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Is Turkey Halal? What to Check Before Thanksgiving

Short answer Depends

Turkey is a halal bird. It is not a bird of prey, so it falls outside the hadith that forbids birds with talons [4]. But turkey meat is only halal when the bird is slaughtered properly with God's name said over it [2]. Most US turkeys are not halal certified, so look for a certifier's name.

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

What the schools of thought say

SchoolViewSource
Hanafi Domestic, non-predatory birds such as chicken, duck and goose are halal; birds that hunt with talons are haram. Meat from Christians is avoided when proper slaughter can't be verified. [5][6]
Permissive view on supermarket meat Meat of Jews and Christians is permitted if properly slaughtered, and is presumed permissible when the method is unknown. [3][7]
Machine slaughter (all schools) Disputed. Some certifiers reject automated blade slaughter of poultry; others accept it under conditions. [8][9]

Turkey as an animal: halal

The Qur'an forbids carrion, blood, pork, and animals dedicated to other than God, as well as animals killed by a blow, strangling or a fall [1]. Turkey is not on that list. A hadith in Sahih Muslim forbids beasts with fangs and birds that hunt with talons [4]. Turkeys are farm birds, not hunters.

Hanafi lists of permitted animals include farm birds like chicken, duck and goose, and exclude birds of prey such as hawks and eagles [5]. Turkey fits with the farm birds. We did not find any of the four Sunni schools treating turkey as forbidden.

Why the slaughter decides the answer

The Qur'an tells believers not to eat meat over which God's name was not said [2]. So a halal bird can still give you meat that is not halal.

Most US turkeys are processed in large plants with automated lines. Scholars differ on machine slaughter. The UK's Halal Monitoring Committee rejects it because a Muslim does not slaughter and bless each bird, and it also opposes stunning [8]. A SeekersGuidance answer advises avoiding machine-slaughtered poultry, while noting that some certifiers allow it [9].

Scholars also differ on meat slaughtered by Christians and Jews. The Qur'an permits their food [3]. One view treats such meat as permissible unless it is known to be improperly killed [7]. A Hanafi answer advises avoiding it when proper slaughter can't be confirmed [6].

US law adds another wrinkle. The federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act covers cattle, sheep and other food mammals. Poultry falls under a separate law, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, which the certifier Islamic Services of America describes as having weaker handling rules [13]. That is one reason poultry certifiers publish their own slaughter standards rather than relying on federal rules alone.

Buying a halal turkey in the US

  • Order early. Halal turkeys sell out before Thanksgiving. Halal butchers and some Muslim grocers take preorders.
  • Look for the certifier's name. USDA does not define halal. It only requires labels to be truthful [10]. A label without a named certifier is hard to verify.
  • Ask about hand slaughter. Halal Monitoring Services (HMS) certifies only hand-slaughtered meat and monitors the chain from plant to store [11].
  • In New York, sellers of halal food must register and name their certifier under state law [12].

For brand-level answers, see our Butterball turkey page.

Turkey products: bacon, sausage and deli meat

Turkey bacon and turkey sausage avoid pork, but they are only halal if the turkey was slaughtered properly. Some products use casings or flavorings from other animals. Read the ingredient list and look for a certifier. See turkey bacon and turkey sausage.

Roast turkey at a restaurant or buffet depends on the supplier. Ask to see a current halal certificate. Stuffing and gravy can contain pork fat, bacon or wine, so ask about those too.

Frequently asked questions

Is turkey meat halal in Islam?

The turkey is a halal bird, since it is not a bird of prey [4]. The meat is halal only when the bird was slaughtered properly with God's name said over it [2]. Check for a halal certifier on the label.

Is Butterball turkey halal?

Standard supermarket turkeys in the US do not carry halal certification. Some scholars allow meat from Christians and Jews if it was properly slaughtered [7]; others advise avoiding it when that can't be verified [6]. See our Butterball page for brand details.

Is turkey bacon halal?

Turkey bacon has no pork, but it is only halal if the turkey was slaughtered properly. Look for a halal certifier on the pack and read the ingredients for casings or flavorings from other animals.

Where can I buy a halal turkey for Thanksgiving?

Try halal butchers and Muslim grocers, and order early. Ask who certified the turkey and whether it was hand-slaughtered. HMS, for example, lists only hand-slaughtered meat that it monitors [11].

Sources

  1. Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:3 · Quran.com · accessed
  2. Surah Al-An'am 6:121 · Quran.com · accessed
  3. Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:5 · Quran.com · accessed
  4. Sahih Muslim 1934c (beasts with fangs, birds with talons) · Sunnah.com · accessed
  5. What Animals Are Halal and Haram to Eat in the Hanafi School? · SeekersGuidance · accessed
  6. Eating the Meat of the People of the Book · SeekersGuidance · accessed
  7. Permissibility of eating meat slaughtered by Christians and Jews · IslamQA · accessed
  8. Issues of Mechanical Slaughter and Stunning · Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) · accessed
  9. Is It Better to Avoid All Machine Slaughtered Meat? · SeekersGuidance · accessed
  10. Should the USDA stand behind the 'zabiha halal' label? · Food Safety News · accessed
  11. Know Your Zabiha Halal · Halal Monitoring Services (HMS) · accessed
  12. Religious Exemptions, Certifications, and Cultural Practices · Cornell Small Farms Program · accessed
  13. Humane Slaughter in the United States · Islamic Services of America (ISA) · accessed