Is chicken kosher? The Real Deal!

Asking Is chicken kosher? is to pose a question that only a non-Muslim could. The question is meaningless since it is directed at the incorrect party. Chickens cannot be halal or haram in and of themselves, unlike murder, which is always haram (see below), or prayer, which is always halal.

Is Chicken Halal?

Food is considered halal in Islam if it is not specifically banned and is prepared in accordance with Islam’s dietary requirements. Since chicken, unlike pig, is not specifically banned, it may be halal. The halal status of a piece of chicken is determined by how the bird was captured, grown, and killed.

What It Means To Be Halal

The Arabic term meaning authorized is halal. Halal, as it is widely used in gastronomy, refers to meals that Islam allows in accordance with the Quran and the Prophet’s traditions, known in Arabic as hadith.

Since there is only one version of the Quran (in Arabic; in other languages, the Quran differs depending on the translator’s interpretation), there can only be one set of undeniable Quranic rules defining what is and is not authorized (halal).

Yet, since there are several hadiths, what is halal and what is haram (haram is the Arabic word for banned; haram is the inverse of halal, just as evil is the inverse of good) may vary from hadith to hadith.

The end result of all of this is that certain things are unquestionably halal or haram because the Quran states so, and no Muslim can disagree with the Quran, whilst others are debatably halal or haram because they are only commanded as so in one or more hadiths.

Halal and haram do not simply refer to food! Common items in daily life, like any other religion, might be halal or haram. Christianity, for example, contains the concept of sinfulness, and Believers might behave sinfully (haram) or sinlessly (halal).

Halal Rules As They Apply to Chicken

Fortunately, chicken is not forbidden. Shellfish, fish, turkey, bison, venison, goat, cattle, and lamb are other permissible meats and flesh. Since they are not haram, all of these types of flesh are candidates for halal cuisine.

Sadly for bacon lovers, pork is haram and, as such, can never be halal. Worse, for those who prefer a glass of cognac or a cool Coors on a hot summer day, alcohol is absolutely haram, and no alcoholic drink can ever be halal. Tough beans, indeed.

Nonetheless, having escaped the dreaded haram list, the following conditions apply and must be strictly followed for any animal to be halal:

• Not have been fed animal by-products. This means that many farm-raised animals in America are ab initio excluded from being halal because they are fed animal by-products in their meal.
• The animals must have been well cared-for and should not have been maltreated. It is arguable that battery farm chickens raised in those routinely dreadful conditions are haram and cannot make it further onto the halal list. Truthfully, I think all chicken-eating humans could lend a hand and help ensure that we don’t treat animals as carelessly and disgracefully as we do battery farm chickens.
• Animals must be given regular access to drinking water until they are slaughtered.
• Any Muslim who has reached the age of puberty can perform a halal slaughter.
• The person performing the slaughter must point the animal’s face towards Mecca (Islamic purists spell Mecca “Makkah”).
• Those responsible for slaughtering the animal must not sharpen the knife to be used in the slaughter in the presence of the animal to avoid causing the animal undue distress.
• The knife for the slaughtering should be as sharp as possible and free of kinks or nicks.
• The person performing the slaughter must invoke the name of Allah before or during the act of slaughter.
• The actual slaughter is performed in one pass by drawing the sharpened blade across the animal’s throat, severing the trachea, carotid arteries, and jugular vein.
• The animal must be exsanguinated as blood is haram.

When all of the acts and circumstances in the things stated above have been strictly followed, a chicken (or any animal that is not haram) is halal.

How To Know if the Chicken in Food Brands Like KFC is Halal

Certain nations, such as the United Kingdom, have halal-certified KFC locations. If you reside in or are visiting the United Kingdom, utilize this link to locate a halal KFC near you.

KFC in the United States is a whole different story, refusing to allow its franchises to market themselves as halal even if they are. This is ostensibly done to prevent certain franchisees from acquiring a competitive advantage over others.

Considering the lack of consistency across KFC stores in various nations, it is safe to presume that KFC chicken is haram unless that specific restaurant promotes itself as halal.

Being Free Range Means Chicken is Halal

Being free range does not make chicken halal, but it does contribute to meeting the halal standards.

I am not an imam (a Muslim scholar), so my opinions and ideas on the matter are meaningless, but I would surely doubt the concept that battery-grown chickens may be halal, since it is a requirement of halal that all animals to be eaten be kept in humane circumstances.

Yet, just because a chicken is reared ethically does not imply it is safe to consume. All of the other limitations and conditions must still be met before a chicken may be deemed halal.

Frequently Asked Questions to Is Chicken Halal?

Afterword: Is Chicken Halal?

Unlike alcohol and pork, chicken is not haram, and Muslims are not barred from eating it. Yet, unless the vendor has carefully grown and cooked the chicken in accordance with Islamic rules and practices, eating a specific chicken may still be haram for a Muslim.

To be safe, people should only consume halal-labeled chicken or dine at halal-advertised restaurants and other food outlets.