HALAL FOOD. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Halal. It’s not just a Dietary Choice. It’s a Lifestyle.
Halal is an Arabic word that means lawful or permitted. So, Halal food means any food that can be consumed by Muslims and follows the guidelines and observance of Islamic law.
More than a dietary choice, Halal is lifestyle. Halal is not only what Muslims consume. It is how they live, and how they treat others. This also extends to the foods they consume.
Halal meat is healthier because animals raised the Halal way are grown with much care versus animals raised on factory farms. Halal raised animals are free to graze, and are grass-fed with no antibiotics or hormone treatment.
As an animal should be treated well during its life, it should also be treated well at the time it is sacrificed for us. The slaughter should never be done in the presence of other animals and the animal should be made comfortable as it is positioned for the sacrifice. The act of the sacrifice should be done quickly, so as to reduce the pain suffered by the animal as much as possible.
Treating our bodies with wholesome foods free of harmful ingredients is not just a value desired by Muslims, it is desired by all of humanity. It’s a common desire. That means everyone can benefit from consuming Halal foods and avoiding that which is not.