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Is Shawarma Halal? Meat, Certification and What to Ask

Short answer Depends

Shawarma is usually made from lamb, chicken, beef, turkey or veal [1], all animals Muslims can eat. But the dish is only halal if that meat was slaughtered properly with God's name said over it [3]. Some US restaurants serve certified meat, and some mix halal and non-halal meats [11][12]. Ask which certifier supplies it.

Last verified: If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

What the schools of thought say

SchoolViewSource
Meat from non-Muslim suppliers (permissive view) Meat slaughtered by Jews and Christians is permissible when properly slaughtered, and meat whose method is unknown is treated as permissible by default. [4][5]
Hanafi (cautious view) Meat from Jews and Christians counts only if God's name was said and at least three of the four throat vessels were cut; when this can't be verified, the answer advises avoiding it. [6]
Ja'fari The slaughterer must be a Muslim, so meat slaughtered by Jews or Christians does not become lawful, as an obligatory precaution. [7]

What shawarma is made of

Shawarma is a Levantine dish. Thin slices of seasoned meat are stacked on a tall skewer, roasted on a turning vertical spit, and shaved off as they cook [1]. Lamb or mutton is traditional. Chicken, turkey, beef and veal are also common [1].

The usual sauces are plant-based. Toum is a garlic sauce made with oil and lemon, and tarator is made with tahini, garlic and lemon [1].

None of these meats are forbidden in themselves. The Qur'an forbids pork, carrion, blood and animals dedicated to other than God [2]. So the halal question for shawarma is almost always about how the meat was slaughtered.

Why the slaughter matters

Chicken or lamb is only halal when the animal is slaughtered properly. The Qur'an tells believers not to eat meat over which God's name was not said [3].

Scholars differ on meat from Jewish and Christian suppliers, which the Qur'an allows in principle [4]:

  • One view holds that such meat is permissible when properly slaughtered, and treats unknown cases as permissible by default [5].
  • A Hanafi view requires that God's name be said and the throat vessels be cut, and advises avoiding meat when that can't be confirmed [6].
  • The Ja'fari view requires a Muslim slaughterer [7].

That is why many Muslims look for shawarma made with certified halal or zabiha meat. HMS, a US certifier, certifies only hand-slaughtered meat and follows it from the slaughterhouse to the restaurant [9].

Shawarma at US restaurants and chains

No US rule says a shawarma shop must serve halal meat, and some chains mix halal and non-halal meat:

  • Zankou Chicken, a Los Angeles chain known for shawarma [10], says its Chicken Tarna and Chicken Kabobs are halal-certified at all locations, and that all meats are halal-certified at its Anaheim store [11]. See Zankou Chicken.
  • Naf Naf Grill says it offers both halal-certified and non-halal meat. The only item it names as certified is its crispy chicken tenders [12]. See Naf Naf Grill.

For other Mediterranean chains, see Cava and Mezeh. Always check the current statement, because menus and suppliers change.

How to check a shawarma spot

The USDA does not define what halal means. It only requires labels to be truthful [13]. So the word "halal" in a window is a claim, not proof.

Some states do more. Under New York's Halal Foods Protection Act, restaurants that sell food as halal must post a Halal Certification Form where customers can see it and file it with the state [8].

When you order:

  1. Ask for the certificate and the certifier's name.
  2. Ask about each meat. A shop may buy halal chicken but not halal beef.
  3. Ask about the grill and spit. Does any pork or bacon share the same equipment?
  4. Check the sauces. Garlic and tahini sauces are usually plant-based, but ask about anything with wine.

Falafel, which some shops use in place of meat [1], is a meat-free option. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

Frequently asked questions

Is chicken shawarma halal?

Chicken is a halal animal, but chicken shawarma is only halal if the bird was slaughtered properly with God's name said over it [3]. Ask the restaurant which certifier supplies its chicken. At chains, check which meats are certified [11][12].

Is shawarma ever made with pork?

Traditional shawarma uses lamb, mutton, chicken, turkey, beef or veal [1], not pork. Mexican tacos al pastor grew out of shawarma [1] but are a different dish. If a menu is unclear, ask what meat is on the spit.

Is shawarma the same as gyro?

They are close relatives. Shawarma's spit-roasting method first appeared in the Ottoman döner kebab [1]. Whatever the name, the dish is only halal if its meat was slaughtered properly. See our gyro page.

How do I know a shawarma restaurant is really halal?

Ask for a current certificate that names the certifier. In New York, restaurants selling food as halal must post a certification form for customers [8]. Ask about each meat, since a shop may serve some halal meats and not others.

Sources

  1. Shawarma · Wikipedia · accessed
  2. Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:3 · Quran.com · accessed
  3. Surah Al-An'am 6:121 · Quran.com · accessed
  4. Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:5 · Quran.com · accessed
  5. Permissibility of eating meat slaughtered by Christians and Jews · Islam Question & Answer · accessed
  6. Eating the Meat of the People of the Book · SeekersGuidance · accessed
  7. Islamic Laws: Conditions of Slaughtering an Animal (Ruling 2611) · Office of Ayatollah al-Sistani · accessed
  8. Religious Exemptions, Certifications, and Cultural Practices · Cornell Small Farms Program · accessed
  9. Know Your Zabiha Halal · Halal Monitoring Services (HMS) · accessed
  10. Zankou Chicken · Wikipedia · accessed
  11. FAQ · Zankou Chicken · accessed
  12. Nutrition and allergen guide · Naf Naf Grill · accessed
  13. Should the USDA stand behind the 'zabiha halal' label? · Food Safety News · accessed