The lists of Halal and Haram food below have been taken with permission from the book 'Islamic Dietary Laws and Practices by Mohammad Mazhar Hussaini and M S Ahmad Hussein Sakr, Ph.D .
It should be noted that a product being imported from a Muslim country is not necessarily a guarantee that it is completely Halal. In fact, food is often imported from abroad into Muslim countries without proper checking of ingredients.
AN ALPHABETICAL DEFINITION GUIDE
An alphabetical list of Halal and Haram ingredients to look out for:
Bacon: A side of pig meat (pork).
Choletsorol: type of fat always of animal origin. If extracted from Zabiha animal, it is Halal.
Diglyceride: Emulsifier. If of animal origin it should be suspected till the source is known.
Gelatin (Jello Gelatin): Usually of animal origin, mostly from pig. If extracted from a dhabiha animal, then it is halal/
Glycerol (Glycerine): It could be of animal, plant or Glyceryl-Stearate synthetic origin. If animal source is used, it is suspected.
Hormones: Usually animal hormones are used for human consumption. One has to find out the source before passing a judgement.
Lard: Fat from swine particulaly found in the abdominal cavity. Totally Haram for us.
Magnesium Stearate (stearic acid): Used as an active ingredient in medicine tablets. Haram when derived from animal source.
Mono Glycerides: When derived from animal source. (Halal when the source is plant).
Pepsin: A digestive enzyme mostly from pig stomach.
Rennin (Rennet): A protein Enzyme. Usually not labeled. (In most cheeses).
Shortening: Fats and oils of animal origin. Animal/Lard
Vanilla: Extracted using alcohol.
Vitamins: Haram when from animal source. Mostly the source is synthetic or plant and are Halal.
Whey: Used in ice creams and yogurt. Haram when from animal source.
A PARTIAL LIST OF HALAL INGREDIENTS
S/N Name of Ingredients Code No Brief Description
Antioxidants: Chemical compounds used to protect certain food components from being destroyed or lost through oxidation.
Ascorbic acid: Vitamin C.
Benzoate (Benzoic acid): Benzoic acid and sodium benzoate are used for food preservation.
Biotin: A member of the B complex vitamins.
BHA: An antioxidant, preservative.
BHT: An antioxidant, preservative.
Citric acid: Sources are plant, usually of the citrus family. (e.g. orange, lime, lemon).
Cobalamine: Synthetically prepared Vitamin B12.
Dextrin: An emulsifying, sizing, and thickening agent.
Fiber: Sources are plant. Provide roughage to diet.
Fructose: Fruit sugar.
Gliadin (Gluten): Ptotein found in wheat and rye.
Hydrogenated oil: Vegetable oil being hydrogenated making it solid at room temperature.
Iodine: A nutrient for thyroid gland.
Lecithin: Emulsifier of fat. In the USA, sources are mainly soyabean and egg yolk.
Lipids : Essential fatty acids found in fish, plant and animals. If source is animal; it is suspected.
Malt: A kind of fermented grain.
Molasses: Syrup liquid obtained in refining sugar.
MSG: Flavoring. Imparts meat flavor to foods.
Niacin: One of the B complex vitamins.
PABA: A food supplement.
Pectin: A gelatinous substance extracted from fruits.
Propionic acid: A preservative.
Riboflavin: One of the B complex vitamins. Usually the source is synthetic.
Pure vegetable shortening: Source of this kind of shortening is plant.
100% vegetable shortening: Source of this kind of shortening is plant.
Sweetener: Substance that gives a sweet taste.
Thiamin: One of the B complex vitamins.
Vanillin: Flavoring agent, extracted from vanilla.
Vitamin A: If source are plant and synthetic, it is halal.
Vitamin C: Natural sources are from plant. (e.g. citrus fruit, tomatoes, etc).
Vitamin D: Natural sources are yeast and fish liver oil. Also synthetically produced.
Vitamin E: Rich sources of Vitamin E are vegetable oils. When source is synthetic, it is halal. If source is animal, it is suspected.
Water: The nutrient most vital to man's existence.
Food yeast: Microscopic, unicellular, fungal plant used for fermentation process and in baking bread.
Photo Attribution: "Weizen2" by Dako99 - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weizen2.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Weizen2.jpg
Comments
Thankyou for all the helpful information. I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer for. I am hypothyroid and currently on synthroid (levothyroxine), Ever since I started on the medication over a year ago, I have not been feeling myslef, I am experiencing many side effects of this medication. I am 28 years old and have a 4 yr old daughter, I cant seem to live my life anymore. Without going into further details about my health, my question is if a medicin made from pork gland would be allowed in islam? I have reserached a lot and there isn't any other kind of natural thyroid other than the pork kind. I have huge guilt of even considering it but I have run out of options, If I dont swtich to the natural pork gland derived thyroid medicine, I will never get better and have my life back. I am torn, i dont know what to do. Anybody who has any knowledge of this, please respond.
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MANSHAALLAH this information was so helpful to and to my family.....jazakallah
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some of your information is incorrect. needs more research. but very good work. sorry i rated wrong in the beginning.
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some of your information is incorrect. needs more research. but very good work.
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this great for us muslims to know what we can eat
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VERY GOOD AND HELPED MEEEEEEE JAZAAK ALLAH
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I am concern about colouring in most of the products:Red40 and Yellow 5.Any information will be really appreciated.
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I want to respond to one of my brother (name not mentioned) who commented from Toronto - CanadaI am happy with your comments, Allah give you the reward for your emotions and feelings for global peace, love, and happiness. I just want to try to feel you better under the existing circumstances of suppress, and discomfort, under a few points.1- As a muslim, we believe we are individually responsible and accountable for our own deeds and definitely for each and every individual deed (good or bad, small or big, all inclusive). No mullah will be accountable for our deeds. They are responsible for their own. So don't accept Mullah's judgments if you are suspicious. Try your best to find the judgment(s) concerning the situation, that best describe under the Islamic Principles. Definitely, Mullahs are not Islam, and Islam is not Mullahs. It is, no doubt, a universal religion, and a complete guidance (Alhamdolillah).2- There is absolutely no solid proof (until now) that Islam or Muslims are behind the present bad global situation around us. It could be a media war that is known as 'Propaganda'. It will definitely be a good effort if you can ask for any 'solid proof' from the people engaged in this propaganda.3- According to the Islamic regulations, as much as I know, we do not and must not hate non-muslims, and there is not a single word in the Book or in any Hadith that allow us to make trouble(s) for non-believers. I mean, here, Jihad without a solid islamic reason is called 'Qitaal' that is absolutely not allowed. The people, if they call themselves 'muslims' and they are doing 'Qitaal' are either not muslims or they are being mis-guided for certain reasons with certain objectives (I will call it a conspiracy). 4- The list given here for halal and haram food ingredients, seems to be a very good effort to warn our brothers/sisters in islam. If any of my brother/sister does not agree with the judgment, he / she can make his / her own effort to find a better judgment, under the Islamic Sharee'aa. It is his/her religious right and no one can stop him/her to find the solution. But the solution must be under the sharee'aa, NOT under his / her own desire or wish. We (Muslims) firmly believe in "the Day of Judgment"Thanks and Jazaak Allah Khairan kaseeran for your good efforts.
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This is a very interesting post and it really made me to ask EVERYONE some questions if I may; You said Choletsorol is haram, unless it is extracted from Zabiha animal; don't you guys find this unrealistic? I mean if you buy some sort of medication that Cholestrorol is listed as one of its ingredients, you don't ask the pharmacist if the Cholesterol is extracted from a Zabiha animal or not (by the way, cholesterol is spelled wrong on your post). Same goes for Diglyceride, Glycerol, hormones, Mono Glycerides, and lastly REnnin ( a protein enzyme, usually not labeled) so if it's not labeled, how would we know if it is haram or not? I am sorry but I am no psychic to figure that out. It's so easy to pin point Halal and Haram in text, but it is extremelely hard in real life to consistently be cautious of Haram and Halal, except the obvious ones, say Pork. You listed a number of Vitamins declaring Halal, but when you to go pharmacy and buy a bottle of Vitamin C, D or whichever, the campsules which covers the powder is made of some kind of substances that's associated with Pork fat - so my question is, would you stop having medication because the cover is made of some kind of sustance that's Haram? Would you ask your doctor or pharmacist if the medication he/she is giving Halal or Haram? Some Mullah declared that it appears that since women already have less hair on their bodies, shaving off their hair must be HARAM as it defies that natural order of Allah's creation. So is this Mullah is giving Fitwah that women should not make themselves less hair? and leave their armpits, or cunts or knees unshaven? I guess he is declaring that it helps if you haven't shaved in years - Yet in the Quran, it talks about cleanliness and neatness. They go and blow themselves up for the sake of Jidad - Islam is a universal religion that aims at spreading the principles of peace, love, and cooperation among all people, regardless of their race, color, cultureal background, or religion. Islam teaches us to wish and strive for the goodness and welfare of ALL PEOPLE (unlike blowing the World Trade Centre and killing thousands of INNOCENT poeple) What kind of Jihad is that for God's sake?. Islam is against oppression and injustice and killing innocent people, whether they are MUSLIMS or non-Muslims. This fact si of course declared in the Quran. Why not we focus on five pillers of Islam and make the wolrd a better place to live than hatrate. I have never done anything evil to anyone, I have always respected people whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, because I believe that if they are non-Muslim, it is by choice, and if Allah really wanted, he would have created him Muslim so why interfare with Allah's will. As far Halal and Haram goes, let's try our best not to eat Pork and any material that has Pork's substance. Let's focus on making the world a better place to live than to spend a lot of timing figuring our whether the cholesterol is Haram or Halal. Let's spread love, humanity and prosperity than making our Religioun so complicated that a non-Muslim would think 100 times before committing himself to be coming Muslim. Fawad from the country where they treat you the same whether you are white, black, brown, yellow, Muslim, Non-Muslim!There is more to live than just LIVE!God bless all of us.
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To Angela, First thank you for your concern of Halal and haram food in Islam. Your point here is very relevent. As mentioned everywhere, Islam described a food as halal (lawful) or haram (unlawful) only for the sake of human beings health. definitely expired food (food that will harm human body if consumed) is haram. but it is, at the same time, haram to waste food that is still in good condition (consumeable).I can provide some clarificatoin along with citations if necessary.God bless you!
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