I don't errrrr... eat BEEF...

One of the things that you will encounter as a Muslim in a place where the Muslims are not the majority is Halal food…

That is not even the real problem actually… The main problem is to get non Muslim people to understand that you can only eat Halal food.

For those who do not understand the word Halal, I give you the meaning taken from this wesite:

http://www.afic.com.au/Halal.htm#HalalConcept

“Naturally Halal animals such as cattle, goats etc., must be slaughtered according to Islamic rites, the rituals specify that the act must be performed by a mentally sound Muslim, to sever the blood and respiratory channels of the animal, using a sharp cutting tool such as knife.”

Here is another point that is taken seriously by most Muslims to ensure the Halality of the food to be consumed:

“All raw materials and ingredients used must be Halal.”

“The Halal ingredients must not be mixed, or come into contact with Haram materials such as products from pig or dog during storage, transport, cooking, serving etc.”

For the benefit of those people who do not understand what Haram is, it is just the opposite of Halal, meaning, a big NO. Most of the non Muslim people find it absurd, weird and to an extent as some people put it an extreme. They questions this way of eating and shake their heads in disbelief that we actually abide by this rules and still survive. Here, where I live and stay now, the point that I do not eat pork is even shocking to some of them and said that how I missed out all the good food in my life…

Some of the Muslims I know of tried to tell them what Halal is. They have good intentions and it is great that they try to make the world understand us Muslims better… but getting mad and angry because they do not understand some of the terms and most importantly the idea of Halal itself is not the way. I mean, you are talking with a people who do not care much about your religion, not brought up with all the understanding you have in your religion and they do not have problem consuming anything edible, of course they cannot understand the words coming out from your mouth unless you use an easier terms for them to grasp the situation.

Now, another good way for the Muslims to avoid all this fuss is to say that they are Vegetarians… Good way to escape all of those stupid questions and stares but you will have lots to answer for if you get caught eating Kebabs the next day…

So, I find that relating my excuse not to eat those meats especially pork and why we do not eat them if they are mixed with other non Halal material is this:

The Vegetarians will stir up a great fuss if they find that the food contains animals be it as fat, oil, emulsifiers, bla bla bla and to an extent even if the utensils used to prepare the food are mixed. Nobody questions them or even ask them why. People will just say this thing would not happen again and we will prepare the food your way. I do find this strange… but it is an easier way to relate to this non Muslims…

If you also have problems with people saying that the pork is delicious… Do remind them to say that the beef is also very delicious to those people who do not eat beef… if you do not have problem with people not eating beef then why you should have problem with people not eating pork…

I hope this will help those people who stammer every time people questions your Halalation action…