Food & drink
Most food items qualify for halal as long as ingredients are not sourced from prohibited categories or cross-contaminated with one.
- Seafood
- Dairy
- Bakery
- Coffee & tea
Halal (also spelled halaal) is an Arabic word that means "lawful or permitted." It is a term that is used in the Islamic religion and dietary concepts in contrast with the word haram (which means "unlawful or not allowed").
You don't need a long list of what's allowed. You need a short list of what isn't. Muslims remember it with one word: ABCDIS.
If it isn't on the ABCDIS list, it's generally halal. The default is permission - Islam only forbids what a verse of the Qur'an or an authentic teaching of the Prophet ﷺ makes forbidden.
Halal isn't just yes-or-no. These five terms map the full spectrum - from clearly allowed to clearly forbidden, and the grey area in between.
Permitted and allowed - no restriction on use.
Halal is the Arabic word for "allowed" or "lawful" - that which the Law-Giver, Allah, permits. Most foods and drinks are halal unless an explicit Qur'anic verse or authentic Hadith forbids them.
People cannot forbid what is halal. The guidelines are divine, not human.
Knowing the source of the raw materials is the ultimate halal identifier for any item. All raw materials come from one of four categories below:
Almost all permitted - two exceptions. Default: every plant food is permitted. The world has near-consensus on plant foods, and Islam permits them all - with two exceptions: (a) Intoxicants. Anything that impairs the senses, memory, or judgment - fermented grapes, dates or barley that become wine or liquor, and drugs like opium and cocaine. (b) Poisons. Anything that harms life or health.
Halal meat comes from animals slaughtered in accordance with the Islamic dietary guidelines, also known as dhabiḥah.
It must be in good health at the time of slaughter.
A Muslim invokes the name of Allah before making the cut.
A single incision severs the windpipe, esophagus and blood vessels of the neck.
The blood drains fully - Islam prohibits consuming blood.
It never contacts anything haram, such as pork or alcohol, through processing, storage or transport.
Chicken and other birds are slaughtered by the same method and held to the same standard of cleanliness and separation as all halal food.
Most ingredients, except non-halal animal derivatives and alcohol, are inherently halal.
Most food items qualify for halal as long as ingredients are not sourced from prohibited categories or cross-contaminated with one.
Halal certification is also applicable to cosmetics, supplements, packaging, personal care, and chemicals.
Halal certification is a method guaranteeing goods and services satisfy Islamic legal criteria. This certification indicates that a product has been rigorously tested to ensure it excludes any ingredients or components prohibited in Islam, including pork or alcohol.
The certification procedure examines manufacturing techniques to guarantee that the product is produced, handled, and kept in Islamic compliant manner.
Having the halal symbol on a good helps Muslim buyers believe that what they are purchasing fits their beliefs. For 2 billion Muslims throughout the globe, this sign of confidence is vital.
