Islamic Perspective and Spiritual Significance

Halal Promotion Foundation applies its standards on the basis of Islamic principles. This halal standard applies Islamic dietary norms as reference to which food products are certified based on their permissibility and impermissibility for Muslims’ consumption and non-Muslims who seek healthiness, transparency, integrity and wholesomeness in their foods which only halal certified products can ensure.

In Islam, there are some exceptions in foods which Muslims are not allowed to eat. They are exceptions because, according to the principle of natural permissibility, “lawfulness is the rule while prohibition is an exemption” – This is derived from the Qur'an:

Q2:29 “He it is who has created FOR YOU all that is on earth, and has applied His design to the heavens and fashioned them into seven heavens; and He alone has full knowledge of everything.”

Q31:20; ARE YOU NOT aware that God has made subservient to you all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and has lavished upon you His blessings, both outward and inward?

45:13; And He has made subservient to you, [as a gift] from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!

ALLAH ENJOIN US TO EAT HALAL AND SHUN HARAM

For Allah being All – Knowing, Wise, He knows best in animals which are healthiest, wholesome and should be regarded as food. That’s why in Qur’an 5: 157 “……and make lawful to them the good things of life and forbid them the bad things”. That’s why Allah enjoined us to eat what is Halal and shun what is Haram as its in Qur’an 2: 172-173.

An authentic hadith has been reported from Abu Hurairah May Allah’s mercy and blessing be upon him. Prophet S.A.W said “Oh mankind, Behold, Allah is wholesome and He does not accept (any deed) except that which is wholesome. And behold, Allah has bid believers with that which He bids the messengers.

He said in Q23:51, “Oh messengers eat from wholesome and do righteous deeds. And he said as well in Q2:172” O you who have attained to faith eat from that which we have provided you with ……. Then he (the prophet) made mention of a man who travelled a long journey, his hair got disheveled and dusty, stretching his hands towards the sky (thus making supplication) “O lord…O lord” his food is haram, his drink is haram, his clothes are haram, his nourishment is haram, how can his prayer get accepted. [MUSLIM]

That’s why on this note, some scholars were found saying;
" للمطعم الخبيث أثر سيئ على الإنسان - ولولم يكن من ذلك إلا عدم قبول دعائه كما في الحديث الصحيح لكفى "
“Consumption of loathsome food has its serious unhealthy effect on mankind. If it’s were only the absence of accepting the du’aa’ (prayer) as stated in the authentic Hadith, it would have been sufficient.”

WHAT ARE HARAMS FROM ISLAMIC SHARI’AH?

These unlawful things (as mentioned above) are the non Halal which Allah with His infinite mercy mentioned them in Q6:145.

“Say [O Prophet]: 'In all that has been revealed unto me, I do not find anything forbidden to eat, if one wants to eat thereof, unless it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine - for that, behold, is loathsome (extremely unpleasant, disgusting, repulsive) - or a sinful offering over which any name other than God's has been invoked”.

Qur’an 5:3 (provides explanation on dead animals).

“FORBIDDEN to you is carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any name other than God's has been invoked, and the animal that has been strangled, or beaten to death, or killed by a fall, or gored to death, or savaged by a beast of prey, save that which you [yourselves] may have slaughtered while it was still alive; and [forbidden to you is] all that has been slaughtered on idolatrous altars.”

Allah also described intoxicant as non Halal as it is in Qur’an 5:90

“O YOU who have attained to faith! Intoxicants, and games of chance, and idolatrous practices, and the divining of the future are but a loathsome evil of Satan's doing: shun it, then, so that you might attain to a happy state! (5:91) By means of intoxicants and games of chance Satan seeks only to sow enmity and hatred among you, and to turn you away from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not, then, desist?”

Other non halal foods are carnivorous animals, birds that preys with claws, domesticated donkey, insects, pests, rodents or any animal which is repulsive naturally.

It has been reported from Aisha R.A she said, the prophet of Allah peace be upon him said “Five mischievous animals are killed at home and in the sanctuary: the snake (scorpion), the crow, the rat, the mordacious (biting) dog, and the kite. (Ahmad, Muslim, Ibn Majah and Tirmidzi)

The ruling in consuming insects and other repulsive animals is Haram other than grasshoppers.
The Hadith reported has made it lawful, eating grasshopper. Prophet PBUH said “Two dead (animals) and two bloods has been made lawful unto us”: he mentioned from the dead, grasshopper and fish.

Additionally, there is a gray area of Mashbooh (doubtful matters). The Prophet advised: "Halal is clear and Haram is clear, and between them are doubtful matters which many people do not know. Whoever avoids the doubtful safeguards his religion and his honor." (Bukhari & Muslim). This encourages Muslims to be vigilant and seek knowledge.

Halal extends to personal care products (cosmetics free from haram ingredients), pharmaceuticals (gelatin, enzymes), finance (interest-free transactions), tourism, and even clothing (modesty, materials). The holistic Halal lifestyle ensures that a Muslim’s entire existence aligns with divine pleasure.