What Makes Food Haram in Islam? – Scientific and Islamic’s Perspective

Every Muslim believes that consume Haram food is forbidden no matter what. Haram food is the importance of food in Islam that should be avoided by every Muslim. The Quran mention so many times that Muslims should consume Halal food. Since a long time ago, Muslims obey that rule and will always like that until now.

What is Haram Food?

Haram food is the food that should not consume because according to Islamic law is Haram. It means that the food is explicitly forbidden. For example the pork, blood, carcasses of a dead animal, alcohol, and other foods on which Allah’s name not pronounced.

All of the food mentions above is mention in the Quran surah Al Maidah verse 3

حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنْزِيْرِ وَمَآ اُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللّٰهِ بِهٖ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوْذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيْحَةُ وَمَآ اَكَلَ السَّبُعُ اِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْۗ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَاَنْ تَسْتَقْسِمُوْا بِالْاَزْلَامِۗ ذٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌۗ اَلْيَوْمَ يَىِٕسَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْ دِيْنِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِۗ اَلْيَوْمَ اَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ وَاَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِيْ وَرَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْاِسْلَامَ دِيْنًاۗ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ فِيْ مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّاِثْمٍۙ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ – ٣

“And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you and have chosen for you as religion Al-Islam. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

Warning to not consume haram food is written in the Quran surah Al Baqarah verse 165

يٰٓاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوْا مِمَّا فِى الْاَرْضِ حَلٰلًا طَيِّبًا ۖوَّلَا تَتَّبِعُوْا خُطُوٰتِ الشَّيْطٰنِۗ اِنَّهٗ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِيْنٌ – ١٦٨

“ O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth (that is) lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.”

Another verse in the Quran also mentions about haram food such as Quran surah Al Baqarah verse 173

اِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيْرِ وَمَآ اُهِلَّ بِهٖ لِغَيْرِ اللّٰهِ ۚ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَّلَا عَادٍ فَلَآ اِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ – ١٧٣

“He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

Scientific Reasons for Haram Food

Muslims know that based on the Quran there is no excuse to consume haram food. But, what is exactly makes the food becomes haram? For some non-Muslims, it will difficult to explain with the explanation based on the Quran. But, it is easier to explain based on scientific research. Just like when Muslims try to explain Islamic law of eating fermented food, it will be easier to explain based on research.

That is true that Muslims should explain everything in their life based on the Quran. As mention in the Quran surah Sad verse 29, Muslims should explain something with their logical mind. That means there should be a science or some research to prove. With the internet, Muslims know-how internet usage in Islam perspective helps them seek theories.

كِتٰبٌ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ اِلَيْكَ مُبٰرَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوْٓا اٰيٰتِهٖ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ اُولُوا الْاَلْبَابِ – ٢٩

“(This is) a Book (the Quran) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over (conduct research) its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember.”

So, here some reasons that scientifically prove that haram food is not permitted to consume.

1.Pork Contains More Bad Nutrition

Pork contains high cholesterol and fat that difficult to tolerate by the human body. It causes obesity because the enzyme produces from pork. Pork is more difficult to be digested by the human body than any other food. Besides, consuming pork will increase blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, sick because of Virus H3N2 (Hong Kong flu), and chest pain (angina pectoris).

2. Alcohol Can Break Human Body Physically and Mentally

The chemical enzymes by alcohol can disrupt the person’s character. Approximately 66% of people that consume alcohol will have an addiction. This addiction is harmful to brain function. It will make the brain has an uncontrolled system and break the neuron in the brain. So that will make the body physically and mentally dropdown. Muslims know that drunk because alcohol is not eating habits in Islam.

3. Carnivorous and Bird Of Prey is Not Good for Human Character

The animals such as carnivorous and birds of prey have fanged characters that savage and ferocious. The enzymes produced by these animals will bring the character into a human. It may harm Muslims not to have the characteristic of believing in Allah in earnest. That is why to consume the savage animal is haram in Islam.

4. Animals that Slaughtered Improperly Harm to Human Health

If animals have slaughtered improperly, the blood of them will produce the xenobiotic enzymes. These kinds of enzyme are not good for the human body and harmful to consume for human health.

5. Animals Killed In The Name Of Any One Other Than Allah not Lawful

Every kind of animal in this world is created by Allah and dedicated to human needs. In the Quran written that animals should be slaughter properly in the name of Allah. As mention in the Quran surah Al Maidah verse 1

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْٓا اَوْفُوْا بِالْعُقُوْدِۗ اُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيْمَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ اِلَّا مَا يُتْلٰى عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّى الصَّيْدِ وَاَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيْدُ – ١

“O, believers! Fulfill Promises. Livestock is permitted for you, except for those that will be transferred to you, by not being allowed to treat your compilation while on pilgrimage (hajj or umrah). Verily, Allah approves the Law according to what He wants.”

So, that is some explanation about what makes food Haram in Islam and some scientific reasons to prove. Please, be wise in choosing food to consume before it harms your body.