Religion for a long time plays an important role in people's lives. It exists as a spiritual institution that creates a variety of theories and ideas necessary for the development of society, as well as forms people's abstract thinking. The knowledge that comes from religious texts has a strong influence on the psyche and emotions of believers and can influence their behavior.
Today, in the whole world, there is an increasing influence of religion in public life. One of the areas through which religion is connected with people in food and nutrition. Nutrition is an important part of human life and society. It carries both physiological and social functions. Rituals and eating habits can be considered as a factor in the formation of social structure and social order. Nutrition is explored in relation to other social aspects of human life and can be the basis for understanding social change. (Bellon, 2018)
Nutrition, as well as most of the prohibitions associated with it, relate to social norms that affect certain groups of people and have their own history. Bans on one or other types of products are found in most societies in the world. The reasons for the restrictions arose from ethical, cultural, medical, and spiritual worldviews. The area of distribution of food taboos is associated with the spread of a particular religion among the population. Over time, some religions simplify their food diets, while others follow the traditions spelled out in the scriptures to this day.
This paper investigates such food practice that exists in Islam as a ban on eating haram food. This prohibition applies to all Muslims who profess Islam. For Muslims, the term "haram" is a non-compliance with Islamic traditions. This means that the product is not pure and contains ingredients that are prohibited for Muslim consumption. According to Islamic dietary laws, there is the strict prohibition of the consumption of alcohol, pork, blood, dead meat, and meat which has not been slaughtered according to Islamic rulings. These laws are binding and must be observed at all times. (Ahmad, 2018). Halal is the opposite of haram and, according to Kirwan (2006), refers to a socially constructed quality criterion, which incorporates both the physical properties of the product and the conditions under which it is produced, distributed, and retailed.
This social norm is very important for Muslims and dates back to ancient times. Food taboos come from the Quran and prophetic customs, as well as the writings of different periods. According to Geels (1997), in most Muslim societies, there is a strong religious socialization, much stronger than within a Western, secularized country. The author shows the importance of the Quran for the individual Muslim and considers that it represents a basic aspect of cultural identity. As in Judaism, Islamic food traditions distinguish between pure and impure. (Regenstein, 2003)
The reasons for prohibition are different. The most common argument for this ban is the negative effect of food on human health and the presence of toxins. For example, the pork itself is a dirty animal the meat of which keeps a lot of parasites. This meat can infect a person and ruin his health. In the text of the Quran eating pork is condemned at least four times. The direct reason for this ban is not named, but many Muslims believe that it is due to the fact that the pig is a carrier of many diseases. Unlike ruminants such as cows, sheep, goats, which take up to 24 hours to digest plant food, pigs digest their dirty food in just four hours. This time is not enough to eliminate toxins, so harmful substances accumulate in the fat cells and organs of the pig. (Tan, 2017). According to Nicole J. Ruane, pigs have food habits that are different from the main domestic animals that are raised for food (cows, sheep, and goats). Pigs don’t only chew gum or graze on grass, but they also eat many kinds of waste. They eat meat, including human ones and meat of their own offspring. (Ruane, 2017)
Religious norms are one of the powerful social regulators. Through a whole system of values, they regulate the public and affect a person's life. The impact of this rule on Muslim society is reflected in many aspects of social relations. Today, its influence is increasing every year and is rapidly spreading. According to a study by Karen Bonne, Islam is the fastest-growing religion on earth. Statistics show that there are 1.4 billion Muslims in the world. He also notes that about 11 million Muslims live in North America, and their population is growing three times faster than any other minority. (Karijn, 2007). Based on this, it can be concluded that the Islamic market of halal food is also developing rapidly and covers more countries and social groups.