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al-Halal waʾl-Harām

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | 700+ words | Copyright

al-Halal waʾl-Harām. The permitted and the forbidden in Islam. This constitutes the fundamental division between what Allāh permits and what he forbids. The creation principle (asl) is that everything which God has created is for human use (Qurʾān 2. 29; 31. 20; 45. 13), but that for specific reasons in each case, some things are prohibited.

More particularly, the word halal is used as a short-hand for the permitted way of slaughtering animals—by severing blood-vessels, while naming the name of Allāh over the animal. This is usually done by cutting through the throat of the animal until the jugular veins are severed. The meat is then halal, permitted. Cf. SHEḤITAH.

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JOHN BOWKER. "al-Halal waʾl-Harām." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "al-Halal waʾl-Harām." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-alHalalwalHarm.html

JOHN BOWKER. "al-Halal waʾl-Harām." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-alHalalwalHarm.html

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