What is Halal

What is permitted in the Islamic law (Sharia Law) is called Halal. It applies to everything from food to everyday lives.

Islam is to obey the teachings of God (Allah), so eating something that is not Halal it would result in not obeying God (Allah), which means that you are committing a sin. Halal is very important for better life style and it is the root of Muslims (followers of Islam). The Quran teaches that pork and alcohol are harmful to the human body. Muslims regard Halal as a command of God for better safety for human being’s lifestyle. Halal is to exclude what is harmful or unnecessary to the body.

  What is Haram

Anything that is not permitted according to the Islamic law (Sharia law). It includes things that we should avoid to eat or use, since it will have adverse effects on the human body.

  • Alcohol
  • Pig • Pig derivatives • Pig-derived ingredients
  • Animal-derived ingredients (because it may be mixed with pigs)
  • Boar • Dog • Snake • Monkey
  • Animals with nails and fangs ( lion, tiger, bear etc.)
  • Birds that hunts prey with nails ( eagle vulture owl etc.)
  • Pests such as rats, centipedes and scorpions
  • Commonly annoyed things such as lice, flies, and maggots
  • Creatures inhabiting both land and water ( frogs, crocodiles etc.)
  • All toxic and dangerous creatures
  • Cattle and chickens that are not slaughtered with Islamic law.
  • Mule • Donkey • Zebra
  • Blood

 List of Haram & Doubted Ingredients

Generally, there are four major things that you should know:

  1. Does the food contain meat?   (pork, chicken, beef, etc.)
  2. Does it contain alcohol?   (sake, wine, etc.)
  3. Does it contain emulsifier of animals?    (乳化 剤.)
  4. Manufacture Process, Transportation, Storage, Cooking & Sale-point.

Therefore, before buying food we (Muslims) must check the contents of the food. Here is the list of materials that cannot be eaten.


Haram & its ingredients categories:

1- Food That Contains Meat /Extract /Fats:

Halal animal's meat are also Haram if not slaughtered by Islamic rule. (鳥 肉- Chicken, 牛肉 – Beef & 羊肉 /マトン- Mutton/Lamb, ヤギ肉-Goat)

Anything from below is defiantly Haram,

  • 豚 肉 – Pork
  • ベ ー コ ン – Bacon
  • ラ ー ド – Lard (Pig fat)

2- Food That Contains Alcohol:

  • 酒 – Liquor
  • ワ イ ン -Wine
  • み り ん – Rice Wine (used for cooking)
  • リ キ ュ ー ル, 洋酒 – Liquor (Western style liquor)

3- Food That Contains Emulsifier;

  1. 乳化 剤 – Emulsifier
  2. シ ョ ー ト ニ ン グ – Shortening
  3. ゼ ラ チ ン - Animal Gelatin
  4. マ ー ガ リ ン – Margarine
  5. ゼ リー - Jelly
  6. 油脂 – Oil and Fats
  7. コラーゲンペプチド- Collagen Peptide (protein)
  8. 醤油/ (Shōyu)しょうゆ (しょう油) - Soy sauce (Many types contain alcohol)

4- Manufacture Process, Transportation, Storage, Cooking & Sale-point.

  • Manufacture Process
  • Transportation method
  • Storage method
  • Cooking
  • Sale-point keep separate
  • Should be Halal as well.

Further Explanations are very Important:

☛ Fats & Lard, ラード = Raado = Lard

Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of the pig. It is distinguished from tallow.
Fats a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs.

  1. 豚脂 = Tonshi = Pork Fat
  2. 牛脂 = Gyuushi = Beef Fat
  3. 動物性油脂 = Doubutsusei-yushi = Animal Fat
  4. 加工油脂 = Kakou-yushi = Processed Fat
  5. 混合油脂 = Kongou-yushi = Mixed Fat
  6. コンソメ = Konsome = Consomme (soup)
  7. コンソメパウダー = Konsome Paudaa = Consommé Powder

☛ ゼラチン = Zerachin = Gelatin (taken from animal body parts.)

1. Gelatin is a protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones with water. It is usually obtained from cows or pigs. a virtually colourless and tasteless water-soluble protein prepared from collagen and used in food preparation, in photographic processes, and in glue.

Type of Gelatin:
  • Pork (Type A) in 240 Bloom.
  • Pork (Type A) in 300 Bloom.
  • Beef (Type B) in 240 Bloom.
  • Fish in 150 Bloom.
  • Chicken gelatin 280-310 Bloom.
  • Hydrolyzed Beef Collagen.
  • Marine collagen with Vitamin C.
  • Leaf gelatin Beef and Pork.
8. 豚 ゼラチンpigs Gelatin
9. 牛 ゼラチン = bovine Gelatin
10. チキン ゼラチン Chicken Gelatin
11. 魚ゼラチン Fish Gelatin

If the above materials are substances derived from animals (動物性), it is Haram. While if the above material is plant-based ingredients such as vegetables (植物性), then it is Halal. Furthermore, this also is a symbol for a plant-based ingredients 乳化剤 (大豆由来) for emulsifier. Then it is Halal.

☛アルコール = Alcohol

12. 酒 = Sake = Alcohol
13. 洋酒 = Youshu = Western Liquor
14. 酒精 = Shusei = Ethyl Alcohol
15. 味醂 / みりん = Mirin = Mirin (alcohol)
16. ラム酒 = Ramu-shu = Rum
17. ワイン = Wain = Wine
18. ブランディ = Burandi = Brandy
19. ウィスキー = Uisukii = Whiskey


About Muslim Friendly Restaurants

“Muslim-friendly” is known for not acquiring Halal certificate but putting effort into Halal. We work to offer Free Halal Certification to those Muslim-friendly restaurants because Muslims often avoid eating at places without Halal certification since it’s considered Shubha (to doubt).

  • Only in Tokyo, Saitama-Ken, Chiba-Ken & Kanagawa-Ken. Other than those areas, we request Two-Way (Retuned) Transportation, Accommodation (if necessary) & minor Inspection Cost will be charged.