HALAL AND HARAM FOOD in ISLAM

 

In simple terms, food in Islam is divided into "halal" (permissible), "haram" (not permitted or prohibited), and also "makruh".

Halal Food

The Word of Allah SWT: "And eat food that is halal and good from what Allah has provided for you, and fear Allah in Whom you believe in" (Al-Ma'idah: 88). "O you who believe, eat of the good provisions We have given you" (Al-Baqarah: 172). "O people, eat what is lawful and good from what is on earth" (Al-Baqarah: 168).

"What Allah has permitted in His book (the Qur'an) is halal, whatever He has forbidden, the law is haram, and whatever Allah has kept silent/did not explain the law, is forgiven. For this reason, accept His forgiveness, because Allah never forgets anything" (HR Al-Hakim). The original law regarding something is that it is permissible as long as there is no final argument that forbids it.

Haram Food

1.     All foods mentioned in the word of Allah, Surah Al-Maidah verse 3 and Al-An'am verse 145, where it is forbidden to eat carcasses, blood, pork, the flesh of animals slaughtered in the name of other than Allah, those that are strangled, those that are beaten, those that fall, those that are gored, and those that are torn apart by wild animals, except those that you have time to slaughter, and those that are slaughtered for idols.

2.     What is forbidden according to the hadith is everything that has fangs, himar, everything that has claws, and animals that eat dirt.

3.     All food that is vile, that is, that is dirty, disgusting.

4.     All types of food that can harm the soul, body, mind, morals and faith. Khamr, namely something that is intoxicating.

5.     Parts in the form of meat, bones or anything that is cut from a living animal. "Meat that is cut from an animal that is still alive, then what is cut is considered a carcass" (HR. Ahmad).

6.     Food obtained through illegal means such as theft, plunder, corruption, usury and other methods prohibited by religion. "And do not eat food among yourselves falsely" (Al Baqarah: 188).

On top of all this, there is what is called a food emergency, and it is permitted. "Whoever is in a state of compulsion and does not want it and does not (also) exceed the limit, then indeed your Lord is Forgiving, Most Merciful" (Al-An'am: 145)

Haram Drinks

The types of drinks that are haram can be divided into three types. Firstly, all drinks that are intoxicating or when drunk cause harm and damage the body, mind, soul, morals and faith, such as wine, wine, and the like. For wine and gambling: "In both of them there is a big sin and several benefits for humans, but the sin of both is greater than the benefits" (Al-Baqarah: 219). "O you who believe, indeed (drinking) liquor, gambling, (sacrificing to) idols, drawing lots of fortunes with arrows, are heinous acts including those of the devil. So stay away from these acts so that you may gain good luck" (Al-Maidah: 90). "Something that is intoxicating in a large amount is still haram in a small amount” (HR An-Nasa'i, Abu Dawud and Turmudzi).

Next, what is forbidden are drinks from unclean objects or objects that are unclean, as well as drinks that are obtained in ways that are not halal or that are contrary to Islamic teachings.

All intoxicating drinks are haram, whether made from wine, wheat or other ingredients. "Grapes can be made into wine, dates can be made into wine, honey can be made into wine, and soybeans can also be made into wine" (HR Abu Daud, Turmudzi, An-Nasai and Ibnu Majjah). Likewise, Islam firmly rejects treatment that uses alcohol. "Khamr is not a medicine, but wine is a disease" (HR Muslim).

Bad Consequences of Haram Food and Drinks

In essence, everything that is permitted in religion has extraordinary benefits, as do things that are forbidden in religion because they contain things that are very dangerous, physically and spiritually. "Every flesh that grows from a haram thing, hell is more appropriate to it" (HR. Tirmidhi).

Consuming haram food, drink or clothing will result in a person's worship activities being rejected by Allah Ta'ala. "Indeed, for Allah Ta'ala, several angels above Baitul Muqoddas call every night, whoever eats haram food will not accept obligatory or sunnah worship from him" (HR Sayyidina Abdullah Ibnu Abbas RA).

Consuming haram food will eliminate the good deeds that a person has done, even though the amount of worship he has done is great. "On the day of Qiyamat, some people will be brought with them who have virtues like Mount Tihamah, so that when it is brought to them everything becomes useless and then they are thrown into hell. It was said, O Messenger of Allah, how did that happen? He answered, they used to pray, fast, give zakat and make the Hajj, only in fact, when they were shown something that was haram, they took it and their deeds were abolished."

Yes, I remember the famous ustadz Zainuddin MZ once reminded me that in worship, we must first abandon what is haram before doing what we are commanded to do. So, a person who spends ill-gotten wealth for good is like a person who washes clothes with urine.

Apart from that, other consequences include not having prayers answered, eroding the perpetrator's faith, throwing the perpetrator into hell, hardening the perpetrator's heart, and having his good deeds rejected. Forbidden food and drink—especially alcohol—can corrupt the soul; they diminish intelligence, induce forgetfulness, drive one toward negative actions, foster a tendency for isolation and daydreaming, sap one's work ethic, endanger health, squander wealth, breed hostility and hatred, and hinder the remembrance of Allah.

“Indeed, Allah the Almighty is Good and accepts only what is good; and indeed, Allah has commanded the believers just as He commanded the Messengers... ‘O you who have believed, eat from the good things with which We have provided you’” (Narrated by Muslim).

In the language of the Quran, food and drink are referred to as tha’am. However, in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 249, the terms syariba (to drink) and yath’am (to eat) are used in relation to drinking water.

The Quran places great emphasis on food. It identifies food sufficiency and the establishment of security as two primary reasons for worshipping Allah: "So let them worship the Lord of this House (the Kaaba), who has provided them with food to relieve their hunger and secured them against fear" (Quraysh: 3–4).

In the Quran, various forms of the word denoting the act of "eating" do not merely mean "ingesting something"; in a broader sense, they encompass "all forms of activity." This implies that every activity requires calories derived from food. Surah Quraysh verses 3 and 4 state that Allah provides food to alleviate hunger and liberate people from fear.

One should not eat to excess. Surah Al-A’raf verse 31 states: "O Children of Adam, wear your beautiful apparel at every place of worship, eat and drink, but do not be excessive."

Overeating overfills the stomach, preventing gastric acid—which is essential for digesting carbohydrates—from functioning optimally. Polysaccharides may fail to break down into disaccharides; consequently, the food cannot be absorbed in the subsequent stage within the small intestine and is ultimately wasted. Even if the body is forced to digest it fully, the process requires a significant amount of time and energy.

Scientific findings indicate that consuming carrion is akin to introducing disease into the body. Carrion has already undergone decomposition by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, which are pathogenic to humans.

Why is the consumption of blood prohibited? Because blood is a fluid that serves a vital function in the body's transport system. In addition to nutrients and oxygen, blood also contains metabolic waste products such as carbon dioxide, toxins, viruses, and bacteria.

Food influences a person's character

"You are what you eat!"

This is a valid saying. Dietary habits can indeed influence a person's behavior. Several studies have proven a connection between the digestive tract and the brain; the digestive tract "thinks," too. The food we consume and the bacteria within our digestive tract play a significant role in shaping human behavior. Therefore, a healthy digestive tract fosters healthy behavior.

The types of food consumed alter the microbiome—the bacterial biota living in the digestive tract. The human digestive tract is home to colonies of bacteria and microbes that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. The body requires beneficial bacteria (such as probiotics), so their numbers should exceed those of harmful bacteria (like E. coli). Changes in the microbiome have a profound impact on brain chemistry. An altered gut microbiome can release various substances that disrupt brain function; for instance, a stomach upset caused by consuming the wrong foods can lead to anxiety or even depression.

The same applies to children. While a child's character and behavior stem from genetic information passed down by parents—a blend of traits from both—environmental factors also play a decisive role. It is not unusual, then, for a child to be rude, short-tempered, or prone to tantrums, even if their parents do not exhibit such traits.

Parental eating habits can affect their children. For example, long-term consumption of haram (forbidden) foods forces one's DNA to continuously produce proteins that do not align with the individual's physiological needs. This results in a buildup of proteins that causes physical and mental health issues. It can even lead to mutations—alterations in genetic organization—within the DNA. If a gene is repeatedly copied and used as a blueprint for protein synthesis, it can wear out and sustain damage.

Clearly, haram food is unhealthy. Consuming haram (forbidden) food triggers the activation of scotophobin, leading to a rise in cortisol levels. This hormonal surge induces anxiety, which disrupts the body's micro-electrical systems and creates chaotic fields; consequently, ion transport at the cellular level is altered, throwing subatomic particle reactions into disarray. These "agitated cells" then transmit and spread this fear and anxiety throughout the entire body. According to Dr. Alexis Carrel, the full extent of how chemical compounds in food affect the human psyche and mind remains unknown due to a lack of adequate experimentation. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that human emotions are profoundly influenced by the quality and quantity of the food consumed.

Another aspect involves psychological factors. Consuming haram food—while knowing it is wrong—robs us of peace of mind and can even instill fear. Over the long term, this leads to chronic anxiety, causing the body to produce excessive amounts of cortisol, scotophobin, and adrenaline. This state alters metabolic and other biochemical processes, thereby inhibiting many healthy biological functions.

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CONDUCTING AGRIBUSINESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISLAM

At its core, agribusiness is about the strategy of generating profit by managing every aspect of an agricultural enterprise—ranging from cultivation, post-harvest handling, and processing to marketing. This is undeniably a noble pursuit. The subjects of agribusiness can be plants, animals, or other living organisms.

In essence, agribusiness means transforming farming into a business venture; thus, planting and harvesting must be followed by selling. This is precisely where the challenge arises. When farmers must engage with the market, the act of farming—once an idyllic, romantic "way of life"—shifts into a business activity driven by financial calculations. There is an interesting book on this subject titled “Agribisnis Syariah: Manajemen Agribisnis dalam Perspektif Syariah Islam” (Sharia Agribusiness: Agribusiness Management from an Islamic Sharia Perspective) by Said and Pratiwi (2005), although I have not yet had the chance to read it. The Sharia agribusiness system and management represent an effort to establish values ​​of truth in business, grounded in the awareness that the universe is a gift requiring responsible stewardship. This endeavor harmonizes economic aspirations with spiritual ones—earning money, creating jobs, and securing a livelihood, all while accumulating righteous deeds.

Agribusiness comprises several subsystems: cultivation; the procurement and distribution of production inputs; post-harvest processing; trading and marketing; and supporting institutions. Does Sharia play a role here? Yes. Sharia applies whenever an activity involves interaction—whether between humans and nature, or, even more so, between human beings. These five subsystems clearly involve human-to-human interactions (*muamalah*). Consequently, these relationships must be guided by Islamic principles. If farming itself must be Sharia-compliant, then agribusiness—by extension—must also adhere to Sharia.

So, what exactly is Sharia agribusiness? In my view, it entails building a broad-based agricultural system through the application of Islamic teachings. The goal is, of course, to foster progress and justice. Ultimately, all Islamic rules are rooted in justice. Thus, Sharia agribusiness means conducting agricultural business with a mindset of sincerity and piety, acknowledging the greatness and majesty of Allah SWT. It involves working for the sake of Allah, seeking profit for the sake of Allah, and distributing the results in accordance with Allah’s guidance.

Agribusiness is, in reality, a vast field. Beyond the actual farming—planting, weeding, fertilizing, harvesting, and selling—we often overlook the fact that agribusiness also... ...encompasses indirect service-oriented activities. Thus, agribusiness also includes agricultural banking, agricultural insurance, extension services, transportation, and warehousing.

We are already familiar with the concept of sustainable agribusiness. The core idea is to maintain environmental sustainability and avoid causing damage to the earth. This aligns perfectly with Islamic teachings. Surah Al-A’raf, verse 56, states: "And do not cause corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear [of rejection] and aspiration [of acceptance]. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good."

Therefore, engaging in agribusiness is also a form of da'wah (advocacy for the faith) and constitutes a path of ghairu mahdah worship (general acts of worship beyond the specific rituals).

Farming is undoubtedly a most noble profession. It involves planting and nurturing a tiny seed until it grows, sprouts leaves and flowers, and eventually bears fruit. While it is certainly Allah who causes it to grow, the work itself is truly good and noble. Thus, one must ensure that this work remains within the framework of worship; the agribusiness activities themselves should be carried out with the spirit and essence of worship.

Running an agribusiness can serve as a vehicle for da'wah (religious outreach) to strengthen human faith and act as a source of spiritual reward for those involved. By applying Islamic principles to agribusiness, we prevent the sector from being corrupted by greed and exploitation. Therefore, let us—as champions of the economy and life—engage in agribusiness now; specifically, agribusiness grounded in Islamic principles. We must ensure that food and beverages derived from plants and animals do not become *haram* (forbidden) for consumption simply because the operations were conducted by those lacking an Islamic approach.

To this end, we require agribusiness management that adheres to Sharia principles. Management is a series of processes—encompassing planning, organizing, implementation, supervision, evaluation, and control—designed to optimally utilize an organization's resources (human, capital, material, and technological) to achieve its objectives. As an organizational system, agribusiness requires operations that are managed correctly, systematically, clearly, purposefully, and orderly, in accordance with the emphasis placed by Islamic Sharia. This is illustrated in a Hadith narrated by Al-Tabarani, Al-Tirmidhi, and Al-Nasa’i: "Indeed, Allah loves those who, when performing a task, do so with ‘itqan’ (precision, clear direction, clarity, and thoroughness)."

The sequence of planning, organizing, implementation, supervision, evaluation, and control constitutes the management functions that are also applied within agribusiness management. These functions apply to every stage of agribusiness activity, whether in production management, agro-industry, marketing, or agribusiness risk management.

Regarding production or cultivation, agricultural production management aims to enhance both the quantity and quality of output. The Quran encourages multiplying harvest yields and improving quality through the application of appropriate cultivation technologies and the use of high-quality production inputs. In the realms of marketing and trade, the Islamic approach focuses on facilitating connections and serving both producers and consumers, rather than establishing an independent authority that dominates the entire agribusiness system.

How should risk be managed from an Islamic perspective? Farming and agribusiness operations are fraught with risk—which is precisely why commercial banks are often reluctant to get involved. These risks include climatic unpredictability, pest and disease outbreaks, and the risk of value depreciation. Such depreciation can stem from a decline in quality, price fluctuations, or shifts in consumer preferences. These risks weigh heavily on those involved in agribusiness.

Islam provides guidance that all forms of tests and risks must always be viewed as trials or disasters that come from Allah SWT. In this regard, Ali 'Imran's letter verse 117 states: "The parable of the treasures they invest in this worldly life is like the parable of a wind that contains very cold air which falls on the fields of a people who wrong themselves, then the wind destroys them. And Allah does not wrong them, but they are the ones who wrong themselves."

The harvest must be sold. So, in agribusiness there is trade. Trading or what used to be called trading, especially over long distances, between islands and even between continents; is a way of preaching. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, trade was carried out, both domestic trade and foreign trade. The mission is not only to trade and make a profit, but also to preach and broadcast the Islamic religion. It was from trading that the spread of Islam developed and spread throughout the world. The companions of the Prophet and Arabs often traveled for trade to various countries including China, Malaysia, the Philippines and also Indonesia.

Traders, who buy something and then sell it, or in Malay literature are often called "saudagar"; don't underestimate it. Abu Said narrated that the Messenger of Allah once said, "Traders who are honest and trustworthy will be included in the class of the Prophets, shiddiqien, and martyrs." However, on another occasion the Prophet warned that the market is a place where we must be careful. Becoming a trader is not easy, especially being an honest trader. The Prophet knew this very well because he was once a trader. Abdullah bin Umar was a successful trader, as were Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman, whose wealth was obtained from trading.

Farming and trading were the jobs of the Apostles. Agriculture is the foundation that sustains all life; it is a primary sector. All other sectors would stagnate if the primary sector failed to function. A wool garment factory cannot operate until sheep farmers produce quality wool; a textile manufacturer cannot function if cotton farmers have not harvested their crops—and so on.

Prophets and Messengers worked to sustain the continuity of their mission (da'wah). Engaging in trade, agriculture, or animal husbandry to earn a livelihood was never considered beneath their dignity, nor did it diminish the quality of their reliance on God (tawakkul). Islamic scholars, too, were known for their industriousness and diligence in their endeavors, while remaining steadfast and resilient in the pursuit of knowledge and the propagation of the faith. During his time as Caliph, Abu Bakr would go to the market every morning, carrying garments on his shoulders to sell. When he encountered Umar and Ubaidah bin Jarrah, they asked him, "How can you engage in trade while serving as the leader of the Muslims?" Abu Bakr replied, "How else am I to support my family?" This was despite the fact that, like Umar, Abu Bakr received a stipend from the public treasury (Baitul Mal).

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Islamic Agricultural Economics and Islamic Food Economics

Before going further into "Islamic food economics", it's good to start a little with Islamic Agricultural Economics. Food here is positioned as part of agriculture, although then there is a tendency to shift it into the food and medicine group. This can be seen, for example, in the Job Creation Bill (Omnibus Law) which was discussed at the beginning of 2019.

We have heard of Islamic Economics for a long time, but not yet about "Islamic Agricultural Economics". On Google there are no results for "Islamic Agricultural Economy".

Islamic agricultural logic is not like ordinary economic logic. One onion bulb is planted, the result is 10 onion bulbs. A pair of sheep is kept, in some years there could be 10 of them. This is clearly intervention and infinite blessings from the Giver of Life. How many thousands of pots of vegetables can be produced from one hectare of onion plants, for example? How many mouths and stomachs enjoyed it. It really doesn't count. It's impossible to calculate the deliciousness of the taste of vegetables with the right aroma of fried onions.

So, don't look at the harvest from the money alone. One onion becoming ten onions could be considered a loss if, for example, the price of onions on the market plummets. But, if you look at the benefits and pleasures they experience, no farmer actually suffers a loss. So, farming is actually spreading seeds, sowing virtue, carrying out charity, reaping rewards. Not just investing money for money.

Islamic Agricultural Economics is not just

plant money harvest money...

If farming is understood as investing money for money, then we neglect to take into account the damage done. Using pesticides carelessly to kill worms that fertilize plants is not counted as a loss. Inorganic fertilizers make the soil hard, destroying soil biology. Conventional farming analysis does not include this damage. The results also only look at the yield, not the product.

Islamic agriculture does not destroy nature. Islamic agriculture protects nature. Islam rahmatan lil alamin, Islamic farming brings life, not destruction.

Every day people talk about food, there are lots of discussions about the economy, and religious study sessions are held every morning and evening. However, it seems that no one has tried to put it together in one breath: "Islamic-food-economy". Many people mention food when discussing agriculture. However, no one has dared to say that what they are discussing is classified as food economy.

Meanwhile in the real world, even though various approaches have been implemented, starting from the concept of food security, food sovereignty (farmers' sovereignty over food), self-sufficiency, etc.; but the food problem is not resolved. The UN reports that more than 800 million people in the world suffer from hunger, and 120 million of them experience acute hunger. When compared with the world's population of 7.7 billion people, the number of hungry people is more than 10 percent. Ironically, 1.3 trillion tons of food is wasted in the world every year, or the same as 1/3 of total world food production. Who wastes the most food (food waste and food loss)? In order from the most severe, they are Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the US and the United Arab Emirates. Subhanallah.

This means, ladies and gentlemen, that the agricultural economics that we have applied is apparently unable to solve the world food problem. There are many errors in this science, for example the attitude that despise food as an industrial product. Just “production”; not a gift from God that should be highly valued. By respecting the food, we also respect those who produce it. This means that it is time for us to look at God's guidance in managing agriculture and food.

Agricultural economics is derived from economics, by changing the object to agricultural products. Is it adequate to build knowledge with a paradigm and approach like this and reduce it to Food Economics? On the other hand, agricultural economics talks about primary goods, but is derived from science built from secondary and tertiary objects?

It seems that staple foods must leave the market mechanism. There are at least four reasons. One, humans have basic instincts and morals to help the lives of others. People will die if they don't eat. So, in any tribe, in any religion, in villages and cities, in traditional communities; people love to share food and groceries. Even in this modern world, people still like to share food. There are parties in big cities with lots of food, free of charge. We also enjoy treating friends and guests.

Traditional societies never sell food to each other. In gathering and hunting societies, food is usually collected in one place and then consumed together. They created a community food barn. This habit continues to be maintained by today's society. We hold social gatherings, celebrations and parties as a mechanism for sharing food.

Two, food is always produced from the land, directly or indirectly. Well, because in fact a piece of land is never truly owned by a human being, where we only have the right to work on it; then something that is born from something that does not belong to him is certainly not his in full. There is a social element there. There is a social element to every harvest.

Three, religion also teaches us not to use staple foods as economic goods using market mechanisms. There are so many suggestions and teachings for entertaining guests, hadiths about making more vegetables so you can share them, and so on.

Four, the added value that is extracted from the land is many times the effort that a human being has put in. A seed is thrown to the ground, then five years later it bears fruit. Where is the thrower's human effort in it? This means that this is almost entirely a blessing from the land, from nature, yes from Allah. "And He has spread out the earth for (His) creatures, in which there are fruits and date palm trees with honey petals" (Ar-rahman: 10-11).

 

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