What it means
حلال (halâl) means “permitted, lawful, allowed” under Islamic religious law. Arabic loanword, A2 vocabulary, sacred register. Most commonly heard about food (halâl meat, slaughtered according to Islamic ritual) but applies to money, marriage, and any conduct.
How to use it
- گوشت حلال (gusht-e halâl) “halâl meat”
- این پول حلال نیست (in pul halâl nist) “This money is not halâl”
- کسب حلال (kasb-e halâl) “lawful earning”
Common pairings
- حرام (harâm) “forbidden, unlawful” (antonym)
- حلالزاده (halâl-zâde) “born of legitimate marriage; honest, decent”
- روزی حلال (ruzi-ye halâl) “lawful sustenance”
- غذای حلال (ghazâ-ye halâl) “halâl food”
Religious context
From Arabic حلال (ḥalāl, “permitted, lawful”), root ح ل ل. The opposite of حرام (harâm). For meat to be حلال, it must come from a permitted animal slaughtered with a specific blessing while the animal is alive. The term has expanded globally as Muslim consumers worldwide seek certified halâl products. The phrase حلالزاده extends metaphorically to describe an honest, decent person, “born legitimately, raised right.”
References
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