Dietary Rules 101: What it Means to Keep Kosher Versus Halal

The ways of choosing, preparing, and consuming food, as well as what foods and drinks are prohibited, are outlined for followers of these lifestyles.

People from different religions often practice dietary restrictions in observance of their faith. Two most well-known diets that follow religious restrictions are kosher and halal. The ways of choosing, preparing, and consuming food, as well as what foods and drinks are prohibited, are outlined for followers of these lifestyles.

Halal is connected to Islamic religious laws and is practiced by Muslims. Kosher follows Jewish religious law and is adhered to by Jewish people. Guidance for halal can be found in the Quran while those looking to understand what is kosher should use the Torah. Though there are detailed directions for each of these diets, there are liberal and conservative takes on how they should be applied. Not everyone in the same faith will follow the exact same rules for adhering to halal and kosher dietary practices in their lives.

What are the Differences and Similarities in Kosher and Halal?

Since the guidelines for kosher and halal come from two different sources, there are a few differences. For instance, those who practice halal may not drink alcohol, but people leading a kosher lifestyle may consume kosher wine in a reasonable amount.

Halal allows followers to have meat and dairy products together while kosher guidelines strictly prohibit this. Though fruits and vegetables are considered acceptable in both the halal and kosher diets, those who keep kosher may not eat a fruit or vegetable that has insects on it. Those observing halal must pray over their food before it is consumed but this is not required for kosher dining.

The similarities between the religious diets are many. Both require that animals eaten must be slaughtered by one from their own religion. For instance, those following kosher guidelines must have a Jewish person slaughter their animal and those following halal guidelines must have a Muslim do the slaughtering. There are also guidelines for how an animal should be slaughtered and how the blood should be drained. They are the same for both those practicing halal and kosher. There are also many foods that are forbidden for both diets, including:

• Pork
• Birds of prey
• Gelatin from an animal that is not on the permissible list
• Blood from an animal
• Amphibians

What Does it Mean to Follow these Diets?

For Muslims following the halal, more than food is taken into consideration. Halal rules are more involved and cover every matter in day-to-day life, not just food. Halal is considered a way of living that follows the authority of the Quran and those who follow it believe to be following the ideal way from Allah.

The kosher guidelines are strictly related to food and beverage consumption and not all people of the Jewish faith adhere to all the kosher rules. Some follow them exactly and others choose which to follow. This choice does not affect other aspects of Jewish living.

Both halal and kosher are ways to acknowledge participation in a certain faith. Though they have some similarities, each practice is unique in its own way.