What Is Halal? What the Quran and Hadith Say, and How It Works Today

Halal is an Arabic word meaning “permissible” or “lawful.” In Islam, it describes anything Muslims may eat, drink, earn or do under Islamic law. Its opposite is haram, meaning forbidden. The rules come from the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and they now underpin a halal food market worth $1.53 trillion a year.

Most people meet the word on a restaurant sign or a food label. But for the world’s Muslims, halal is a framework that reaches well beyond the kitchen, into how money is earned, how business is done and how daily life is conducted. For food companies, exporters and investors, it also defines access to one of the largest consumer markets in the world.

What halal means

The Arabic root of halal (ḥ-l-l) carries the sense of something untied or released. Something halal is released from prohibition. Islamic law starts from the principle that things are permissible unless a clear text forbids them, so the list of what is haram is much shorter than the list of what is halal.

The Quran often pairs halal with a second word, tayyib, meaning good, wholesome or pure. Many scholars read the pairing as a two-part test: food should be lawful in its source and also clean, safe and ethically produced. That second test is one reason the debate over whether halal food is cleaner than other food keeps returning.

The five categories of Islamic rulings

Halal and haram sit at either end of a wider scale. Islamic jurisprudence sorts actions into five categories:

Between the clearly lawful and the clearly forbidden lies a gray zone that scholars call mashbooh, or doubtful. Muslims are encouraged to avoid doubtful matters, a principle taken directly from a well-known hadith discussed below.

What the Quran says about halal

The Quran sets out the core food rules in a handful of verses. It names four main prohibitions: dead animals (carrion), blood, pork and anything dedicated to other than God. It forbids intoxicants elsewhere. And it allows exceptions in cases of genuine necessity.

English translations below are from Saheeh International, via Quran.com. Translations convey meaning; the Arabic is the Quran itself.

1. The command to eat what is lawful and good

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُوا۟ مِمَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَلَـٰلًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

“O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.” (Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Verse 168)

2. The four core prohibitions, and the exception for necessity

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Verse 173)

Scholars apply this necessity clause to famine, medical emergencies and situations where no lawful food exists.

3. Why the manner of death matters (opening of the verse)

حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟ بِٱلْأَزْلَـٰمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ

“Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah (5), Verse 3)

4. The food of the People of the Book (opening of the verse)

ٱلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ

“This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah (5), Verse 5)

This verse is the basis for the scholarly debate over meat slaughtered by Jews and Christians, discussed below.

5. The prohibition of intoxicants

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْخَمْرُ وَٱلْمَيْسِرُ وَٱلْأَنصَابُ وَٱلْأَزْلَـٰمُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ فَٱجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than Allāh], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah (5), Verse 90)

6. Gratitude for lawful provision

فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ حَلَـٰلًا طَيِّبًا وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

“Then eat of what Allāh has provided for you [which is] lawful and good. And be grateful for the favor of Allāh, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.” (Surah An-Nahl (16), Verse 114)

What the hadith say about halal

The sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), known as hadith, explain and expand on the Quran’s rules. English translations below are from Sunnah.com. Hadith numbers follow the Sunnah.com numbering, so anyone can look up each hadith there; printed editions sometimes number them differently.

1. The lawful is clear, the unlawful is clear, and between them are doubtful matters

Narrated by Nu’man bin Bashir and recorded by both Bukhari and Muslim, this is the most widely cited hadith on halal:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏”‏ الْحَلاَلُ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشَبَّهَاتٌ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَمَنِ اتَّقَى الْمُشَبَّهَاتِ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِيِنِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ، وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ كَرَاعٍ يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى، يُوشِكُ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَهُ‏.‏ أَلاَ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى، أَلاَ إِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ مَحَارِمُهُ، أَلاَ وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ‏.‏ أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ ‏”‏‏.

“Both legal and illegal things are evident but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious) things and most of the people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these suspicious things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) things. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.”

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Belief (Kitab al-Iman), Hadith 52 (in-book reference: Book 2, Hadith 45). Also recorded in Sahih Muslim, Book of Musaqah (Kitab al-Musaqah), Hadith 1599a (in-book reference: Book 22, Hadith 133).

Modern certifiers trace their caution about uncertain ingredients, such as gelatin or enzymes of unknown origin, to this principle.

2. Allah is good and accepts only what is good

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah, this hadith ties halal to earnings, clothing and nourishment, not only food:

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ طَيِّبٌ لاَ يَقْبَلُ إِلاَّ طَيِّبًا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ فَقَالَ ‏{‏ يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ‏}‏ وَقَالَ ‏{‏ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ‏}‏ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الرَّجُلَ يُطِيلُ السَّفَرَ أَشْعَثَ أَغْبَرَ يَمُدُّ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ يَا رَبِّ يَا رَبِّ وَمَطْعَمُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَشْرَبُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَلْبَسُهُ حَرَامٌ وَغُذِيَ بِالْحَرَامِ فَأَنَّى يُسْتَجَابُ لِذَلِكَ

“O people, Allah is Good and He therefore, accepts only that which is good. And Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the Messengers by saying: ‘O Messengers, eat of the good things, and do good deeds; verily I am aware of what you do’ (xxiii. 51). And He said: ‘O those who believe, eat of the good things that We gave you’ (ii. 172). He then made a mention of a person who travels widely, his hair disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky (and thus makes the supplication): ‘O Lord, O Lord,’ whereas his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, and his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful. How can then his supplication be accepted?”

Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Zakat (Kitab al-Zakat), Hadith 1015 (in-book reference: Book 12, Hadith 83).

The two verses the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) quotes in this hadith are Surah Al-Mu’minun (23), Verse 51, and Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Verse 172.

3. Flesh nourished by the unlawful

Narrated by Ka’b bin Ujrah, at the end of a longer hadith:

يَا كَعْبُ بْنَ عُجْرَةَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَرْبُو لَحْمٌ نَبَتَ مِنْ سُحْتٍ إِلاَّ كَانَتِ النَّارُ أَوْلَى بِهِ

“O Ka’b bin Ujrah! There is no flesh raised that sprouts from the unlawful except that the Fire is more appropriate for it.”

Reference: Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, Book on Traveling (Abwab al-Safar), Hadith 614 (in-book reference: Book 6, Hadith 71). Grade: hasan (Darussalam).

Tirmidhi graded this hadith hasan gharib, meaning acceptable but reported through a single chain of narrators.

What makes meat halal

For meat and poultry to be halal, most scholars and certification standards require:

1. A permissible animal. Pork, carnivores with fangs, birds of prey and animals that died before slaughter are excluded.
2. A qualified slaughterer. A Muslim, or, in the view of many scholars, a Jew or Christian, based on Surah Al-Ma’idah (5), Verse 5.
3. The invocation of God’s name (tasmiyah) at the time of slaughter.
4. A swift cut to the throat that severs the windpipe, food pipe and major blood vessels, so that the blood drains.

This method is called zabiha or dhabiha. The details, including how many vessels must be cut and whether the name of God must be said aloud for each animal, vary between schools of jurisprudence.

Where scholars and certifiers differ

Halal is not one rulebook applied the same way everywhere. Readers and businesses should expect these differences:

The Halal Times does not issue religious rulings. Readers with questions about their own practice should consult a qualified religious scholar.

Halal beyond food

Halal applies to every part of life, not only diet. The same framework governs:

• Earnings and finance. Income from interest (riba), gambling, fraud or the sale of forbidden goods is not halal. This principle is the foundation of Islamic finance, whose assets reached $5.99 trillion in 2024, according to DinarStandard.
• Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Products are assessed for animal-derived and alcohol-based ingredients.
• Conduct and speech. Lying, theft and backbiting are haram; honesty in trade is a religious duty.

How halal works in today’s industry

What began as a personal religious obligation is now a global industry, with standards bodies, certification marks and trade agreements.

The market. Muslim consumers spent $1.53 trillion on food and beverages in 2024, a figure projected to reach $2.06 trillion by 2029, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2025/26, produced by DinarStandard. Across six consumer sectors, including food, travel, fashion and cosmetics, the report put the Islamic economy at $2.60 trillion. Malaysia ranked first in its Global Islamic Economy Indicator, followed by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Bahrain.

Standards. International guidance comes from the Codex Alimentarius Commission’s General Guidelines for Use of the Term “Halal” (CAC/GL 24-1997) and from the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), whose OIC/SMIIC 1 standard sets general requirements for halal food. Many countries also publish national standards.

Certification. Consumers rarely check a slaughterhouse themselves. Instead, they rely on certification marks issued after audits of ingredients, processes and facilities. For a fuller explanation, see what halal certification involves. In the United States, for example, IFANCA’s Crescent M mark is one of the most widely recognized symbols.

Recognition between countries. Because certifiers apply different standards, a mark accepted in one market may not be accepted in another. Exporters often need several certificates, a problem governments are trying to solve through mutual recognition agreements.

Frequently asked questions

Is halal only about food?
No. Halal covers food, drink, earnings, finance, medicine, cosmetics and conduct. Food is simply where most people encounter the term.

What does mashbooh mean?
Mashbooh means doubtful. It describes products or ingredients whose halal status is unclear, such as gelatin or emulsifiers of unknown origin. The hadith recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Belief, Hadith 52, advises avoiding them.

Can a Muslim eat haram food in an emergency?
Yes. Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Verse 173 says there is no sin on a person forced by necessity, provided they do not desire it or go beyond what is needed.

Who decides whether a product is halal?
For individuals, the rules come from the Quran, the hadith and scholarly interpretation. For packaged and exported products, certification bodies audit producers and issue halal marks, often under national standards.

Related reading: What Is the Role of Islamic Schools in Supporting Minority Education? | Why Can’t Muslims Eat Pork? | What Is the Importance of Halal Income in Islam?