance of
God’s name before slaughtering an animal is not a requirement as far as God is concenrned. It also confirms that the duty is laid on each of us (to utter God’s name) before eating our food and nothing else.

5- God knows that one day slaughter houses will be run by machines and
computers, which once again emphasises the fact that it is our own responsibility
to utter His name on all food before eating it.

 

Permissible of Halal meat

It is permissible for muslims to consume the meat of an animal, that has been defined
as Halal according to the above mentioned references from Quran, but has not been
slaughtered through the ritual of Dhabiha, by simply invoking the name of Allah right
before consuming it. This assertion is supported by Hadith.

Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 67, Number 415: Narrated by ‘Aisha’

A group of people said to the Prophet, “Some people bring us meat and we do not know
whether they have mentioned Allah’s Name or not on slaughtering the animal.

” He said, “Mention Allah’s Name on it and eat.” Those people had embraced Islam recently.

The Qur’an briefly announces the Sabians in three places and the Hadith provide further
details as to who they were as people of the book:

“Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, …
whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their
reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve .” Quran 2:62

“Those who believe (in the Qur’an) those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures) and the Sabians
and the Christians―any who believe in Allāh and the Last Day, and work righteousness―on
them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” Quran 5:69

“Verily, those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and
the Christians, and the Majus, and those who worship others besides Allāh,
truly, Allāh will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Verily! Allāh
is Witness over all things.” Quran 22:17

 

Sadly, we see many Muslims today, and because of their obsession with the restriction
of slaughtering, buying and eating what they are told is halal meat, yet when they eat other
food (e.g. fruit or vegetables) they ignore God’s command to utter His name on it.

Hence, and since they ignored God’s commands and followed man made innovations, they are in fact eating a lot of food that is unlawful according to the Quranic rules.