Halal Encyclopedia

Halal dietary regulations prioritize beauty. "Beauty" encompasses more than just the commonly understood color, form, flavor, or nutritional value; it also primarily refers to the food's "cleanliness and character." Muslims prioritize "hygiene and the preservation of nature," truly embracing the principle of "food nourishes the soul." Herbivores, such as cattle, sheep, and camels, are kind and eat clean food. Carnivores with sharp teeth and tusks, or those that feed on carrion and scavenging, are greedy and unkind, eating polluted food, such as pigs, dogs, and crows.

Regarding prohibited foods, the halal principle mentions "pigs, blood, wine, dead animals, and animals slaughtered in the name of other than Allah."On this basis, Muhammad made further specific elaborations, and later Muslim scholars made some regulations based on these two items, which constituted the dietary precepts of Muslims.

"liquor"The reason for prohibition is that alcohol can temporarily cause a person to lose their rationality, paralyzing their nerves and losing control over their words and actions, thus causing harm to themselves and others. This harm to Muslims is not only physical and material, but can also lead to a loss of faith due to verbal and mental disorder. Therefore, alcohol is strictly prohibited, and along with gambling, it is considered a demonic act that causes social harm, sparks conflict, and deteriorates interpersonal relationships. This was true in ancient society, and it remains true today. According to a newspaper report, 60% of youth hooliganism cases in Shanghai are caused by alcohol. Many divorce cases are also caused by alcohol abuse, leading to marital discord and family breakdown. Drunk driving accidents are particularly linked to alcohol.

Alcohol is becoming a major social problem in some countries and regions, and the World Health Organization is increasingly promoting abstinence. Islam has long prohibited alcohol and all foods that, when consumed, can cause insanity, such as opium and marijuana. As for questions about low-alcohol drinks like beer, or those consumed in smaller quantities, these are undoubtedly prohibited as well. The law prohibits something based on its nature; the question of quantity is simply a matter of degree.

Blood.In some classic texts, blood is considered the source of life and is forbidden to be consumed. This prohibition also concerns human health. The development of science and the invention of the microscope have spurred the advancement of medicine. Microscopic examination of blood reveals countless pathogens. A single drop of blood can be used for dozens of tests and analyses, facilitating diagnosis in Western medicine. However, blood is also a direct means of disease transmission. If pathogens are present in plasma, the recipient will immediately become infected.

Suicide items.Dead animals are animals that have not been slaughtered and bled, or that died of unnatural causes, such as illness, a fall, or being crushed. Eating dead animals is forbidden because they died of unnatural causes, leaving blood in their bodies, or because they died of illness, making consumption harmful to human health. Nowadays, people prefer fresh food for everything, including vegetables and fish. This is true for livestock and poultry, so why not? Slaughtering animals in the name of someone other than Allah.

pig.Speaking of pork, it's a common misconception in the world today that it's forbidden for Muslims. In China, if people learn you don't eat pork, they immediately assume you're Hui. And if they mention Hui, they immediately know you don't eat pork. It's become a hallmark of being Muslim, a synonym for being Hui.

In fact, abstaining from pork isn't exclusive to Muslims. Humanity's aversion to and prohibition of pigs can be traced back to the ancient civilization of Egypt, 5,000 years ago. An ancient mural depicts the souls of those who have done evil being given to pigs for food. Leviticus 11:7-8, a 3,000-year-old Jewish classic, states: "...the pig, because it has a divided hoof and does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. You shall not eat their flesh, nor shall you touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you." Therefore, Jews do not eat pork.

China is the world's largest consumer of pork, but over 2,700 years ago, in ancient society, the Shaoyi chapter of the "Book of Rites," a text highly regarded by Confucius, contained a line: "A gentleman does not eat mutton." This means that a gentleman should not eat pork. Confucius's relentless pursuit of "self-discipline and restoration of propriety" was precisely based on the Zhou Dynasty's "Book of Rites." Why is there such a widespread dislike and prohibition of pigs? I would like to discuss the following aspects:

Pigs are ugly, strange-looking, greedy, and stupid. In languages ​​around the world, pigs are often used to describe people who are ugly, lazy, and stupid.

Pigs love filth. Their living quarters are extremely dirty, and the feed they eat is also filthy, which is difficult to compare with herbivorous animals.

Their nature is fickle and vicious. As the saying goes, "Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs," but when extremely hungry, pigs will even eat their own piglets. Most animals, even birds, develop a bond with their caregivers. Stories of animals helping people, such as the loyal dog who saved its owner, are well-known. However, pigs sometimes gobble up and eat their caregivers' babies, even more vicious than tigers and wolves.

In fact, Muslims not only avoid raising pigs and eating their meat, but also must avoid the filth, dirtiness, greed, laziness, and stupidity characteristic of pigs and similar animals. These vices are condemned in the Quran and are equally condemned by other civilizations. Abstaining from eating pigs means avoiding these vices. This is why Muslims also avoid eating animals that are strange, greedy, or cruel, such as ferocious birds and beasts. The standard for what Muslims can eat is "beautiful." As the saying goes, "beautiful appearance, warm nature, and clean nature are acceptable, while "unusual appearance, evil nature, and filthy nature" are not acceptable.