Welcome

The most important reason to eat Halal food is to obey God’s commands. Following His will is a way to draw closer to Him by accepting His instruction. In addition, as your Creator and the Creator for the whole of creation, He knows what is best and detrimental for you.

Avoiding foods God prohibits helps protect you from harm. For instance, scientists and doctors have long associated the link between alcohol consumption and damage to the body, not to mention the altered state of mind which can result when one becomes inebriated. As for the ill effects of pork, their digestive systems aren’t nearly as complex as those of Halal animals such as cows, meaning much of the unhealthy bacteria and toxins from their food isn’t expelled out of their bodies during the digestion and output process and is instead stored in their bodies.

Likewise, eating foods that are permissible and Halal helps us avoid health risks associated with non-Halal foods. All of God’s commandments are meant not only for his worship, but they also incur a benefit, either spiritual or physical, for all those who follow them.

Under Islamic guidelines, a Muslim is free to eat any food except those which are deemed haram, which means “forbidden” in Arabic. Haram foods include any type of pork, including bacon, ham, or any pork by-products. Also to be avoided are all types of alcohol, non-Halal animal shortening, animal blood, and blood by-products. Fish and seafood can be enjoyed with the exception of alligators, frogs, and crocodiles. Carnivorous animals, animals that were dead before they were slaughtered, and birds of prey are also off limits.

If you would like to adopt a Halal diet, pay attention to common recipe ingredients when cooking. For example, did you know gelatin, which is found in some foods and candies, is made of pork? Lard, which is pig fat, is also on some recipe lists. To be safe, check labels. Those listing kosher ingredients signal pork-free products and can be eaten. Also, many restaurants will identify foods cooked in alcohol, wine or beer. If in doubt, ask your server or avoid the food completely.

After conducting thorough research and hands on experience, iMacD has taken the initiative to work hand in hand with Muslim slaughterhouses, meat distributors, food stores, and restuarants to assure that ALL of their meat products meet the highest Islamic standards and guidelines.

iMacD and it's Sharia Board have experienced and Islamically educated professionals to assure that ALL meat that is certified from them, meets the highest quality of Islamic standards.

We believe it is our duty and responsibility to make sure that our Muslim brothers and sisters only consume the highest quality of Halal meat.

iMacD issues Halal certifications to Muslim slaughterhouses, restaurants, meat distributors and food stores who meet and follow our specific and high quality Islamic guidelines. If these standards and guidelines are not me upon inspection by the iMacD Sharia Board, certification is immediately withdrawn from the Muslim Business Owner.

Our Guidelines:

Islamic law requires that animals intended for human consumption be slain in a certain manner. Halal slaughter is was one of the more humane methods available to the meat industry and the only method acceptable for Muslim consumers. The conditions for Halal slaughter can be summarized as follows: 

 • The animal to be slaughtered must be from the categories that are  permitted for Muslims to eat. 

 • The animal must be alive at the time of slaughter. 

 • The animal must be slaughtered by the use of a sharp knife. 

 • The windpipe (throat), food-tract (oesophagus) and the two jugular veins must be cut. 

 • The slaughtering must be done in one stroke without lifting the knife. The knife should not be placed and lifted when slaughtering the animal. 

 • Slaughtering must be done by a sane adult Muslim. Animals slaughtered by a Non Muslim will not be Halal. 

 • The name of Allah must be invoked (mentioned) at the time of slaughtering by saying: Bismillah Allahu Akbar. (In the Name of Allah; Allah is the Greatest.) 

 • If at the time of slaughtering the name of anyone else other than Allah is invoked (i.e. animal sacrificed for him/her), then the meat becomes Haram “unlawful.” 

 • If a Muslim forgets to invoke the name of Allah at the time of slaughtering, the meat will remain Halal. However, if he intentionally does not invoke the name of Allah, the meat becomes Haram. 

 • The head of the animal must not be cut off during slaughtering but later after the animal is completely dead, even the knife should not go deep into the spinal cord. 

 • Skinning or cutting any part of the animal is not allowed before the animal is completely dead. 

 • Slaughtering must be made in the neck from the front (chest) to the back. 

 • The slaughtering should not be done on a production line where pigs are slaughtered. Any instrument used for slaughtering pigs should not be used in the Halal slaughtering. 

 •  HALAL SLAUGHTER CAN NOT be conducted by a non-Muslim,  

Customary and Desirable Practices When Slaughtering 

 • The animal must be treated kindly and humanely while awaiting slaughter and during slaughter.

 • The knife should be hidden from the animal, and slaughtering should be done out of sight of other animals waiting to be slaughtered. 

 • Animals should be killed in a comfortable way. Unnecessary suffering to them must be avoided. 

 • The knife should be re-sharpened before slaughter. 

 Storage, Processing and Transport of Halal Meat 

 • Meat chilled or frozen for export to Muslims should be stored in separate cold stores other than those in which pork or other non-Halal meat is stored. 

 • Meat minced or processed for Muslims should not be minced in the same machines used to mince pork or other non-Halal meat. 

Email us for more info at: info@imacd.org