RHETORIC AND SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF HALAL FOODS IN THE LIGHT OF QUR’AN AND HADITH

Published: November 20, 2011

Source : Saadia Subhan Qureshi, Musarrat Jamal, Muhammad Rauf and M Subhan Qureshi

Summary

To meet human needs, the nature has blessed him with plenty of resources. He has been given options to utilize those resources rightly or wrongly. Food is one of the biggest needs of human life and its selection and processing varies between different regions, religions and cultures. Religion is the most powerful factor influencing the dietary habits. In various religions the food items are allowed and forbidden meaning halal or haram. Muslims and Jews are very much careful in choosing foods. This manuscript has attempt to refer to different Qur’anic verses, Ahadith and sayings of Imams and Muftis of different opinions, while describing the various principles and guidelines for the selection of halal food. The first section clarifies the meaning of halal with reference to various dictionaries such as the Lisanul- Arab and the Taj-ul-Uroos. The word Halal has been discussed from different aspects. The second section includes the various verses from different Surahs, like Al- Baqarah. The man has been ordered to take advantage of halal food and refrain from obeying Satan. Haram food, if consumed, will give energy to the body only, and not the soul, which may lead to sinful actions. The third section deals with liquid and solid food items, such as water, vegetables and fruits. All these items are originally lawful, unless contaminated with impurity. And the fourth section is called "the halal meat from cattle," and mentioned the interpretation of the cattle. The meat has been chosen especially without vegetables, fruits, and other food items, because the Muslims and Jews are more cautious about meat and slaughtering procedures. Fifth section deals with the types of animals as some are Land Animals like the camel and the cow and buffalo and rabbit. Some of the birds are discussed like chickens, ducks, sparrows, ostriches, pigeons and quail and all of them are Halal. Some doubtful birds like the crow and the parrot are described. The sixth section addresses the marine animals. Some of them are halal such as fish and some are doubtful like prawn, starfish ,crabs, oysters, dogfish and shark. The seventh section deals with Haram animals such as pigs. Every wild animal with fangs and talons of a bird is haram. The eighth section deals with slaughtering and its important requirements. Because the Halal animal becomes Haram if not slaughtered properly. And the slaughtering process should be according to Islamic principles; cutting of blood vessels properly and mentioning Allah Almighty’s name while slaughtering. The ninth section deals with halal food trade and its importance as a support to Muslim economies. Pakistan hould use the huge food resources in order to obtain a prominent place in the food markets. The last section deals with Rhetoric study of Qur’anic Verses. Keywords: Halal foods, cow, meat, dairy, Qur’an, Hadith, Kosher

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