FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2024
The word halal in Arabic means lawful or permitted under Islamic law. Although the concept covers all aspects and activities of life, it applies especially to foods. So, Islamic law dictates which foods Muslims are and are not allowed to eat. For example, pork and alcohol are not halal. They are considered haram, which means unlawful and prohibited. The word haram is used to classify certain foods and life activities as forbidden.
Elaborate instructions on how to prepare halal meals must be followed. To prepare meat, for example, only a skilled Muslim must slaughter the animal. He is to invoke the name of God, his knife must be sharp, he must completely drain the animal’s blood, and so forth.
There are growing demands by fundamentalist Muslims in Western societies to provide halal foods. Companies go along with those demands for financial gain.
PRAYER
Lord God, thank you for the light we receive from your Word. I pray for Muslims to receive the light of Christ in their hearts and realize that people cannot gain God’s approval by what they eat or do not eat (1 Corinthians 8:8). Eating certain foods does not make one more favored by God.
May they realize the power of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to set people free from rules that are mere human commands and teachings. Those manmade regulations do not help a person conquer his evil desires (Colossians 2:22-23).
PROMISE
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16, NIV).