Is duck halal?
According to Islamic sources, eating duck is halal and permissible when the duck is slaughtered in accordance with the Islamic guide.
Halal Duck: The concept of halal and haram food in Islam
The holy book of faith for the Muslims, i.e., the Holy Quran, gives the rules regarding which animals and food are prohibited to be consumed (haram) and allowed to be consumed (halal), e.g., pork and predatory animals are prohibited from eating.
Food elements including lard, gelatin, and casein are usually not allowed unless their sources are specified. Moreover, the law also states that the animals dying from natural causes are not allowed to eat, and their blood must not be consumed.
A duck is a bird, and the criteria for birds to be halal or haram according to a hadith is that all fanged beasts of prey and birds having talons are prohibited from eating.
As ducks do not have talons, they do not fall in the category of prohibited birds and can be eaten like chicken and turkey.
Birds with talons like hawks and eagles are prohibited and not halal to eat. There is no rule in the Islamic rules that forbid duck from being used as food. The duck is an aquatic bird but does not fall in the category of sea animals.
What qualifies as a halal duck?
To decide whether duck meat or any other meat is halal or not, it is essential to investigate whether the animal did not die naturally. It must be slaughtered by a Muslim who recites Takbir while slaughtering it.
A bird or duck that is ill is not suitable for slaughter. The animal to be slaughtered must be alive and healthy. The person slaughtering must also invoke Allah’s name before slaughtering. The blood must be drained before eating the meat.
Moreover, the throat should be cut through one slit with a single knife swipe, and the spine should remain intact. It must ensure that the animal does not face any unnecessary discomfort.
The animal must be hung so that all the blood drains out. Finally, make sure duck is cooked following the Islamic dietary laws, i.e., cooked with halal ingredients.
What creates confusion about halal duck meat?
The confusion about whether duck meat is halal or haram comes from the fact that this meat is least found in the gastronomic offerings of Muslims. The limited use of duck meat raises the question about the status of the meat as halal or haram.
Historical studies reveal that most Muslim meals’ meat comes from sheep, goats, hens, roosters, and even geese but ducks are last on the list.
There is no historical evidence for why duck meat comes the last in the list of preferred Muslim meals, but the food professionals have some answers.
- The first reason is the smell of the meat, which is strong and not pleasant to most. Although mutton also has some specific odor, the Muslims have been used to it since childhood, so it has become a part of their diet. So the odor of the duck meat, if not cleaned and cooked appropriately, makes it a less favorable option to eat.
- It is challenging to cook duck meat in a proper and tasty way compared to chicken. Only professional and practiced cooks can make duck meat recipes in the best way.
- The price of duck meat is also high compared to chicken, i.e., almost three times the price of a chicken, making it an expensive option/dish.
The marketing director of HKH Roast House says there is an increase in the demand for halal duck meat, and the customers are primarily a new generation of Muslims, willing to try new things. It may be because people realize the fact that duck meat is an excellent source of protein and iron.
Protein plays a vital role in building and repairing our skin, muscles, and blood, while iron provides our body with healthy blood.
Modern halal meat production controversy
There is a controversy when it comes to the production of halal meat by the modern and latest meat-producing companies. Some Muslims do not accept the meat of the animals as halal, which is slaughtered by machines, as it does not follow the Islamic guidelines.
This brings down the cost, but for the strictest adherents, the cost will not be the fact to decide whether the meat is halal or not. For this reason, many large food chains have started to provide halal meat so that Muslims can consume it.
Halal cooking of duck meat
The last step in preparing halal duck meat is that it is cooked in a halal way. It does not remain halal if the halal meat is cooked with haram ingredients like alcohol, pork, and specific animal proteins and fats.
So you will have to find a Muslim or halal restaurant where you are sure the duck was cooked in halal ingredients to enjoy your meal.
Other halal birds
From the Islamic point of view, the birds that do not prey on other animals and don’t use their claws to kill other animals are considered halal. Instead, they eat grains or crops.
Other halal birds permissible to eat by Muslims include turkeys, chicken, partridges, pheasants, pigeons, geese, quail, doves, nightingales, starlings, storks, parrots, peacocks, ostriches, sparrows, larks, and hoopoes.
Conclusion: Is eating duck halal or haram?
The consensus of the Muslim community is that duck meat is halal as ducks are not birds of prey. However, the ducks must be slaughtered in the Islamic way and not die naturally.
So it is essential to buy duck meat from trusted meat suppliers and ensure that it is cooked in a halal way.