What Is Haram? A Comprehensive Guide

Haram is an Islamic or Arabic term which simply means forbidden or not permissible. In more general terms, haram means forbidden or proscribed by Islamic law. Haram status of any thing means, it is not permissible to eat for Muslims according to  Allah’s will.

It is strictly prohibited in Islam to eat items which are haram. Something that is Haram  remains haram and forbidden, no matter how beneficial it seems. There are some things which are clearly stated as Haram in the Quran.

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 ۗ ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِ ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًۭا ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍۢ لِّإِثْمٍۢ ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ 

Prohibited for you are: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and those upon which (a name) other than that of Allah has been invoked (at the time of slaughter), animal killed by strangulation, or killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by goring, or that which is eaten by a beast unless you have properly slaughtered it; and that which has been slaughtered before the idols, and that you determine shares through the arrows. (All of) this is sin. Today those who disbelieve have lost all hope of (damaging) your faith. So, do not fear them, and fear Me. Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Din (religion and a way of life) for you. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger, having no inclination towards sin, then Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. ( Surah Al-Ma’idah)

Pork

Pork or swine is the only animal that is declared as Haram in Quran .Its haram status is  mentioned in different verses of Quran. It is regarded as impure and Rijs that results in sickness of Heart.

People in European countries use pork meat  in their food. They believe that it is healthy for them due to the presence of zinc, selenium, and vitamins like B6 and B12. But it is clearly forbidden for Muslims. Anything that is made with pork or involvement of pork are also considered as Haram.

Pigs live in unhygienic environments and found eating mud, dead animals and their own excrement. They are the most obscene animals. Eating pork meat leads to a lot of food borne diseases like Trichinosis. It also alters human behaviour. It is proved now that .‘’You are what you eat’’ . So , Allah has made  anything haram for a  reason. Keeping on Haram destroys one’s mental, physical and emotional health.

Carrions

Carrion means flesh of dead animal. It is commonly known as ‘‘Murdar’’. In more general terms, carrion is an animal that dies naturally or is not slaughtered in an Islamic way.

Eating carrion is not allowed in Islam. When an animal dies, its body  starts decomposing and producing toxins. It appears unpleasant with foul odour. Eating it leads to diseases.

Carnivorous Animals

Carnivores are animals that feed on other animals. They are predatory animals, grasp their prey with teeth and paws and tear them into pieces. These animals include wolves, bears, lions, tigers, hyenas, leopards, monkeys, foxes, weasels, cats and dogs, etc. Their meat is  haram to eat as human nature is linked with what a persons eat. 

Scavengers

Scavengers are  animals that feed on dead animals like Vultures, condors, crows, ravens, and eagles etc. They have a strong sense of smell and find dead bodies from long distances. 

Allah has made everything for a reason. These scavengers are haram to eat but  clean the environment by eating dead and decaying animals.

Clawed Animals

Animals with claws are haram to eat. As, Claws are meant for holding prey by predaceous animals. Some common  clawed animals are  cat, frog , eagle , kangaroo ,sloths etc.

Dangerous Animals

Animals which are dangerous and detestable are also haram. These animals include snakes, worms, insects, scorpions ,flies etc.

Birds Of Prey

Birds are considered as halal until they are slaughtered in the name of Allah. However some exceptions which are haram are as under ;

• Birds with talons ( talons are basically claws of birds meant for predation) and sharp beaks are haram to eat . Examples include eagles, hawks , crows, and owls.
• Scavenger birds eating dead decaying meat are haram for Muslims to eat. Examples include vultures, condors, ravens and crows.

Animals That are not Slaughtered in the Name of Allah

Halal animals like goats, buffalo, cow and camels etc will be considered halal only, if they are slaughtered in the name of Allah. If animals are not slaughtered  in  the name of Allah or in a proper Islamic way, it will be Haram.

Slaughtering should be done by saying Allah s name ( Bismillah), with sharp knife on alive animal.( Islamic slaughtering is not performed on dead animal) The throat, oesophagus and two jugular veins must be cut with one stroke without lifting of knife in the neck below larynx .

In Islamic slaughtering method,  blood is completely drained from meat to get rid of any food borne disease. Complete drainage of blood from slaughtered animals ensures healthy , germ free and disease free meat.

Note :Animals should be slaughtered painlessly with a sharp knife. If an animal is tortured or inflicted with pain during the slaughter process, the meat would be Haram.

Other Haram Animals

• An Animal beaten to death is haram.
• An Animal that dies of suffocation, choking or  incomplete blood drainage due to poor slaughter  is called strangled animal. This category is also haram.
• An animal that dies of wild predator attack , injury , falling , poisoning or illness is haram to eat.

Aquatic animals

Aquatic animals that are not harmful and dangerous are halal. Animals like crocodiles and  frogs  are Haram.

There are different opinions about water animals. Hanbali , maliki and shafi’i consider all aquatic animals like octopus and lobster are halal. However , the Hanafi school of thought considers only true fish ( fish with gills , fins and vertebrae) Halal.

Alcohol 

 In Arabic alcohol is known as khamr. Alcohol or wine is strictly prohibited in Islam. Anything with little alcohol contamination is also haram. Haram status of alcohol in Quran is stated as:

يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡخَمۡرِ وَٱلۡمَيۡسِرِۖ قُلۡ فِيهِمَآ إِثۡمٞ كَبِيرٞ وَمَنَٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثۡمُهُمَآ أَكۡبَرُ مِن نَّفۡعِهِمَاۗ وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَۖ قُلِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.” And they ask you what they should spend. Say, “The excess [beyond needs].” Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought. (Surah-Al-Baqarah 219)

Drinking alcohol is regarded as the work of satan. It deprives the person from making the right decision and leads to sins and wrong path .It also has bad effects on health. And everything that is made by involvement of alcohol are also considered as Haram.

Blood

In Islam, it is advised to wait for complete drainage of blood from slaughtered animals to get rid of harmful diseases. Because, blood carries all types of microbes , viruses , bacteria, cell debris and harmful particles in it. Being a  harmful thing , blood consumption is Haram in Islam.

In this article we have learned about haram animals and haram  drinks in Islam. Some animals are not allowed to eat by nature  and some become forbidden due to poor slaughtering techniques. It is a primary obligation of a Muslim to follow Islamic dietary guidelines strictly  and avoid eating haram animal meat. 

However , in  extreme circumstances when no halal meat is available , Islam permits meat of dead animals to prevent starvation. But it is a last option, first priority is to seek halal food