Halal food

The consumption of Halal food is a significant aspect of Muslims’ religious and cultural practice. In the context of food, halal connotes certain foods which are compliant with Islamic dietary requirements, while haram food refers to prohibited foods according to the Qur’an and Prophetic tradition (i.e. hadith). The halal food market is huge due to the 1.6 billion Muslim population all over the world. Furthermore, the global halal food market is increasingly growing in tandem with the growing Muslim population. Halal is not a new concept and many across the globe are aware of its implications. Due to the large share of halal certifying Muslim bodies in the billion-dollar halal food market, Islamophobes, especially in the West problematize the accommodation of Muslims’ dietary requirements by halal manufacturers and the income from halal certifications. The social hysteria created by anti-halal campaigners in the West overshadows the authentic meaning of halal and therefore, it is important to understand what halal food is, its religious, social and economic implications and where the unrest of anti-halal campaigners originates from.