Islamic dietary laws

Forbidden food substances include alcohol, pork, frog, carrion, the meat of carnivores, and animals that died due to illness, injury, stunning, poisoning, or slaughtering not in the name of God.

[2] This means that most herbivores or cud-chewing animals like cattle, deer, sheep, goats, and antelope are considered halal to consume.

It consists of a swift, deep incision to the throat with a very sharp knife, cutting the wind pipe, jugular veins and carotid arteries on both sides but leaving the spinal cord intact.

[6] Game of water (i.e. fish and other sea creatures) is generally permitted in most of the schools of Islam, based on their interpretation of the Quran 5:96; however, the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence forbids consumption of seafood other than true "fish", and considers other sea creatures, such as crustaceans, to be makruh.

(see List of halal and kosher fish - Wikipedia)[11] According to the Maliki school, all types of seafood including seahorses, lobsters and crabs are permitted.

(Quran 5:5)[14]A variety of substances are also considered unlawful (haram) for humans to consume and therefore, the consumption of them is forbidden by the Sharia (Islamic law).

However, a person would not be considered guilty of sin in a situation where the lack of any alternative creates an undesired necessity to consume that which is otherwise unlawful, such as a famine.

Alcoholic drinks are generally prohibited under Islamic thought,[18] with the Quran including several verses that admonish the consumption of khamr, an Arabic term meaning intoxicants that is interpreted to include most forms of alcohol and psychoactive drugs: They question you about intoxicants and games of chance.

And if you are ill, or on a journey, or you have touched women, and you cannot find water, then go to clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith).

Intoxicants and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.

[23] The Zaidi and Mutazili sects believe that the use of alcohol has always been forbidden and refer to the Qur'an Ayah (4:43) as feeling of sleepiness and not to be awake.

[citation needed] An animal which dies by itself i.e., carrion is forbidden in Islam: Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal) and that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall and that killed by being smitten with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten, except what you slaughter, and what is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols) and that you divide by the arrows; that is a transgression.

This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining willfully to sin, then surely Allah is most-Forgiving, most-Merciful.The consumption of blood and its by-products as food is forbidden in Islam, in the Quran, surah 5, al-Maʼidah, verse 3: Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal) and that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall and that killed by being smitten with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten, except what you slaughter, and what is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols) and that you divide by the arrows; that is a transgression.

The origin of this prohibition is in Surat al-Baqarah: He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.Animal dedicated to or slaughtered in the name of a human being or saint is prohibited.

He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) God has been invoked; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.In both Sunni and Shia hadith the meat of mules is prohibited but horse meat is allowed in Sunni sources.

Narrated Abu Tha`laba: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the eating of the meat of beasts having fangs (canine teeth).

Ibn 'Abbas reported that Islamic Prophet prohibited the eating of all fanged beasts of prey, and all the birds having talons (claws).

Narrated Abdur Rahman ibn Shibl: The Messenger of God (ﷺ) forbade to eat the flesh of lizard.

Maymuna presented the dabb lizard to the Messenger of God who rarely started eating food before it was described and named for him.

[36] According to Shia hadith, metamorphosed animals to which a disobedient, irreverent, or arrogant pre-Islamic nation was converted as a punishment (such as apes and monkeys) are prohibited.

Ramadan emphasizes sawm, when worshippers have to abstain from food, drink, sexual activity, and immoral behavior between dawn and dusk.

The end of the Ramadan fast is the celebration of Eid-al-Fitr (Feast of Fast-Breaking), one of the two major religious holidays on the Muslim calendar.

[39] Since the turn of the 21st century, there have been efforts to create organizations that certify food products as halal for Muslim consumers in the USA.

[40] Since 1991, some mainstream manufacturers of soups, grains, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, prepared foods, and other products, as well as hotels, restaurants, airlines, hospitals, and other service providers have pursued the halal market.

A 2009 survey published by a French association of Muslim Consumers (ASIDCOM[42]) shows that the market of halal products has been developed in a chaotic way in Europe.