Haram foods are those which cannot be consumed. Buying and selling of Haram food is haram too.
Aqa Maula (TUS) says "Mumineen should never consume things that intoxicate. The tongue which takes the name of Maula Ali (SA) should not taste tobacco."
Q. Can one consume foods which have alcohol as an ingredient in small amounts?
No, one must never have foods which have alcohol in them, even if the alcohol content is less than .1% . Rasulullah (SAW) has taught that any substance which intoxicates when taken in large amounts should not be consumed even in small amounts. In fact even medicines containing alcohol should not be consumed as a haram substance can never provide shifa.
Q. Which animals are halal and which are Haram?
Animals which are hoofed (khurwala) are halal except the pig. The pig is haram in all forms. All the parts of a pig are haram. Another exception is the rabbit which has no hooves but is halal. Animal gelatin is widely used in packed products and should be avoided except if it can be verified that the gelatin is beef gelatin.
halal animals should be healthy, and zabihat should be done before they can be eaten. The meat of dead animals (without zabihat) is haram.
Q. Can we eat birds?
Yes. Birds, which lay eggs that are not the same at both ends ie not round, but oval such as the hen, are halal. Birds which lay round eggs are haram. Also, birds of prey are haram.
Q. Is sea food halal?
Fish and other seafood like lobsters which have scales on their body are halal. But, it is necessary that a mumin says Bismillah while stroking the fish when it is caught alive.
Q. What should one guard against while buying foods in Western countries?
One should be careful while buying products that contain gelatin and animal fat as these can be made from haram animals. One should also check the ingredients on a vinegar bottle to ascertain that there is no alcohol.
Q. What other foods are haram?
Water Cress, Nutmeg and shell of Nutmeg are haram too.
