It would make sense to me that muslims would also be allowed to eat kosher meats. They follow the same, if not stricter, dietary regulations and the rules come from a holy book. The purpose is rather similar but I don't think kosher focuses as much on the kind treatment towards the animals as zabiha. Either way, both are high quality and good for you.
Anyone have info on this? So many things would be easier if kosher also counted.
Also, say you live in a place that does not have halal meat. Are you then expected to be vegetarian? Because the only way to get meat is mail order and that is EXPENSIVE.
Added Note 11/3:
I have come to gather that for the most part kosher meat is permissible but zabiha should be preferred. I went to sunnipath.com and it took a long time to find a real answer. Most said it was not permissible because it is jewish (Palestine conflict). Other websites had similar info, couldn't put aside petty differences to give a real answer. Seems though that its a good way to go providing it does not have alcohol in it (but I have a bone to pick with that too because once alcohol is cooked it is no longer bad for you and you can no longer get drunk).
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In the Qur'an it says that we can eat the food of the people of the book, so Kosher definitely counts, lol.
ReplyDeleteHere we don't have "halal meat" at the store, but Tyson cornish hens are halal for us to eat (at least the ones we get... we have a brother who works for tyson and assured that they meet standards) Also we go and slaughter/ have our meat slaughtered at farms nearby. You have to do this here if you want goat or good quality lamb. Also you can raise your own animals if you'd like.
Most of us tend to fall back on the food of the people of the book though. Rely on sources that we know provide good quality food with humane practices.
Also we eat bunches of seafood as it's always good to go :-D shrimp, salmon, tuna, etc.
This is just in my community of course, and from my experience :-D
I don't put a huge emphasis on "halal" certified because we just don't get it here, but I try my best to get the most humanely produced food possible and Allahu alem.
Yes, I had heard that zabiha does focus more on the treatment of the animal. So if I had a choice and was going to eat meat, I would indeed choose zabiha.
ReplyDeleteThat all having been said, I do not want to participate in the killing of animals, so I am actually veg. I make exceptions if I am outside the home and the only protein available is from meat. I admit to wearing leather shoes and even a leather jacket because of the climate I live in - I haven't found a suitable alternative that is breathable (for one thing, am prone to foot infections) and provides the necessary warmth.
I have no answer (or horse in the race) for the whole is kosher acceptable (though I always thought it was a better option if halal was unavailable). But the whole cooking with alochol thing reminded me: what about perfume? I've read many people stating that they have to find halal perfume that doesn't have an alcohol base. Which confuses me, because you can't get drunk from wearing perfume.
ReplyDeleteAnd on that random tangent, I take my leave. :)
I have found the perfume thing to be bogus but some believe in it. The rule against alcohol specifically mentions consumption which is why a lot of people air on the side of caution and won't cook with it as well. So unless you are drinking your perfume it should be fine. Its the whole "take it to the extreme" that I see a lot with some people and Islamic law. I guess if you are really afraid that anything involving alcohol is a mistake and will send you to hell then you won't use perfume with alcohol in it. No hand sanitizer or disinfectant, or alcohol wipes either. Even though they are NOT the same type of alcohol as the kind one consumes. Although I swear there is a hadith with someone treating a wound with wine....
ReplyDeleteIt depends on what level of the haram scale you live your life. If you take a rule to mean everything then you most likely will avoid everything that could apply to the rule. But if you did this with all the rules, you'd never leave your house but more on that later :)
Interesting post. I remember having a conversation with my Syrian friend about vanilla extract which is used in all kinds of baked goods here. He mentioned the alcohol in it and asked his sister. They use POWDERED vanilla to avoid the alcohol of the extract.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I think some people are waaaaaay too legalistic. And I agree with you about the Islamic sites that are so petty they say no to kosher because of the Palestine issue. *rolls eyes* Way to judge a whole group by the actions of some. Hello, kosher was from God, right? Or maybe that part was corrupted by the Jews....yeah, if I were making up a bible, I'd be sure to make it reallllly , realllllly strict so I couldn't eat certain things.
LK,
ReplyDeleteI live my life off the 'haram' scale. :p But yeah, you get people like that in almost everything.
Susanne,
I read something once that, jokingly, suggested that Leviticus was written by one of those guys who hates *everything*. And who also had a shellfish allergy. So that explains that. ;)
Amber, LOL ....yeah, great explanation! Thanks for sharing that! ;-D
ReplyDeleteThe point of kashrut - and the whole host of other laws in the Torah - was that in every detail of life, the Jewish people was to distinguish that which is holy from that which is unholy. Including what they put on their plates at dinnertime.
ReplyDeleteLOL Leviticus still makes me laugh. Its so out of control.
ReplyDeletemy haram "what if" post is coming up soon....might be slightly breaking the hiatus but whatev, its an interesting look at the avoidance of all things haram.
You can so use vanilla extract. *rolls eyes* My Love eats those cookies I make and all other baked goods, pretty sure he has never gotten drunk from them. I would probably stay away from cooking with wine or beer though because that is the actual thing you are suppose to avoid. Plus how weird would it be to have to buy that as a hijabi? LOL
Actually I have heard that the biggest maker of halal frozen products is actually under the banner of a kosher company. They just sell 2 different labels.
ReplyDeleteFor me though, halal is much easier to find as I don't live in a city with much jewish population.
You're right; while zabiha meat is preferred, kosher meat is definitely okay for Muslims to eat. Some items, like hot dogs, lunch meat, certain cuts of meat, etc. are a lot easier to find kosher than zabiha. We can also eat meat slaughtered by Christians, which is obviously harder to track because there is no mark on the packaging that indicates that it was slaughtered by a Christian. One time when I was in Montana, though, I saw meats being sold by a group of Hutterites, which would be fine to buy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing the research for the benefit of the rest of us. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not too impressed with the anti-Jewish stance either... what connection does a Jewish farmer or slaughterman or butcher in America have with the Palestine issue? Quite possibly none. Some Jews are even against the occupation.
If that's the only objection they can come up with, I still think kosher is OK.
seems like kosher is ok, but zabiha is preferred. Who knew! Now I can eat at the deli lol cause that is basically all the jewish resturants are, delis.
ReplyDeleteI will not blame all Jews for 1 conflict. That is like blaming all the muslims for the problems in the middle-east and calling all muslims terrorists. It is the same thing and I will not stand for either.
Amen!
ReplyDelete