For a devout Muslim, eating is a matter of faith and following the dietary laws under Islam is all about obeying the words of the almighty Allah. Through this blog, I attempt at providing a glimpse of the principle dietary restrictions under the doctrines of Islam.

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The concept of Halal and Haram

The Sharia or the religious Islamic law has strict rules regarding what can and cannot be eaten. According to the Islamic dietary rules, all foods can be divided into 3 categories – Halal, Haram, and Mashbooh.

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Halal is an Arabic word, which means good, ethical, or legal. In the context of food laws, Halal refers to the foods that are permissible in the diet of a practicing Muslim. 

Haram is the antonym or opposite of Halal and refer to all the forbidden foods. Consuming these foods is considered sinful or blasphemous in Islam.

Mashbooh refers to all the foods which can be categorized as either Halal or Haram depending upon the ingredients used. For instance, ice creams are considered Mashbooh because, they are haram if they contain gelatin (a pork by-product) and halal if they are gelatin free. 

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Food restrictions and recommendations under the laws of Islam

The most important rule under the Sharia is to avoid all foods that are Haram. Following are the foods considered as Haram by the Islam Dietary rules:

•    Pork/swine and its by-products.

•    Blood and any meat or food consisting of blood.

•    Carnivorous land animals. 

•    Animals slaughtered as a sacrifice to anyone but Allah.

•    Animals not slaughtered in accordance to Dhabiha rules (the Islamic rules for slaughtering     animals). 

•    Animals killed or savaged by animals of prey (other than humans).

•    Alcohol and other intoxicating drinks and food substances. 

•    Seafood with fangs (crocodile, certain catfish, etc.)

•    Amphibians like frogs and crocodile.

•    Halal foods that have come in contact with foods labeled as haram.

All non-haram foods are halal and can be consumed freely by Muslims. However, all practicing Muslims are forbidden from gluttony and eating for pleasure. The holy Quran instructs the Muslims to eat only when hungry and fill themselves only to 2/3 of their capacity. Halal meat, chicken, fish, milk, olive oil, and honey are highly recommended in Islam.

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Dhabiha – the Islamic rules for slaughtering animals

The prescribed method of slaughtering all “land animals” in Islam is called Dabiha or Tabiha. According to these rules, stunning, strangling, beating, or poisoning an animal before death is forbidden. The Sharia states that a single swift, deep incision with a sharp knife must be administered on the neck of the animal, so that the jugular veins and carotid arteries are slit but the spinal cord is left intact. This causes the severe bleeding leaving negligible traces of blood in the animal. Furthermore, the name of Allah and inscriptions from the Holy book of Quran must be read during this process. 

The concept of Dhabiha is based on the belief that blood is impure and harbors several germs that are unhealthy and hence the animal must be freed from all blood before processing the meat. Also, since all food is basically considered as a gift from the Almighty Allah, his name must be remembered during each step of the process. 

Fasting and Feasting:

Unlike many other religions of the world, fasting in Islam refers to total abstinence from food and water from dawn to dusk. Fasting is considered an opportunity to get riddance from previous sins and as a means to control appetite and avoid food addiction. Though, voluntary fasting on Mondays and Thursdays by be practiced by certain Muslims, the month long fast during the holy month of Ramadan is mandatory for all practicing Muslims.  

Along with fasting, Islam also preaches feasting on days of religious significance. The popular feasting days include Eid al-Fitr (after finishing the fasting months of Ramadan), Eid al-Udha, and Maulud n'Nabi (the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad).

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These are just some of the principle doctrines of food consumption under the Islam, which all practicing Muslims have to abide. If you take a closer look, these laws, though stringent, are all about following discipline in life, practicing hygiene, and expressing faith in the benevolence of the God. 

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