Determining whether a specific food item is halal (permissible or lawful) or haram (forbidden) in Islam can depend on various factors, including the ingredients and the production process. Here we answer some commonly asked questions about what is deemed acceptable and what isn’t. First of all, let’s address the difference between the two.
Halal vs Haram
Halal is used to describe things that are allowed according to Islamic law. Contrary to what many believe, this does not only include food and drinks, but also includes actions, behaviours, business transactions, and more. For example, halal food, halal income, halal behaviour, etc.
Haram is used to describe things that are prohibited according to Islamic law. This can include certain foods, activities, behaviours, financial transactions, etc. For example, haram food such as pork, alcohol, blood or animals slaughtered in an un-Islamic way, interest-based transactions (usury/riba), unethical behaviours, etc.
Can Muslims consume food cooked by a non-Muslim?
Living in a multi-cultural society with friends of all races and religions, there will be certain occasions when we visit our non-Muslim friends’ homes and wonder if it is acceptable or haram to eat food that they have prepared. According to askMUIS, to do so is perfectly acceptable as long as the ingredients and processes used to prepare the food are Halal (https://ask.gov.sg/muis/).
Must Muslims only consume food that is Halal-Certified?
As explained by askMUIS, it is not compulsory for Muslims to only consume food that is endorsed as Halal by an Islamic body as long as we do our due diligence to ensure that the food has been prepared according to the Islamic Law (https://ask.gov.sg/muis/). As a Muslim, it is our personal responsibility to check the specific product and its ingredients, as some variations may have added ingredients that could potentially be of concern. To be sure, always read the label or contact the manufacturer for confirmation.
Is Rice Wine Vinegar Permissible?
Singapore is often hailed a foodie’s paradise and with the advent of YouTube’s endless cooking programmes, it is no wonder that everyone including the Muslims are trying out new recipes these days. As we do so, we are often faced with the dilemma over whether ingredients used in a dish are permissible or not. One such ingredient is rice wine vinegar, a commonly used condiment in Asia. The name itself, which carries the word ‘wine’ in it, unfortunately contributes to its imminent downfall especially amongst the Muslim community. However, according to Halal Haram World, rice wine vinegar is generally considered halal because it is naturally produced from fermented rice and salt with no additional alcohol included in it. Whatever alcohol that may be present initially is transformed into acetic acid during the fermentation process. Acetic acid is not considered intoxicating and is generally accepted as halal. (https://halalharamworld.com/) Rice wine vinegar should however not be confused with saké, an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin. The latter is considered haram under the Islamic Law.
