What is the concept of Halal in Quran?

In Islamic law, “Halal” is the term which is used for permitted and legal things or activities. On the other hand, another opposite term of Halal is used in Islam which is “Haram”. Haram means all the illegal, immoral and forbidden activities. Islam has declared some things as haram and some things as halal. Islam has put a lot of emphasis to avoid haram because haram are things which are causes of person’s destruction.

What Allah has advised in Quran about Halal and Haram?

O believers! Eat from the good things We have provided for you. And give thanks to Allah if you ˹truly˺ worship Him ˹alone˺. He has only forbidden you ˹to eat˺ carrion, blood, swine,1 and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—they will not be sinful. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful “ [2: 172-173].

It is really interesting to notice that the second part of the aforementioned verse states, "But if someone is compelled by necessity—not driven by desire nor surpassing immediate need—they would not be sinful. Indeed, Allah is Merciful and Forgiving. This essentially means that if a Muslim gets himself in a life-threatening situation and requires food to survive, and the only food which is available to him right away is pork or anything haram, he is permitted to eat it—but only in limits and only to the extent necessary to prevent himself from dying.

Allah has clearly stated in Quran that what particular things are forbidden or haram on believers of Islam, as Allah clearly explains in the following verse of Surah Al-Maidah:

“Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, and swine; what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah; what is killed by strangling, beating, a fall, or by being gored to death; what is partly eaten by a predator unless you slaughter it; and what is sacrificed on altars. You are also forbidden to draw lots for decisions.1 This is all evil. Today the disbelievers have given up all hope of ˹undermining˺ your faith. So do not fear them; fear Me! Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger—not intending to sin—then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” [5: 3].

Allah has discussed some things repeatedly in Quran so that Muslims would know the importance of the message of Allah. Similarly, the concept of Halal and Haram is one of the most important issues in Islam and thus this issue is discussed on numerous times.

Allah says in another verse of chapter Al-A’raf that:

“Say, “My Lord has only forbidden open and secret indecencies, sinfulness, unjust aggression, associating ˹others˺ with Allah ˹in worship˺—a practice He has never authorized—and attributing to Allah what you do not know [7: 33]”.

Why Islam has put much emphasis on Halal and Haram?

Considering the halal things and avoiding the haram things will not only prevent us from sins but this would also lead us towards healthy life.

Each and everything which is declared as haram carries something which could harm to humans up to much extent. Islam is the religion which give instructions and advises to people for their own betterment.

However, there are some matters which create doubts among people and in these matters people mix up the halal and haram. For such doubtful matters, Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) has stated that:

“Verily, the lawful (Halal) is clear and the unlawful (Haram) is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, and he who falls into doubtful matters will fall into the unlawful as the shepherd who pastures near a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Verily, every king has a sanctum and the sanctum of Allah is his prohibitions. Verily, in the body is a piece of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart [Sahih Bukhari]”.

As believers of Islam, we should understand the set of rules and the law made by Allah and ultimately we should avoid things which are haram and we should adopt things which are halal.