Halal food, the short version

Almost every food on earth is halal for Muslims. The list of haram foods is short.

What is forbidden

• Pork and anything made from pigs. Ham, bacon, gelatin made from pig, pork-based shortening.
• Alcohol, and any drink meant to intoxicate. This includes wine, beer, spirits, and any cooking where alcohol remains in the finished dish.
• Meat of animals not slaughtered properly (more on this below).
• Blood and blood products, beyond what remains naturally in meat.
• Carrion (meat of animals that died on their own).
• Meat of animals slaughtered for anyone other than Allah, as a dedication to idols or other deities.
• Carnivorous mammals with fangs (lion, tiger, dog) and birds of prey with talons (eagles, hawks). You are not likely to eat these anyway.

“Forbidden to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.”

— Quran 5:3

Halal meat

For meat to be halal, the animal has to be slaughtered in a specific way: a swift cut across the throat, invoking Allah's name at the moment. Properly slaughtered halal meat is labelled halal and sold in halal butcher shops and an increasing number of supermarkets.

In Western countries, people of the Book (Christians and Jews) slaughtering meat in their traditional ways is accepted by many scholars as halal for Muslims to eat, based on Quran 5:5. The mainstream scholarly opinions vary. Safer is to stick to halal-labelled meat where available.

Seafood is generally halal across all four Sunni schools (fish in all schools, other seafood debated).

Vegetarian and vegan food

All plant-based food is halal by default, unless it contains alcohol. Watch out for:

• Vanilla extract made with alcohol. Many are.
• Gelatin in sweets, yogurts, jelly. Often from pig. Look for halal, kosher, or plant-based alternatives.
• Some wines and sauces in Western cooking. Soy sauce, teriyaki, mirin can contain alcohol.

A principle that helps

The Prophet ﷺ said the halal is clear, the haram is clear, and between them are matters that many people do not know. Whoever avoids doubtful matters has protected their religion and their honour (Sahih al-Bukhari 52, Sahih Muslim 1599).

If you are not sure about a specific ingredient or dish, it is reasonable to avoid it until you ask someone. This is not paranoia. It is care.