Is Bone broth Halal or Haram?

Bone broth, also known as stock, is a cooking liquid that is the basis of many dishes like stews, soups, and gravies. Humans know this food ingredient dates back to prehistoric times since Bone broth is mainly from animal bones, meat scraps, and connective tissues.

Every country and region uses native animals for making bone broth. It is a viscous nutritive solution with loads of nutrients. In addition to making it a part of the recipe, many people consume bone broth on its own.

Bone broth or stock has many health benefits like it promotes gut health and digestion, improves joint health and immune function, and helps promote sleep. Like other parts of the globe, bone broth is also trendy in the UK, and every community in the UK consumes it in large quantities.

As bone broth is an essential ingredient of a range of cuisines in the UK, it is also consumed by UK Muslims, but have you ever pondered whether it is halal or haram. This blog will discuss whether bone broth is halal or haram, so keep reading.

How to Make Bone broth?

Making bone broth is relatively easy. For making bone broth at home, you have to take meat scraps, animal bones, and connective tissues of the animal in a cooking pot. Now, add water and place the pot over the stove.

Keep cooking for 1-2 hours on high flame. After 1-2 hours, you will get a flavorful liquid – the bone broth.

Islamic Principle of Halal and Haram

Muslims worldwide seek guidance from Quran and Sunnah for leading their lives according to Islamic teachings. These two primary guidance sources contain timeless principles that Muslims can follow without hesitation.

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, the slaughtering and dedication of any halal animal other than Allah is haram.

In addition to these haram foods, some parts of the halal animals are also either haram or undesirable (makrooh) to eat. These haram or undesirable parts include:

• Flowing blood (Absolutely haram)
• Male genitals
• Female genitals
• Testicles
• Bladder
• Gallbladder
• Glands
• Haraam marrow (Spinal marrow)
• The two muscles of the neck that stretch up to the shoulders
• The blood from the liver
• The blood from the spleen
• The blood that comes out from the meat after slaughtering
• The blood from the heart
• Bile, i.e. the yellow fluid from inside the gallbladder
• The nasal fluid, which is mostly in sheep
• Anus
• Tripe
• Intestines
• Sperm
• The sperm that transforms into blood
• The sperm that transforms into flesh
• The sperm that fully transforms into an animal but dies, or if not, it dies without slaughtering.

(Source: https://musjidulhaq.com/2015/09/06/non-halaal-parts-in-the-bodies-of-halaal-animals/)

Though the blood is absolutely haram, there may be differences in opinion among jurists and mujtahids of different Islamic schools of thought. Therefore, it is best to seek guidance from an established scholar of your school of thought before deciding to eat the above-stated parts of a halal animal.

Is Bone broth Halal or Haram?

Usually, bone broth comes from the bones and connective tissues of the animals. If you make bone broth from parts of a haram animal or a dead halal animal or such halal animal on which the name of Allah is not pronounced during slaughtering, then the resulting broth will be haram.

But if you make bone broth from parts of a halal animal that is slaughtered according to the proper slaughtering method (Zabihah method), then the resulting broth is halal and permissible to eat.

Also, in the UK, cattle are pre-stunned before slaughtering, and you should seek the guidance of an established Islamic scholar on the issue of slaughtering pre-stunned animals. (Source: https://darulifta-deoband.com/home/en/Food–Drinks/33018)

In Summary

Holy Quran and Sunnah are the two primary sources of guidance for all of the Muslim populace. So, in light of the Quran and Sunnah, sourcing bone broth from a halal animal like the cow is halal, but there must be adherence to the Islamic Zabihah method.

However, before taking a final decision, it is of utmost necessity to seek guidance from an established Islamic scholar who can make an informed decision based on the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah.