So what is Halal Meat?

What is halal?

Halal is Arabic for permissible. Halal food is that which adheres to Islamic law, as defined in the Koran.

The Islamic form of slaughtering animals or poultry known as "Dhabiha", involves killing through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe. This sounds disturbing but it is one of least ways to cause suffering for the animals. In addition, animals must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter and all blood must drain from the carcass. During the process, a Muslim will recite a dedication, know as tasmiya or shahada. 

What is forbidden to Muslims?

According to the Quran, the only foods explicitly forbidden are meat from animals that die of themselves, blood, the meat of pigs, and any food dedicated to other than God.

However, a person would not be guilty of sin in a situation where the lack of any alternative creates an undesired necessity to consume that which is otherwise unlawful. (Quran 2:173) This is the "law of necessity" in Islamic jurisprudence: "That which is necessary makes the forbidden permissible."

This article was previously published on UAE Moments.To see the original article, click here