How do you know if something's halal?

[JODO 2]

Will it have it on there like Kosher? We're going to a friend of my husband's tonight for dinner and I'd like to bring them some chocolate. His wife said at Thanksgiving she likes chocolate, so that's why.

Thanks.

[ya falaha! 0]

Some items will say halal on the package but it's not as common as a kosher label. I've only seen halal marked on packages that I buy at Mid Eastern markets. As long as the chocolate doesn't contain liquors or gelatin you're probably safe.

[JODO 2]

Some items will say halal on the package but it's not as common as a kosher label. I've only seen halal marked on packages that I buy at Mid Eastern markets. As long as the chocolate doesn't contain liquors or gelatin you're probably safe.

Thanks Moody .

So I guess the rum chocolates are out? j/k

[ya falaha! 0]

You're welcome!

You can send me the rum chocolates...I'm not picky about that stuff.

[JODO 2]

You're welcome!

You can send me the rum chocolates...I'm not picky about that stuff.

[kitty loves moudi 0]

Why is gelatin bad?

[tenderheartusa79 14]

Why is gelatin bad?

cause it comes from pigs in USA and pigs are not halal for Muslims

[MrsAmera 41]

Not all gelatin comes from pigs. If the package is marked as kosher and contains gelatin then it's safe. Also some products are made from fish gelatin. But if you're not sure where the gelatin came from it's generally not considered halal.

[Nasturtium 500]

Why is gelatin bad?

cause it comes from pigs in USA and pigs are not halal for Muslims

Not always true. If it is not marked as being kosher or from a specific source (fish, bovine, plant), then it is just considered a "mystery" which contains the possibility of being from a pig source. Thus, it is generally avoided.

[aisha kandisha 0]

Not all gelatin comes from pigs. If the package is marked as kosher and contains gelatin then it's safe. Also some products are made from fish gelatin. But if you're not sure where the gelatin came from it's generally not considered halal.

If may be "safe" but it isn't necessarily halal. Even if it is marked Kosher, you don't automatically know where the source of gelatin came from. The animal's bones/hides being used aren't necessarily a zabihah animal. Same is true with pareve labeling, which sometimes includes products with hides/bones. Basically "Kosher" in terms of labeling is an opinion, and that opinion can vary on what constitutes Kosher. Not all Kosher labeling is the same; the different symbols on the packages represent the the different certifying agencies, and each maintains their own standards. Most of the big agencies disclose their standards on their websites.

[Nasturtium 500]

If may be "safe" but it isn't necessarily halal. Even if it is marked Kosher, you don't automatically know where the source of gelatin came from. The animal's bones/hides being used aren't necessarily a zabihah animal. Same is true with pareve labeling, which sometimes includes products with hides/bones. Basically "Kosher" in terms of labeling is an opinion, and that opinion can vary on what constitutes Kosher. Not all Kosher labeling is the same; the different symbols on the packages represent the the different certifying agencies, and each maintains their own standards. Most of the big agencies disclose their standards on their websites.

I think she meant it doesn't contain pork sources.... whether a muslim accepts kosher or not is always up to personal choice I imagine one could look up the major kosher labels and see what they follow and if they agree or disagree with them, then have an idea as to what to look for. Sometimes the difference though is in a rabbi.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Ayah 5:5 says that the food of the ahl al kitab is lawful to Muslims. There are also sahih ahadith that says that it is permissible to say "Bismillah" over such foods to make them halal, that this was the practice of the Prophet. While we are to avoid pork products, authentic kosher is often endorsed as permissible under 5:5.

[Nasturtium 500]

Ayah 5:5 says that the food of the ahl al kitab is lawful to Muslims. There are also sahih ahadith that says that it is permissible to say "Bismillah" over such foods to make them halal, that this was the practice of the Prophet. While we are to avoid pork products, authentic kosher is often endorsed as permissible under 5:5.

That's what I've always heard, I have heard people disagree with it but their reasons were usually personal (like not being able to trust what is in packaged food-- and generally it extended to ALL packaged food, not just kosher, although i have heard the conspiracy theories... ). Chicken is something my husband will eat because of the method of killing it-- I remember once seeing this long diatribe over how here in the west we do not properly slaughter a chicken, but AFAIK there are really 2 main ways to kill a chicken in general, and they used both in Jordan. The diatribe involved someone really thinking you had to use a sharp knife and cut its throat like a goat, sheep, etc. Obviously, that person has never seen a chicken. I cannot imagine getting one to cooperate with that method, nor it being particularly easy to do.

I, personally, stay away from most processed/prepackaged items in general-- not because I think the kosher labels are wrong, but rather because I view processed food as wrong

[aisha kandisha 0]

Ayah 5:5 says that the food of the ahl al kitab is lawful to Muslims. There are also sahih ahadith that says that it is permissible to say "Bismillah" over such foods to make them halal, that this was the practice of the Prophet. While we are to avoid pork products, authentic kosher is often endorsed as permissible under 5:5.

There is a context for that hadith and it isn't that saying bismillah suddenly makes food halal. The practice of the Prophet was to say bismillah before eating, before eating anything. It was not a means of making food halal. The context of the hadith is that Muslims came to the Prophet questioning whether or not food from other Muslims was permissible to eat when they had not seen it slaughtered. The Prophet replied to say bismillah and eat, as they would normally eat. Saying bismillah doesn't turn the non-halal miraculously into halal.

The Qur'an is clear how meat has to be killed. The al-kitab food that is permissible is al-kitab food that is zabihah. This ayat doesn't abrogate other food laws. This is reinforced by several sahih ahadith that make it clear that it is al-kitab zabihah food.

From Maniac Muslim

[MrsAmera 41]

I guess this all depends on how "halal" you want to go. For me personally, I don't only eat zabihah, because it's not always possible. Every imam I have spoken with has said that if bismillah is said before eating it then it's not haram. I think it's odd that we here in the west have this huge disagreement when really we should be thanking God we even have meat to eat on a daily basis. I think of some Muslims in poorer nations, who would love to get their hands on meat daily, regardless of the way it was killed....