Is It Permissible To Eat Raw Meat?
The core of the framework is distinguishing between Religion (Deen) and Reason (Aql). Religious Prohibition (Haram) is based on Tazkiyah (purity of the soul). Things like pork, blood, or carrion are declared Haram because they are morally and spiritually “Rijs” (filthy). Eating them stains the human Fitrah (nature). This is a moral boundary set by God that we wouldn’t necessarily know through biology alone. Raw meat (like chicken or minced beef) is not listed as Haram because it isn’t “spiritually filthy.” However, it can be physically dangerous. Religion doesn’t need to tell you “don’t drink poison” or “don’t eat rotten food” because God has already given you Aql (Reason), common sense and Instinct to figure that out. Islam focuses its prohibitions on moral values because that is where humans stumble the most. We don’t need a Prophet to tell us that a parasite will make us sick—our survival instinct tells us that. But we do need guidance to understand what harms our character and our relationship with the Creator. The fact that the basis of Hurmat is moral doesn’t mean the biology is irrelevant; it just means that “Haram” is a specific religious category for spiritual filth. While the meat itself might not be “Haram,” the act of knowingly harming yourself is strictly prohibited. The Quran is explicit: “And do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction.” (2:195) If you eat raw meat knowing it carries a high risk of severe illness or death, you are violating the command to preserve the life Allah gave you. If a person knowingly consumes something that leads to their death, it falls under the category of self-harm or even “slow suicide.” The “sin” here isn’t the meat—it’s the irresponsibility and the neglect of your own life.