HALAL is a Divine value system and lifestyle and is applicable to all facets of life.
Halal: Halal is an Arabic term meaning “allowed” or “lawful”. Halal is that which is permitted and allowed by Divine Law. With respect to halal, there are no restrictions of consumption or use.
Haram: Haram is an Arabic term meaning “prohibited”, “forbidden” or “unlawful”. Haram is that which is absolutely forbidden by Divine law.
Mushbooh: Mushbooh is an Arabic term meaning “suspected”. If one does not know whether a food or drink is halal. Such a food/drink is mushbooh.
Tayyab: Tayyb is an Arabic word meaning “good and pure”. In the Qu’ran (God’s revelations to mankind) the concept of Tayyb is explicitly coupled with the injunction of eating halal.
FOOD AND DRINKS
“O you who believe in the Oneness of Allah, eat of the lawful things that we have provided you with and be grateful to Allah, if it is indeed He whom you worship.
Qu’ran 2:172
Rule of Thumb:
In Islam, everything is halal except:
• Alcohol and drugs
• Blood (flowing or congealed)
• Carnivorous animals and birds of prey
• Dead animal/bird (animal that died by itself)
• Foods/drinks on whose name other than Allah has been mentioned.
• Pig and its by-products
• Halal species animals not ritually slaughtered
Muslims are forbidden to eat/drink anything that contains any one of the above seven categories of food/ingredient, even in a small quantity.
Co-mingling with non Halal is not permissible under any circumstances.
Animals/poultry free from diseases must be humanely handled and slaughtered according to a specific religious protocol.
IMPORTANCE OF HALAL IN CANADIAN FEDERAL PLANTS.
Regulatory and Labeling issues
• CFIA’s labeling regulatory division has established guidelines regarding the use of Halal labels.