Muslims who want to follow halal requirements while traveling may find it difficult to find suitable food. Halal foods are those permitted under Islamic law, while haram foods are prohibited. Muslims should inquire about ingredients and preparation, choose vegetarian options, and cook their own food when possible. Some airlines offer halal menus, but if not, vegetarian options are a good choice. Fresh halal foods can be found in supermarkets and farmers markets.
Traveling can sometimes prove difficult for Muslims who want to follow halal requirements in the places they visit. Islamic law, Sharia, establishes a number of halal foods that can be consumed by Muslims. The most useful tips for halal travel include information on finding a halal restaurant in a non-Muslim country, eating on board and eating at fast-food restaurants. Whenever possible, traveling Muslims should inquire about the ingredients and preparation of food before consuming it, or should prepare their own food if necessary.
Halal means “lawful” in Arabic and is a word that describes all foods permitted under Islamic law, as opposed to haram, which is a term applied to all foods prohibited under Islamic law. The most important food items that Muslims must avoid include pork and all pork products, carnivorous animals, and all types of alcohol. Islamic beliefs hold that animals should be slaughtered as humanely as possible. This is a tricky rule to follow when a Muslim is trying to practice halal travel in non-Muslim countries, mainly because there is no way of knowing how the animal was slaughtered.
Especially in Western countries, Muslims may find it difficult to find proper food if they want to practice halal travel. Most restaurants don’t disclose all of a dish’s ingredients on the menu, so Muslims should ensure that no alcohol was used in their preparation. Opting for fish or vegetarian dishes is a good way to stick to the halal diet. When in doubt, customers should ask to learn more about the ingredients in the restaurant’s dishes.
The same rule applies to fast food restaurants. If someone who complies with halal guidelines has to eat in a fast-food restaurant, he should choose vegetarian or vegan products. Better yet, there are halal fast food restaurants in many major cities, so looking for one can be a good way to make sure all halal guidelines are followed.
Some airlines offer passengers the opportunity to choose special dietary needs. If a company does not include halal menus in the list, Muslim travelers should again opt for vegetarian menus. If the airline permits, some healthy and halal snacks such as dried fruit, granola bars or nuts can be packaged and eaten on the plane.
Another halal travel tip for Muslims is to cook your own food whenever possible. Fresh halal foods including vegetables, fruits, honey and organic drinks are available in all corners of the world. These can be found in supermarkets or farmers markets.
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