Approaching a dietary ethics in Islam according to the Qur’an and hadith A categorical examination of the primary scriptures to determine the relevance of food traditions today

Abstract

This article presents a review of the primary Islamic scriptures, the Qur’an and hadith (reports of statements or actions of the prophet Muhammad). While Muslims believe the Qur’an to be an oral revelation from God, the prophetic accounts of hadith constitute the primary source of devout religious practices. As such, both texts define and shape Islamic practices. They also describe a plethora of dietary rules. The examination of scriptural sources will reveal the reasoning and purpose behind Islamic dietary ethics, relevant categories will be defined and their impact on today’s practices will be investigated.