Halal is Arabic for lawful or permissible, which refers to items a Muslim can eat, drink, consume, wear, and derive benefit from.
Haram mean forbidden, referring to items a Muslim cannot eat, drink, or derive benefit from. Haram items can be referred to by two main categories:
- Animal products: Forbidden animals mentioned in the Quran and Hadith (pigs, donkeys, animals and birds of prey, insects etc), and permissible animals which are not killed according to Muslim law, and their byproducts, are Haram.
- Alcohol: The consumption of alcohol strictly forbidden.
The Quran specifies religious dietary laws Muslims can accept and accredit Halal, such as Kosher (permissible) laws.
The AlMighty teaches to enhance our understanding and cooperations with our other religious groups in this verse “and The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you” (5:5), and various texts of the Oral law (Hadith) by Messenger Muhammad (pbuh).
