What dietary regulations must Muslims observe?
A general rule of Shari’ah is that anything that is not expressly haram (forbidden) or that doesn’t lead to haram acts is considered halal (permissible). This principle applies to foodstuffs as well. In the Qur’an, very few items are expressly forbidden, namely the flesh of swine, blood, meat of carcasses, meat of predatory animals, and meat of animals slaughtered in the name of anything other than the One God. When Muslims slaughter animals for consumption, they pronounce the name of God during the act, symbolizing recognition of His bounty and His role as Creator of all things. Such blessed meat is termed halal, a designation similar to “kosher” used by Jews. In fact, the Qur’an states that meat from the Ahl al-Kitab, or “People of the Book” (Christians and Jews) is permissible for Muslims to eat. Such legal provisions serve to reiterate the common monotheistic bond of the three Abrahamic religions. At the same time, many Muslims do not eat meat from commercial sources, since rules f
