Is Kosher Really Halal?

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Is Kosher Really Halal?

Halal has the same meaning for Muslims as Kosher has for the Jews. Although there are some similarities between Halal and Kosher, there are, however, many distinct differences between the two.

Some of the differences are as follows:

Islam prohibits all intoxicating alcohols, liquors, and wines, whereas Judaism regards alcohol and wines as Kosher. Hence Kosher foods may contain alcohol, hence they are not halal.
Gelatin is considered Kosher by many Jews regardless of its source of origin. For Muslims, if gelatin is prepared from swine it is not Halal.
There are clear differences as well as in the slaughtering of animals. Jews do not pronounce the name of God on the animals while slaughtering, but Muslims on the other hand must pronounce the name of Allah on all animals while slaughtering.
There may be other differences between Halal and Kosher that make the Kosher questionable for Muslims to consume.

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Only Kosher Meat is allowed:

[5:5]
5. Made lawful to you this day are At-Tayyibat all kinds of Halal (lawful) foods, which Allah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, etc., milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits, etc.). The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals, etc.) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them.

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Cool
Thanks for pointing that out!

[This message has been edited by faceup (edited August 18, 2000).]

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We tend to get into too many minor details about the religion and miss the big picture. The meat from the people of scripture is allowed and there is no ambiguity in it. I have seen people fuss over "halal" meat while missing prayers and back bite.
Back biting is like "eating the flesh of one's dead brother". So that we have made halal on ourselves and minor things like kosher meat has become an issue for us.
I rest my case

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Your right Rational.

But even though they are minor things-the question was raised.. and it was answered.

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Rational .. RIGHT on the money man ...

people make such a big fuss about HALaL haram or Sharab/alcohol, but forget to
follow the FIVE pillars of ISLAM.

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I find it very hard to understand that a large number of muslims are drinkers, gamblers and womanisers, even though they will try to do all these things in utmost secracy, but when it comes to eating meat then they are very strict, i.e. no pork and meat bought from halal shops only.

The other thing they all have to do is the jumma prayers. I asked one about the reason for his jumma prayers, as he goes to a casiono almost 4 or five times a week. He told me that by observing the jumma prayers Allah forgives all the sins commited during the week.

I have to say that your Allah is definetly great

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Bhola:

Some people might forget to follow the pillars.. but some of us DO follow them as well.

You don't have to shout out to the whole world that "I pray, I fast, I give Zakat..." etc. etc.

Isn't that between the Person and Allah?

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Kosher actually goes beyond halal,in that it includes not mixing meat and dairy products.

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cooldude ,, u r right , but my point is that a lot of people are moving away from the basics of islam ,,, and are more worried about the little things.

if person A prays 5 times a day and eats non-halal meet and person B doesn't say any prayers and eats only Halal ... i personally feel that person A is a better MUSLIM.

personal opinion ... we are not to decide anyone's faith, it's only between the person and Allah.

[This message has been edited by Bhola#1 (edited August 23, 2000).]

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Halal is very different from Kosher. CoolDude gave us a Quranic Ayah earlier and I would like to edit that:

Quran 5:5 5:5 This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).

Here Allah clearly says, Halal things are for the people of the Book. Allah did not said for (Jews or Christians) but He said for the people of the Book. Who are the people of the Book? Anyone who believes in Allah's Books and follows it is a Muslim not a Jew or Christian. Islam is not the new religion. It is the same religion of Adam to Mohammad(PBHT). If someone does not follow the Book or Allah and call him/her self a Jew or a Christian is he or she really a person of the Book? No!!! Allah(S.W.T.) said People of the Book not the once who do not follow the Book.

If you go and read the Bible, which we shouldn't but just for a reference you will find that even though the Bible has changed many times it still holds little Truth. It forbids eating of swine. It tells people to believe in One and Only God. It teaches the correct way to bow to Lord. It teaches you to believe in all the Prophets(PBUT), it tells you the same message of Islam. Do people really follow the Bible? No!!! Neither do Jews nor do Christians so are they really the people of the Book? No!!! It is forbidden for you to eat anything from a Jews or Christians house that is not Halal(lawful). It is even a greater sin to give false information. The words of Holy Quran are not by accident. Each and every single word has a meaning itself in Quran. When Allah said in Quran 5:5 "People of the Book" He did not say Jews or Christians. People added this in there. Islam is the universal religion. What is Halal in Islam is lawful for every human being and jinns no matter if they are Hindu, Christians, Jews, etc. But what they eat doesn't have to be Halal for us because they would eat anything that they will not what Allah wills. When Muslim say "La illa-Ha el-Allah" we accept that their is One God and His name is Allah and we enter Islam. Islam means Submission. When anyone enter Islam he/she accept that now he is going to life a life in a way that Allah wills not what he/she will. When we say "Mohammadur Rasool-lullah" we accept that we are Muslims who are from the followers of Mohammad(S.A.W.)

Also Bhola#1 you said if a Muslim pray his/her prayers and eats Haram, he/she is better than the one who eats Halal and does not pray.

You are absolutely wrong on that. I don't know the exact Ayah in Quran but if you would like let me know and I will search for it and give it to you, Insha-Allah. In Quran Allah says "Prayers protect you from doing evil deeds" now if a Muslim prays him/her prayer and then go and commit evil deeds such as eat Haram is he really praying his/her Salat? No!!! The words of God are just. When Allah said Prayer protect you from doing major sins, this means that if you Truely pray your Prayer you will be protected by the Leave of Allah from committing major sins, eating Haram is a major sin. If a person does that then he is not really praying.

Allah sees our hearts, who is all knowing.

Salat(Namaz) is must for us and we all should pray that. It is the Key to Paradise and Wudu is the Key to Salat. If you have that Key you will be welcomed in the Paradise, as Allah promised in Holy Quran to the True believers. Allah's promises are just.

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Originally posted by ranchodji desai:
*I find it very hard to understand that a large number of muslims are drinkers, gamblers and womanisers, even though they will try to do all these things in utmost secracy, but when it comes to eating meat then they are very strict, i.e. no pork and meat bought from halal shops only. *

It is a bit of a brainteaser is'nt it?
Maybe it just represents the human nature to hide the "taboo" or "questionable" activities and flaunt the good ones.

But no matter how much you hide your vices, God knows all and sees all. These people are fooling their freinds, families and more than that...themselves.

Islam forbids such actions just to attempt to appease the people. Any action performed must be with a pure will and with a sense of duty to God.

Even in the cases of charity, we are told to give in a way that people dont know who has given, and how much has one given for charity because you do it for the sake of Allah and not for personal limelight.

*The other thing they all have to do is the jumma prayers. I asked one about the reason for his jumma prayers, as he goes to a casiono almost 4 or five times a week. He told me that by observing the jumma prayers Allah forgives all the sins commited during the week. *

1- The person does not know, a smart person will not just look at the "info" but also at the "source of the info" Do authenticate what you hear which seems uncanny.

2- Allah is gracious, he can forgive all your sins if he wants, Maybe there could be one thing which is minor in one's view but pleases Allah so he forgives the person's sin. After all He is Rahman and he is Raheem.

*I have to say that your Allah is definetly great *

Allah is great indeed. Allah u Akbar

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Little Boy,
Do you mind explaining then howcome the prophet (pbuh) ate at the houses of christians and jews?
The word used is Ahl-Kitab and not muslimin for the people who followed the book before Islam were muslims as well. You think all the prophets before Muhammad (SAW) were either Christians or Jews? They were muslims as well. The Ayat is clear Allah could have used the word "Al-Muslimin" which He has done at numerous occasions in the Quran.
I am going to wait for your answer.

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Kosher is halal and is the standard meat all muslims buy meat all around world. Jews r much strict in not eating pork and products made fron its byproducts. Due to this we find "K" in products that contain kosher products in all US stores. We should not reject only since its jews food.

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Rational- brother, please read what I wrote again but this time read it carefully. Then give an other reply.

I never said "People of the Books" are Jews or Christians. If you read carefully you will find I said "People of the Books" are Muslims. Thanks!

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Degas- brother, do you know what is the meaning of Halal in english?

Halal = Lawful, but still that's the closes meaning.

Difference between Halal and Kosher are as follow:

Kosher- don't mix dairy with meat products.
- alcohal is not forbidden
- cut the animal differently

Halal - you can mix dairy with meat products.
- alcohal is forbidden
- cut the animal in Islamic way

Kosher is for Jews and Halal is for people of the Book (the once who follow Law of Moses, Gospel of Jesus, or Quran). Todays Jews and Christians are not the people of the Book because they do not follow the Book as it is, they follow the man made Book, Bible but still don't completly follow it. Giving false information about Islam is a great sin. Please don't say that Kosher is Halal. Halal is Halal and Kosher is Kosher.

We can eat anything from a Jews or Christians house that is Halal. I said Halal.

If you need more information on this please let me know.

Salam for now.

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Little boy,
You still did not answer my question:
1. If it was forbidden to eat meat from the jews or christians then why did the prophet (SAW) eat at their houses.

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  1. If it was forbidden to eat meat from the jews or christians then why did the prophet (SAW) eat at their houses.

If he (S.A.W.) ate meat in the house of Jews and food in the house of Christians then it was Lawful in Islam. I said Islam allows you to eat anything in the house of Jews or Christians if it is Halal(Lawful).

All I am trying to say is this. Kosher is not Halal. Islam allows you to eat Kosher meat because they still cut the animal similar to Islamic way but you can't say that Kosher meat is Halal meat because there is a slight difference. Alcohol is Kosher but not Halal.

Salam for now.

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The Qur’an has prohibited eating the meat of animals slaughtered in the name of other gods besides Allah (Al-Maidah 5: 3) and also of those animals which are slaughtered without mentioning Allah’s name (Al-An`a’m 6: 121).
As far as the method of slaughtering is concerned, according to the sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), the prescribed method is by severing/cutting the jugular vein of the animal, without disconnecting the spinal marrow. In this way, the slaughtered animal does not immediately become senseless and wriglles and tosses for a few minutes which drains most of the blood from its body. Although any other method which drains most of the blood from the animal’s body may be opted, but, according to my knowledge, other methods prolong the draining process and because of that the animal goes through prolonged pain.

The Jews are known to slaughter animals according to the same principle and by mentioning Allah’s name on it. Under these circumstances, especially when the Qur’an has also clearly allowed the Muslims to eat the food of the people of the book (Al-Maidah 5: 4).

From amongst the animals that have generally been used for eating by man (i.e. excluding all those animals that have not been used as edibles, like a dog or a tiger or an eagle or man’s own flesh), the Shari`ah has prohibited the following items:

Flesh of a dead animal (which otherwise is generally used as edible);

Flowing blood;

Flesh of a swine; and

Anything that is slaughtered in the name of someone other than Allah or is slaughtered without taking Allah’s name on it.

Moreover, if the animal is not slaughtered in the manner prescribed by the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), it shall then be considered a dead animal and therefore, its flesh shall be prohibited for consumption.

The foods of the people of the book – i.e. the Jews and the Christians – are allowable for Muslims not without regard to the above qualifications. It is quite obvious that all these qualifications need to be fully observed, whether eating in a Christian society, a Jewish society or a Muslim society.

May Allah guide us all to the path of His liking and grant us the true understanding of His book.

**Sitaaron Pay Jo Daltay Hain Kamand!**

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hanh???

So does that make it Lawful

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/confused.gif

Interesting notion of your knowledge!!!

Sitaaron Pay Jo Daltay Hain Kamand!