Hi
Judaism has Kashrut dietary laws. Food is either kosher or its opposite treif.
What is the name of the Islamic system of dietary laws? I know the terms halal and its opposite haram but I’m not sure if the dietary laws are called Halal or Al-Halal. I look forward to your feedback
davidmich
They are widely referred to in the UK as Halal.
My understanding is that Sha’riah specifies what is halal and what is haram. I have not heard of a word that specifies dietary laws as opposed to other Islamic laws.
Halal means “permitted.” So halal food is what is allowed under dietary laws, but “halal” does not mean dietary laws per se.
Kosher also means something like “fit for use” and can refer to many things other than food. However in the the most commonly heard constructions in reference to food, both kosher and halal mean that the food is correct for an adherent to eat.
Here in NYC we have a kind of food cart widely called a “halal cart” which always sells a dish of chicken and rice (sometimes lamb and rice) and generally claims to be halal. My muslim friend, who isn’t even very strict, finds their halal-itude a little dubious. Kosher and halal are not the same but they have some rules in common. Kosher food is also usually Halal, the reverse isn’t always true because halal doesn’t separate foods into milk/meat/neutral.
Also, halal doesn’t generally have a problem with seafood. Or stuff like rabbits etc.
IIRC, there’s an official ruling somewhere in the Islamic writings that if certified halal food isn’t available, then kosher food is acceptable.
Shia Muslim halal codes* do prohibit the same kinds of seafood as the Kosher laws. I.e. mollusks, crustaceans, fish without visible scales. Sunnis (IIRC) generally allow those food items. Not sure about the Shia view of rabbits.
*At least, among the Khoja Shia- I don’t know about other Shia cultures but I assume it’s the same.
There does not appear to be a separate word for the dietary rules of Islam; there is only ahkam, which refers to the Islamic commandments as a whole (it’s the plural of hukm, a law or ruling of Shari’ah).
Dead wrong. Dietry restrictions are about the same allover.
According to a Shia workmate of mine, the “no visible scales” thing actually varies from mosque to mosque, and Imam to Imam, and yes, some folks DO go mosque-hopping on account of it. My friend claims not to, but last I heard was eagerly awaiting an upcoming ruling from his Imam on the matter.
Aaah, yes, most South African Muslims are Sunnis, and IME have no problem with lobster, abalone or rabbit.
And, of course, camels are halal, but not kosher
Interesting choice of words.
And there is another interesting word. Imam = prayer leader. Imam = Religous leader. It’s as uncertain as Rabbi or Minister.
AK84 I lived for a while in a part of Africa with a substantial Khoja (twelver) Shia minority (and also a big fishing industry) and I assure you they don’t eat crustaceans, mollusks, catfish, eels, etc… At first the fishermen assumed I was a Shia Muslim and wouldn’t sell to me either.
News to the parts of my family who are Twelvers. They certainly do. And we don’t have a problem with it in Ismailism either.
On Muislims eating shellfish, may I quote from the aforementioned Staff Report:
Well other than Jews being allowed to consume alcohol.
This article says that seafood without scales is generally prohibited for Shia Muslims, which backs up my experience in East Africa.