The concepts of halal (حلال, permissible) and haram (حرام, forbidden) are fundamental in Islam, extending far beyond mere dietary restrictions for Muslims. These principles carry profound wisdom, encompassing health, hygiene, moral protection, and even curbing human greed. When explored deeply, the Islamic laws of halal and haram are not only relevant to Muslims but also universally applicable to anyone—non-Muslims included—who values health, ethics, and sustainability. For Muslims, adhering to these principles is a daily obligation.
Halal means “permissible” or “lawful” according to Islamic law, allowing something to be consumed, used, or done without incurring sin. Conversely, haram means “forbidden,” and engaging in what is haram brings sin and divine displeasure, except in specific emergency situations.
The Holy Quran emphasizes that only God has the authority to determine what is halal or haram:
وَلَا تَقُوْلُوْا لِمَا تَصِفُ اَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هٰذَا حَلٰلٌ وَّهٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُوْا عَلَى اللّٰهِ الْكَذِبَۗ اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَفْتَرُوْنَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُوْنَۗ
“Do not falsely claim with your tongues, ‘This is halal, and this is haram,’ to invent lies against God. Indeed, those who fabricate lies against God will not prosper.”
— The Holy Quran, Ch. An-Nahl (The Bees), Verse: 116
The Prophet Muhammad also stated:
“What is halal is clear, and what is haram is clear. Between the two are doubtful matters (syubhat). Whoever avoids doubtful matters safeguards their faith and honor.”
— Reported by Bukhari and Muslim
This article will explore in detail:
- The core principles of halal in Islam—halalan thayyiban (lawful and good), self-control, and its connection to worship.
- Prohibited foods and drinks—pork, alcohol, blood, carrion, amphibians, etc.
- Medical and scientific reasons behind these prohibitions—diseases, social impacts, hygiene, and health.
- Ethical treatment of animals—slaughter practices, prohibitions on cruelty, and ecological balance.
- Halal and haram in non-food aspects—speech (gossip, slander), hearing, sight (pornography, modesty), wealth (usury, deceit), and actions (adultery, corruption).
- Conclusion: Halal as a comprehensive way of life—health, hygiene, morality, social norms, ethics, spirituality, economics, and self-discipline.
Core Principles of Halal in Islam
Islam bases the concept of halal on three key principles:
- Halalan Thayyiban: Lawful and good, clean, and beneficial to health.
- Ihsan (Kindness) Toward Animals: Slaughter must be swift, minimize pain, and performed while invoking God’s name.
- Self-Control: Prohibitions on certain foods are not solely about the substance but also about preventing greed and destructive lifestyles.
The Quran clearly states:
يٰٓاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوْا مِمَّا فِى الْاَرْضِ حَلٰلًا طَيِّبًاۖ وَّلَا تَتَّبِعُوْا خُطُوٰتِ الشَّيْطٰنِۗ اِنَّهٗ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِيْنٌ
“O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth that is lawful and good, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan.”
— The Holy Quran, Ch. Al-Baqarah (The Heifer), Verse: 168
Key Principles
- The Default is Permissibility: Everything is halal unless explicitly prohibited by clear evidence.
- Emergency Exceptions: In dire circumstances, haram items may become permissible, such as eating carrion to survive (The Holy Quran, Ch. Al-Baqarah (The Heifer), Verse:173).
- Doubtful Matters (Syubhat): When unsure whether something is halal or haram, it’s best to avoid it.
God permits only what is beneficial (thayyib) for humanity and forbids what is harmful. Thus, halal is synonymous with safety, except in specific cases:
Special Conditions
- Contamination: Halal food can become harmful if contaminated (e.g., spoiled halal meat, moldy food, or bacteria like Salmonella).
- Individual Allergies: Foods like milk, nuts, or shrimp are halal but may be dangerous for those with allergies.
- Metabolic Conditions: Certain halal foods, like dates or honey, may need to be limited for individuals with conditions like diabetes.
Halal vs. Healthy
Halal does not automatically mean healthy in every context. For example, fried halal food is permissible but may raise cholesterol if consumed frequently. The issue lies not in its halal status but in preparation or excess. Even halal food can be harmful if consumed without restraint. Islam emphasizes moderation:
وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا
“Do not be extravagant”
— The Holy Quran, Ch. Al-A’raf (The Heights), Verse:173
No inherently halal food is dangerous by nature. Halal foods are fundamentally safe, clean, and beneficial. Harm arises from external factors (contamination, poor storage, natural toxins), internal factors (allergies, medical conditions), or dietary habits (excess or imbalance).
Pork: Medical, Hygienic, and Moral Perspectives
Pork is the most prominent example of a food forbidden (haram) in Islam. This prohibition is not solely about health but primarily stems from God’s direct command in the Holy Quran. Far from being mere dogma, modern science aligns with this prohibition, highlighting medical, hygienic, and public health concerns.
Medical Facts and Diseases
Pork is prone to carrying zoonotic diseases (transmissible from animals to humans), including:
- Tapeworm (Taenia Solium and Taenia Asiatica): These can cause taeniasis and cysticercosis, potentially leading to neurocysticercosis, where larvae infect the brain, causing seizures or paralysis.
- Trichinella Spiralis: A parasite causing trichinosis, which affects muscles and can be fatal, leading to pain, fever, and complications in the heart or nervous system. These parasites are almost exclusively associated with pigs, not cattle or goats.
- Zoonotic Viruses: Pigs can host dangerous viruses, such as:
- Swine Flu (H1N1), which triggered the 2009 pandemic.
- Hepatitis E, often transmitted through undercooked pork.
- Antibiotic Resistance: Modern pig farming often uses high doses of antibiotics, fostering resistant bacterial strains.
- High Cholesterol and Saturated Fat: Pork, especially fatty cuts, increases the risk of heart disease due to high cholesterol and saturated fat content.
Hygiene and Pig Behavior
Pigs are omnivores, consuming anything from carrion to their own waste, increasing the risk of bacterial and parasitic contamination. While modern farming is cleaner, pigs’ biological nature makes them susceptible to zoonotic diseases. Unlike other animals, pigs do not sweat, causing toxins to accumulate in their fat, making them ideal hosts for parasites. Read: An Update in Knowledge of Pigs as the Source of Zoonotic Pathogens on National Library of Medicine , an official website of U.S. government.
🇰🇷South Koreans throwing a pork party 🐷🍗 at a planned mosque site 🕌… that’s some wild idea. pic.twitter.com/sGml2FBriR
— Rutaso.Japan🇯🇵🐶 (@rutasosabu) September 18, 2025
Modern farming in many countries applies strict health controls (vaccination, veterinary supervision, barn sanitation, and slaughter regulations). This reduces the risks, although it cannot make them 100% safe. Domesticated pigs are indeed safer than wild pigs, but biologically they remain one of the most high-risk animals to human health. And pork also spoils faster and is more easily contaminated compared to beef or goat meat.
Medical and Epidemiological Research
- The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.) reports cases of trichinosis linked to undercooked pork.
- WHO identifies Taenia Solium as a leading preventable cause of epilepsy in developing countries.
- A 2009 study in Emerging Infectious Diseases (CDC) highlighted pigs’ role in spreading the H1N1 virus, acting as a “mixing vessel” for influenza viruses.
- The Lancet Infectious Diseases (2012) notes pigs as reservoirs for various zoonotic pathogens.
Pig farmers or slaughterhouse workers face a higher risk of contracting:
- Streptococcus Suis: Can cause meningitis and sepsis in humans.
- Brucellosis: A chronic disease that is difficult to cure.
- Leptospirosis: Can be fatal.
Cattle or goats do not play a significant role in influenza virus recombination. The WHO and CDC record more than 20 major zoonotic diseases linked to pigs, which is higher than those associated with cattle or goats. Some of these diseases (neurocysticercosis, trichinosis) are extremely serious, even deadly.
Biological Similarities Between Pigs and Humans
Anatomically and physiologically, pig organs are remarkably similar to human organs in terms of size, structure, and function. For example, the heart, kidneys, skin, and even pig heart valves have long been used in human surgeries (bioprosthetic heart valves). The digestive system of pigs is also comparable to that of humans since both are omnivores, have nearly proportional intestinal lengths, and share similar metabolic processes. Read: Advancing Swine Models for Human Health and Diseases.
Because of these similarities, scientists have attempted to use pigs as “organ donors” for humans. Experiments with kidney and heart transplants from pigs to humans have already been conducted (with genetic engineering to reduce the risk of rejection). In 2022, the first case of a pig heart transplanted into a human was reported in the United States. Read: A man who got the 1st pig heart transplant has died after 2 months.
On one hand, this is considered a major medical breakthrough. On the other hand, many people—especially from religious or moral perspectives—find it deeply disturbing, since pigs are already viewed as unclean or impure. Adding to this is the fact that pig flesh closely resembles human flesh, creating associations with “hidden cannibalism,” as if it were a cheaper version of human meat. In forensic science, pig flesh is sometimes used to simulate human wounds because its muscle and skin characteristics are strikingly similar.
Xenotransplantation, when a pig organ is implanted into a human body, can feel to some as if one were borrowing another person’s organ—but in a more “grotesque” form.
If pigs and humans are so similar, doesn’t receiving a pig’s heart feel almost like taking a body part from a species that is half-human?
From a moral and emotional standpoint, this only adds to the sense of revulsion, unease, and taboo, especially when viewed through the lens of religious traditions that have prohibited pigs from the very beginning.
Moral Dimension
Islam teaches that the human body must be protected from impurity (rijs). Pork is seen as a symbol of physical and spiritual uncleanliness.
Pigs are indeed among the animals with the highest zoonotic risks. Yet humans continue to raise them, trade them, and process them in every possible way to make them seem “fit” for consumption.
Many traditional societies once prohibited the consumption of pork, whether for religious reasons (as in Islam and Judaism, even Christian in the beginning) or for health concerns (in hot and humid climates, pigs are more prone to carry diseases). Such prohibitions functioned as a kind of “natural protection” for human beings.
With the rise of food industrialization, these prohibitions came to be seen as outdated. However, the powerful pork industry has driven massive consumption, even though the health risks remain real. This often reflects sheer greed: people prioritize economic profit and culinary pleasure over safety and cleanliness.
From an Islamic perspective, abstaining from pork is an act of worship, rooted in obedience to God. However, the prohibition also has rational benefits, protecting humans from dangerous diseases, promoting hygiene, and encouraging safer dietary choices. Revealed 1,400 years ago, the Holy Quran’s prohibition on pork predates modern knowledge of parasites like Trichinella or Taenia, yet it safeguards humanity from significant risks.
Other Forbidden Animals
In addition to pork, Islam prohibits certain animals:
- Amphibians (Frogs, Toads, etc.): Classified as haram based on a hadith: “The Prophet forbade killing frogs” (Abu Dawud, Ahmad). If killing them is prohibited, consuming them is also forbidden. Additionally, frogs secrete natural toxins (such as bufotoxin) through their skin, which can be harmful to humans.
- Crocodiles, Komodo Dragons, and Semi-aquatic Turtles: These are considered haram due to their predatory nature, possession of fangs, or being regarded as repulsive.
- Crabs, Shrimp, Lobsters, and Similar Species: In general, all sea creatures are considered halal unless proven harmful (e.g., sea snakes, pufferfish). However, the permissibility of land crabs and amphibious species is debated among scholars.
- Squirrels, Lizards, and Similar Animals: These are regarded as haram, as they are small land creatures not typically consumed. Squirrels, being rodents, may also carry diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis, or hantavirus.
- Predatory Animals and Birds: Fanged beasts (e.g., lions, tigers, dogs, big cats) and predatory birds (e.g., eagles, crows, vultures) are considered haram due to their predatory behavior and carrion-feeding habits.
These prohibitions guide humans toward clean, wholesome, and commonly accepted foods. They serve multiple purposes:
- Medical: Predators may carry pathogens.
- Ethical and Ecological: They maintain ecological balance and discourage overexploitation.
- Spiritual: They test obedience and promote civilized eating habits.
Ethical Treatment of Animals: The Halal Approach
In some cultures, such as Japan, Korea, or China, seafood is served alive or partially alive:
- Sannakji (산낙지, Korea): Live octopus is cut and served with moving tentacles.
- Ikizukuri (生き作り, Japan): Fish sashimi is sliced while the fish is still alive, with parts moving on the plate.
- China: Some restaurants serve moving seafood to emphasize freshness.
Islam prohibits these practices, even if the seafood is halal, because:
- Cruelty is Forbidden: Islam prohibits torturing or mistreating animals. A hadith states: “God prescribes kindness in all things. When you kill, kill well; when you slaughter, slaughter well. Sharpen your blade and ease the animal’s suffering” (Muslim).
- Painful Practices: Cutting animals while leaving them alive violates ihsan (kindness).
- Unwholesome (Khaba’its): Watching animals writhe on a plate is not thayyib (good) and borders on voyeuristic cruelty.
- Health Risks: Improperly killed meat may carry bacteria or parasites like Vibrio or Salmonella. In Korea, cases of choking on live octopus tentacles have been reported.
Islamic Slaughter Rules:
- Use a sharp knife for a single, swift cut.
- Avoid prolonged suffering or slow killing.
- Do not slaughter animals in view of others.
These rules contrast with practices in some cultures that display living animals during consumption, which Islam considers unjust.
Global Ethical Concerns:
Even outside Islam, animal rights activists criticize such culinary practices as cruel. Islam’s emphasis on humane slaughter reflects compassion, aligning with growing global awareness of animal welfare.
Alcohol: A Globally Recognized Social Toxin
Numerous reports and studies show that alcohol consumption, especially in large amounts or specific contexts, often exacerbates or triggers accidents, domestic violence, crime, and other social issues.
Alcohol is absolutely forbidden in Islam, described in the Holy Quran as “an abomination of Satan’s handiwork.”
Medical Impacts
Alcohol impairs self-control, heightens impulsivity, and can escalate minor conflicts into violence. It reduces perception, reaction time, and motor coordination, contributing to traffic accidents. Alcohol also worsens mental health, impairs moral judgment, and increases fearlessness toward consequences. Long-term effects include liver disease (cirrhosis), permanent brain damage, cancers (mouth, throat, liver, breast), and mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and addiction. Read: Alcohol, Aggression, and Violence: From Public Health to Neuroscience.
Social Impacts
- WHO (2024) reports over 3 million annual deaths due to alcohol. Read: Over 3 million annual deaths due to alcohol and drug use, majority among men.
- Drunk driving remains a leading cause of fatal accidents among young people worldwide. Read: Drunk Driving.
- Studies in the U.S. show about 40% of domestic violence cases involve alcohol. Read: How Are Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence Related?
- Many sexual assaults and crimes occur under alcohol’s influence. Read: Alcohol & Sexual Assault.
Real-World Cases and News Reports
- Fatal Traffic Accident in the UK: Natasha Allarakhia, 36, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for causing a fatal crash while driving under the influence.
- Domestic Violence in Malaysia: A woman died after her husband set her on fire during an argument while they were drinking local wine at their house.
- Domestic Violence in Ireland: “... alcohol played a significant role in the abuse at home.”
Research and Statistics
- Alcohol and Violence in Rural Australia: A New South Wales study found risky drinking contributes to increased assaults and severe or fatal traffic accidents in rural areas. Read: The relationship between risky alcohol consumption, crime and traffic accidents in Australian rural communities.
- Domestic Violence in Brazil: A 2005 household survey across 108 major Brazilian cities found 33.5% of households reported domestic violence, with 17.1% involving intoxicated perpetrators. Read: Alcohol-related domestic violence: a household survey in Brazil.
- Alcohol-Related Homicides in Australia: Of 1,565 homicides recorded in the National Homicide Monitoring Program, nearly 47% were alcohol-related, involving intoxicated victims, perpetrators, or both. Read: Alcohol and Homicide in Australia.
Alcohol and Traffic Accidents
A Norwegian study found drivers involved in crashes had significantly higher rates of alcohol and psychoactive substance use compared to regular drivers. Another study showed pedestrians under the influence face a high risk of accidents, with Tennessee data indicating ~7% of pedestrian accidents involved intoxicated walkers, with higher rates for fatal injuries.
Tobacco as Haram
While not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Quran, tobacco is considered haram by many scholars based on the Islamic principle: “Anything that harms the soul, mind, wealth, or society is forbidden.” Medical evidence confirms tobacco’s dangers, including lung cancer, heart attacks, and strokes, and it wastes wealth. According to WHO, tobacco kills over 8 million people annually (7 million from active smoking, 1.3 million from secondhand smoke). It causes 90% of lung cancer cases, doubles to quadruples the risk of heart disease and stroke, and harms fetuses when smoked during pregnancy. Read: Tobacco.
Islamic Analysis
- Self-Harm: Smoking contradicts the Holy Quran 2:195, “Do not cast yourselves into destruction.”
- Harm to Others: Secondhand smoke violates the hadith, “There should be no harm to oneself or others” (Ibn Majah).
- Wasting Wealth: Tobacco is costly and provides no benefit, falling under the prohibition of wastefulness (israf).
A Universal Way of Life
Islam’s halal-haram framework is not about restriction but about protecting humanity from harm, fostering balance, and cultivating physical and spiritual purity.
- Hygiene and Health: Halal must be thayyib (clean, healthy, non-damaging). Examples: prohibitions on pork, blood, carrion, alcohol, and drugs.
- Social Norms and Morality: Halal promotes harmonious relationships by forbidding gossip, slander, adultery, usury, and theft.
- Spirituality and Worship: Halal actions enhance obedience to God, and halal food is believed to make prayers more effective.
- Ethics and Humanity: Compassion extends to animals through humane slaughter practices.
- Self-Control and Simplicity: Not everything desirable is permissible; Islam teaches restraint to curb greed and base desires.
- Wealth and Economics: Halal income must come from honest work, free of usury or deceit. Halal food must be purchased with lawful earnings.
- Culture and Lifestyle: Halal governs what is seen, heard, worn, and enjoyed, preserving moral integrity.
In terms of actions, what is considered halal includes working honestly, worshiping sincerely, entering into marriage lawfully, and helping others. By contrast, haram actions include stealing, corruption, adultery, unjust killing, fraud, and drinking alcohol. These prohibitions aim to protect both individuals and society from harm.
When it comes to speech, Islam encourages truthfulness, offering good advice, remembering God, and reciting the Holy Quran. In contrast, lying, slander, insults, false oaths, and the use of vulgar words such as “f**k” or “p***y” are strictly forbidden. One of the most serious verbal sins is gossip, or ghibah, which the Holy Quran explicitly condemns in verse Al-Hujurat (The Chambers, 49:12), likening it to eating the flesh of one’s own dead brother. Gossip is considered haram because it destroys another person’s honor.
Hearing also falls under these categories. Listening to beneficial advice or uplifting words is halal, while deliberately listening to gossip, hateful speech, or anything that incites sin is haram. Likewise, sounds intended to provoke lust—such as sexual moans—are prohibited, since they stir unhealthy desires. Listening intentionally carries more weight of sin than hearing something accidentally.
Sight, too, must be disciplined. It is halal to look at nature, beneficial books, and knowledge that brings understanding. But it is haram to intentionally gaze upon another’s nakedness, consume pornography, or look at sexually suggestive images—even in animated form, such as cartoons or anime in revealing clothing—if they arouse lust. For example, anime depicting characters in revealing swimsuits (bikinis, etc.) are considered impermissible. The key distinction is between intentional and accidental: a person who glances by accident is not held accountable, provided they quickly turn their gaze away.
The use of material possessions also falls under halal and haram. Modest clothing, technology, transportation, and pure fragrances are permissible. Forbidden, however, are stolen goods, gold jewelry for men, and items that carry elements of impurity. With perfumes containing alcohol, most contemporary scholars consider them halal because the alcohol is not for consumption and does not intoxicate, though some scholars advise caution and discourage their use.
Underlying all of these rules is the principle of intention. In Islam, a deed is judged primarily by its motive. If something occurs unintentionally—such as accidentally hearing inappropriate sounds or unintentionally catching sight of something indecent—it does not carry sin. But deliberately seeking it out does, and repeated indulgence only deepens the wrongdoing. The Prophet Muhammad emphasized this with the famous saying: “Actions are judged by intentions.”
Even seemingly small matters, such as gossiping, listening to suggestive sounds, looking at indecent images, or choosing a perfume with alcohol, all have their rulings. The essence is this: anything that brings goodness, purity of heart, and well-being of the body and soul is halal; anything that leads to corruption, lust, or moral decay is haram.
Conclusion
The concepts of halal and haram in Islam are not irrational prohibitions but a compassionate system designed to ensure human well-being. They protect against disease, crime, greed, and moral deviation, offering a holistic way of life that promotes health, cleanliness, and ethical living.
Halal is more than a religious rule—it’s a comprehensive framework that safeguards individuals, families, and societies, aligning divine wisdom with rational, scientific understanding.
- Halalan Thayyiban: Emphasizes lawful and good, clean, and healthy consumption.
- Ihsan: Requires humane treatment of animals during slaughter, minimizing pain.
- Self-Control: Encourages moderation to prevent greed and harmful lifestyles.
- Default Permissibility: Everything is halal unless explicitly forbidden by Islamic law.
- Emergency Exceptions: Haram items may be permissible in life-threatening situations.
- Doubtful Matters: Avoid items of uncertain status to safeguard faith and honor.
- Pork: Forbidden due to health risks (zoonotic diseases, high cholesterol) and divine command.
- Alcohol: Prohibited as it impairs judgment, causes health issues, and contributes to social harm.
- Other Forbidden Items: Includes blood, carrion, amphibians, and predatory animals due to hygiene and ethical concerns.
- Tobacco: Considered haram by many scholars for its health risks and wasteful nature.
- Pork Risks: Carries parasites (tapeworms, Trichinella) and viruses (H1N1, Hepatitis E).
- Alcohol Impacts: Linked to over 3 million deaths annually, traffic accidents, and domestic violence.
- Tobacco Dangers: Causes 8 million deaths yearly, including lung cancer and heart disease.
- Amphibians: Potential toxins and parasites make them risky for consumption.
- Humane Slaughter: Requires sharp tools and quick methods to minimize animal suffering.
- Prohibited Practices: Eating live or partially alive animals (e.g., sannakji, ikizukuri) is forbidden due to cruelty.
- Ecological Balance: Prohibitions on predatory animals help maintain environmental harmony.
- Speech and Behavior: Prohibits gossip, slander, and immoral acts like adultery or corruption.
- Wealth: Earnings must be lawful, free from usury or deceit.
- Lifestyle: Governs what is seen, heard, or worn to preserve moral integrity.
- Holistic System: Promotes health, hygiene, morality, and spirituality.
- Social Harmony: Encourages ethical interactions and community well-being.
- Spiritual Connection: Enhances worship and obedience to God through lawful living.
Core Principles of Halal
Prohibited Foods and Drinks
Medical and Scientific Rationale
Ethical Treatment of Animals
Non-Food Aspects of Halal
Halal as a Way of Life
