Halal Food Guide
Halal is the dietary guidebook for Muslims. The concept of Halal originates in the Qur'an, the Islamic holy scripture, and the term "halal" actually means "permissible" or "acceptable." The halal rules are, therefore, the guide of what to eat and how, not what to avoid. There are several ways to understand what is halal and how to choose these foods both in the supermarket and in restaurants.
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Halal/Haram/Mushbooh
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There are three terms that appear often while discussing halal food: they are halal, haram and mushbooh. If a food or product is halal, it is permissible for a Muslim to eat. Haram food is absolutely unacceptable for a Muslim person to consume. Between these two absolute terms is mushbooh---a gray area for Muslims, because it is unclear whether the product is halal or haram. In this instance, the decision to consume the food is a personal choice.
Halal Guide on Your Cell Phone
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For the technologically savvy, there is now an easy-to-use guide to halal for your cell phone. The guide is free, and can be used on Java-enabled, smartphones, Pocket PCs, BlackBerry devices and Symbian OS cell phones (see Resources). The guide is color-coded: green for halal, red for haram and black for mushbooh, and it is easy to search by ingredient or emulsifier code (the e code that appears on the label of a product).
Halal Slaughter
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For a meat to be halal, it must be slaughtered according to ritual and rule. A halal slaughter can be performed by anyone over the age of 13. The animal cannot be thirsty at the time of the slaughter, and it should be performed so the animal experiences a minimal amount of pain. This means a sharp knife should be used, and the animal's throat should be slit so it bleeds out quickly. A prayer should also be said, facing Mecca, before the slaughter.
Forbidden Foods
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While it is difficult to give a completely comprehensive list of haram foods, there are a few basic forbidden foods that must be avoided. An animal that was found dead cannot be halal, for example. Consuming blood is also considered haram, and alcohol is also forbidden. Similar to Judaism, pork is also haram for a Muslim, and must be avoided in all forms: bacon, pork rinds and pork sausage are all haram and are excluded from the halal diet.
Eating Out Halal
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One of the most difficult things for any diet, halal included, is eating out. Navigating the guidelines for a halal lifestyle is more easily managed at home, where the details of preparation is understood and the source of the food can be tracked. It is possible to eat out and eat halal, however, and this process has been ameliorated by internet guides to halal restaurants. One example of this is Zabihah. Zabihah, a website that offers an international guide to halal restaurants and products (see Resources). The website is volunteer-driven, and relies on restaurants that are self-proclaimed halal.
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