Ramen is a famous Japanese cuisine that has become popular in western nations, including the UK, in recent times. Ramen is a noodle dish served in a meat broth and flavored with soy sauce or miso. In addition, a range of toppings like sliced pork, nori, menma, and scallions are added before eating.
Generally, hundreds of different Ramen dishes are served in Japan and other countries like the UK. The Japanese noodle dish is served in restaurants and cooked in homes across the UK. Many Muslims in the UK also want to eat it but are confused about its halal or haram nature. We will debate whether Ramen is halal or haram to eat in the following sections.
Ingredients of Ramen
Traditionally, Ramen is made from wheat noodles and other ingredients. The common ingredients of Ramen include:
- Wheat Noodles (Halal)
- Soya Sauce or Miso (Zero-alcohol soy sauce halal)
- Nori (dried seaweed) (Halal)
- Sliced Pork (Haram)
- Scallions (Halal)
- Menma (Unknown)
- Spring Onion (Halal)
- Garlic (Halal)
- Eggs (Halal)
- Salt (Halal)
How To Make Ramen
To make Ramen noodles, boil the water over a high flame and add the soup base and vegetable mix. Once the water starts boiling, gently add noodles to the water. Let it cook for a while, then add an egg. Now add the toppings of your choice and serve it. This is a quick way to make instant Ramen noodles. If you don’t have any instant noodles, you will need flour to make and then dry the noodles.
Islamic Principle of Halal and Haram
Muslims worldwide seek guidance from Quran and Sunnah for leading their lives according to Islamic teachings. These primary guidance sources contain timeless principles that Muslims can follow without hesitation.
Like its clear guiding principles for all aspects of human life, Quran has clear injunctions when it comes to whether a food or a certain act is halal or haram.
Allah (SWT), in Surah Al Baqarah, has clarified the halal and haram food for Muslims.
“He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Quran 2:173)
(Source of above-cited Quranic Verse: https://quran.com/2/173?translations=84,17,95,101,22,20)
This Quranic verse is the guiding principle for distinguishing halal food from haram in Islam. According to this verse of the Holy Quran, carrion, i.e. dead meat, the blood, and swine (pig) meat, is haram. And also, if you slaughter any halal animal and dedicate it to others than Allah, it is haram.
Also, Muslims can’t drink alcohol and eat insects likewise other haram animals.
Is Ramen Halal or Haram?
Most Ramen variations are haram, as sliced pork is an integral ingredient of this Japanese cuisine. Pork is categorically declared haram in the above-cited verse of the Quran. However, you can still enjoy halal Ramen noodles if you make them at home. Fortunately, a few UK restaurants offer halal Ramen. In this case, you have to check their meat or chicken suppliers.
You can use a halal soup base at home and purchase halal beef and chicken from trusted sources. A lot of Ramen variations exist where halal toppings like halal chicken are used.
To Conclude it
The Holy Quran and Sunnah are the two primary sources of guidance for all Muslim populace. So, in light of the Quran and Sunnah, most of the Ramen variations, including the soup base, are haram as they contain pork. Unfortunately, you may not find a UK restaurant offering halal Ramen, but you can make halal Ramen noodles in your home. Purchase halal soup base and chicken and avoid other haram ingredients while cooking Ramen noodles.
For various ingredients, you may need to consult the local Islamic scholar of your respective school of thought, who can make an informed decision about your ingredient mix.
