Eggs are a significant and vital part of the human diet because of their nutritional value.
Eggs contain almost all the essential nutrients that humans need.
First of all, eggs are an excellent source of protein.
In addition, eggs contain a large amount of iron, other minerals, good fats, and vitamins.
Eggs can be prepared in many delicious ways, so people worldwide like to eat them.
In addition to consuming them boiled, baked, or fried, some people also eat raw eggs.
In addition, eggs are an indispensable part of many sweet and savory dishes, pastries, and desserts.
Although most people think of chicken eggs when they say “egg,” there are many other types of eggs that people in different parts of the world eat.
First, there are the eggs of other birds, and then there are the eggs of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects.
In some cultures, eating crocodile or snake eggs is perfectly acceptable, for example, as bizarre as it may sound to people in other parts of the world.
A question that many Muslims ask is whether eggs are halal or haram in Islam.
You will find it below if you are also interested in the answer to this question.
We will explain what affects the halal status of eggs, which are halal and haram, and whether raw eggs and eggs that have not been laid are halal or haram.
You will also discover the most important principles that affect whether a food is halal or haram and how they apply to eggs.
So, Are Eggs Halal or Haram in Islam?
When it comes to those eggs that come to our mind first, which are chicken eggs, they are entirely halal, which all Islamic scholars fully agree on.
Conditions such as those related to meat, which state that chicken, beef, or the flesh of some other halal animal can only be halal if it is from a halal source, do not even apply here.
When it comes to halal eggs, it doesn’t matter how the hen was raised, and the eggs can come from both halal and non-halal farms, and it doesn’t affect their halal status.
Muslims can eat chicken eggs prepared in any way if they do not come into contact with any haram food.
The same applies to eggs from other halal animals.
Muslims worldwide happily consume the eggs of turkeys, ostriches, ducks, geese, pigeons, and various other birds.
The eggs of these birds are halal, just like the meat of these animals.
Most birds are herbivores, so Muslims consider them permissible for consumption.
According to Muslims’ dietary laws, herbivores are mostly allowed; therefore, all their by-products are halal.
It means that Muslims are allowed to eat many types of eggs.
Also, Muslims can eat fish eggs, i.e., roe, because it is also considered halal.
It is also interpreted to mean that according to Islamic law, most types of fish are halal, so their eggs are also halal.
However, some types of eggs are prohibited by Islamic law.
We should not forget that reptiles and amphibians also carry eggs and that people in some parts of the world eat them and even consider them a specialty.
Nevertheless, Muslims are not allowed these types of eggs.
The issue of halal status here relies on two principles.
The first is an analogy that says that the eggs of haram animals cannot be halal.
The second is the issue of safety for human consumption.
For example, the eggs of many snakes can be dangerous or poisonous to humans, so all snake eggs are forbidden, that is, haram for Muslims.
Given that crocodile meat is not halal, crocodile eggs are also haram.
It also applies to the eggs of other species of reptiles because reptiles are haram in Islam.
Also, there are eggs of some birds that Muslims are not allowed to eat.
According to Islamic law, it is haram, i.e., forbidden to eat the eggs of birds of prey such as eagles or hawks, for example.
Muslims do not eat birds of prey because they eat the meat of other animals, and therefore their eggs are considered haram.
Another type of bird that Muslims do not eat is a vulture.
As you know, vultures feed on dead animals.
Because of this, Muslims consider them extremely unclean birds.
It is also why it is not allowed to eat vulture eggs according to Islamic law.
From the above, it is easy to conclude that the main criterion for determining the halal status of eggs is their origin, the type of animal that laid the egg.
If the egg comes from a halal animal, Muslims consider it permissible. However, if a haram animal lays an egg, the egg is also regarded as illegal according to Islamic law.
What Types of Eggs Are Halal In Islam?
Eggs are real energy bombs packed with nutrients and are valuable for human consumption.
Most Muslims adhere to strict halal dietary principles and only eat foods permitted by Islamic law and deemed fit for the diet of their worshipers.
Halal food also includes various types of eggs.
The primary criterion that makes an egg permissible is that it was laid by an animal allowed to eat according to Islamic rules.
Among the halal eggs, according to Islam, there are chicken eggs, eggs of ducks, geese, turkeys, quails, ostriches, pigeons, and fish. In addition, fish eggs are consumed as caviar, roe, and tobiko.
All these eggs can be eaten and prepared in different ways.
Eggs can be boiled, baked, fried, or otherwise prepared.
However, halal eggs mustn’t be prepared so that they come into contact with any haram food, as this would also make them prohibited under the laws of halal nutrition.
For example, you may not fry eggs in lard or the same oil you previously fried some haram food.
If these principles are respected, the listed eggs are considered halal.
What Types of Eggs Are Haram In Islam?
As we have already said, according to Islamic law, the eggs of haram animals also cannot be considered permissible.
It is why the eggs of some birds and reptiles are haram for people who follow the principles of halal nutrition.
Haram eggs can harm humans because they come from an animal that eats meat.
Muslims are not allowed to eat the eggs of birds of prey, such as hawks, falcons, or eagles, because these birds feed on other animals.
According to the halal food law, these birds’ meat and all by-products are considered impure, so their eggs are also haram.
Also, Muslims are prohibited from eating vulture eggs because vultures feed on dead animals.
It is a major sin for Muslims and is considered highly unsafe for human health.
Also, Muslims may not eat the eggs of crocodiles, snakes, alligators, lizards, or Komodo dragons.
All these eggs are considered potentially dangerous and are, therefore, haram.
Are Eggs with Blood Halal or Haram?
A question often asked among Muslims and others who follow the rules of halal nutrition is whether eggs with blood are halal or haram.
Let’s first clarify where the blood in eggs comes from.
You probably once cracked an egg and found a drop of blood in it.
Although this scene may cause discomfort or even disgust for some people, scientists claim that there is no need to worry.
It is only a blood vessel that bursts during the egg formation process and remains as a drop of blood.
These eggs are completely safe for consumption.
However, some Muslims are concerned about this issue because blood is haram according to Islamic rules.
Muslims do not eat animals if all the blood has not drained from them after slaughter, and they also do not eat meat prepared in such a way that traces of blood remain in it.
However, Islamic scholars agree that this rule does not apply to eggs.
Eggs with blood are halal, and all Muslims can consume them without worrying about breaking the laws of their religion.
It should be noted that this is a matter of personal choice, and avoiding these types of eggs is perfectly fine if you do not feel comfortable consuming them.
On the other hand, it is important to know that Islamic rules do not prohibit such eggs and that eggs with blood are halal as long as they come from a halal animal.
Are Raw Eggs Halal or Haram?
Another question often arises is whether raw eggs are halal or haram in Islam.
Some dishes contain raw eggs, such as some types of desserts or various savory dishes.
Also, some people drink raw eggs; some studies show it can positively affect their voice.
Islamic law does not prohibit raw eggs, and this matter has no restrictions.
However, for health reasons, one should be careful with raw eggs because they can sometimes be infected with some bacteria that can be transmitted to humans if the eggs are not thermally processed.
If you still decide to consume raw eggs, you can rest easy from the religious aspect because all halal eggs are considered permissible even when they are raw.
On the other hand, the eggs of haram animals are always haram, regardless of whether they are thermally processed or left raw.
That is why the eggs of reptiles and birds of prey are not consumed either raw or thermally processed.
Are Eggshells Halal or Haram?
Another question that is sometimes asked is whether eggshells are halal or haram in Islam.
Although most people do not eat eggshells, scientists claim they are excellent for strengthening teeth, bones, and hair thanks to calcium.
According to some recipes, washed and boiled eggshells should be baked and then ground until you get a fine powder that can be sprinkled on salads, sandwiches, omelets, or any other dish.
There is no reason why eggshells should be considered haram, so Islamic scholars agree that they are halal as long as they come from halal eggs.
So the eggs of all permitted animals are halal, and therefore their shells are halal, so if you want to try this recipe, go ahead.
Are Unlaid Eggs Halal or Haram?
Here is a somewhat controversial question.
Muslims worldwide sometimes wonder if unlaid eggs are halal or haram according to Islamic law.
It is about the fact that sometimes a slaughtered animal contains an egg that has not yet hatched.
In some cultures, it is considered normal to consume such an egg.
It may sound wrong or cruel to some, but it is important to note that the rules of Islamic law do not prohibit such eggs.
According to Islamic law, unlaid eggs are halal, regardless of how the chicken or other animal was slaughtered.
As with other eggs, the only important thing is that the egg comes from a halal animal.
How Is It Determined Whether an Egg Is Halal or Haram In Islam?
The basic rule determining whether a type of egg is considered halal or haram is whether it was laid by a halal or haram animal.
Eggs from halal animals such as chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, or ostriches are halal, as are fish eggs, as fish are permissible animals for Muslims.
On the other hand, the eggs of haram animals are also haram and must not be eaten by Muslims.
It applies to the eggs of birds of prey but also the eggs of reptiles.
Therefore, according to Islamic law, one may not eat the eggs of alligators, snakes, turtles, crocodiles, lizards, and similar animals.
In addition to this principle, Islamic law also relies on the principle of safety so that all types of eggs that could harm the human body are considered haram.
Summary
If you were wondering whether eggs are halal or haram in Islam, we have clarified this topic in detail in the previous lines.
Eggs are considered a very healthy food, and in addition to chicken eggs, which are the most common, various other types of eggs are consumed worldwide.
The most important rule regarding the halal status of eggs is that eggs are halal if they come from a halal animal and haram if they come from a haram animal.
Raw eggs are also considered halal, as are eggs with blood and eggshells.
Even unlaid eggs are halal if they are found in a halal animal.
If you have any further doubts about the halal status of eggs, you can contact your religious authority to clarify any dilemmas.
More topics to discover:
