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Halal Is “Halal” in English: How to Say Certification, Dishes, and Non-Pork in English

Published: October 19, 2026 / Last updated: October 24, 2026

Category: For businesses

Halal is also “halal” in English. Its opposite is “haram”

The English spelling of halal is simply “halal.” The UK’s Cambridge Dictionary lists it as an adjective. For food or places selling food, it explains that the word means complying with Islamic law, such as the rules for slaughtering animals for meat (secondary source). The opposite word is “haram,” which the same dictionary explains as not allowed under Islamic law.

The table below lists words for signs and menus. All appear in public materials from the Japan Tourism Agency, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), and other public sources.

JapaneseEnglishWhere it appears
ハラルhalalTokyo Metropolitan Government, EAT TOKYO; Codex Alimentarius Commission
ハラル食品halal foodCodex Alimentarius Commission
ハラル認証を受けたhalal-certifiedJNTO
ハラル食材だけを使ったwith halal ingredients onlyJapan Tourism Agency
ノンポークnon-porkJapan Tourism Agency
ノンアルコール（料理）non-alcoholJapan Tourism Agency
ノンアルコール（飲み物）non-alcoholic beveragesTokyo Metropolitan Government, EAT TOKYO
ムスリムフレンドリーMuslim-friendlyJNTO
礼拝室prayer roomJNTO

Japanese has two spellings, ハラル and ハラール, but the English spelling is halal. Cambridge Dictionary’s pronunciation symbols place the stress on the second syllable in both British and American English (secondary source).

There are exceptions to the spelling. A South African halal organization calls itself the “South African National Halaal Authority,” spelling Halaal with two a’s. When a business in Japan writes in English, using halal, as Japanese certification bodies do in their English names, avoids confusion. The English name of the association (日本ハラール協会) is “Japan Halal Association.”

For the meaning itself, see What Is Halal? It Means “Permitted”: The Basics of Halal Food. This article explains wording for signs and menus in English, based on examples from public materials.

Writing “halal certification” and “halal food” in English

To say that something has halal certification, use “halal-certified.” JNTO’s English guide for Muslim travelers describes certified restaurants as “halal-certified.” The document proving halal certification is a “halal certificate.” JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia), the Malaysian government body responsible for halal certification, describes its application system as a system for applying for a “Halal certificate.”

Halal food is written as “halal food.” The Codex Alimentarius Commission, which develops international food standards, defines “Halal Food” as food permitted under Islamic law in guidelines adopted in 1997. The definition covers more than the absence of prohibited ingredients in the food itself. It also includes not preparing, transporting, or storing it with equipment that has been in contact with prohibited things.

The same guidelines say that when food is claimed to be halal, the label should include halal or an equivalent term. Under this definition, writing halal in English communicates compliance with rules covering preparation and storage too. It is safer for an uncertified restaurant or product to avoid putting the word halal alone on a sign. For how to read certification logos, see What Is a Halal Logo? How to Read Logos That Differ by Organization, and How to Check That One Is Genuine.

Before writing “halal dishes” in English

Take care when translating the Japanese phrase “halal dishes” (ハラル料理) directly as halal dishes. The Japan Tourism Agency’s “Hospitality Guide for Vegetarian, Vegan, and Muslim Travelers: Reference Volume” (called the agency’s Reference Volume below) warns that terms such as “halal dishes” (ハラール料理) and “halal restaurants” (ハラール店舗) may be understood to mean strict arrangements covering the cooking and storage environment, tableware, and dining area, as well as ingredients. It recommends wording that accurately communicates that the ingredients used are halal.

The Reference Volume gives menu examples that place a note in parentheses after the dish name.

Japanese menu wordingEnglish examples in the Reference Volume
うどん（ハラール食材使用メニュー）Udon (with halal ingredients only)
ハラール食材のみを使った料理の店舗ですThis restaurant serves dishes prepared only with Halal ingredients

It also gives examples of explanations. For dishes made with halal ingredients, the Reference Volume separately states what is and is not used: “only use halal certified ingredients” (using only certified ingredients), “do not contain any uncertified meats or alcohol” (using no uncertified meat or alcohol), and “Alcohol added seasonings are also not used” (using no seasonings with added alcohol).

There is also an example for a restaurant that makes all its dishes with halal ingredients only but serves alcoholic drinks. After explaining the ingredients, it adds “Alcoholic beverages may be served” and explains that drinks are managed separately from ingredients. Stating both what is and is not served lets readers decide for themselves.

The agency’s Reference Volume also says to leave the decision about what is halal to Muslim travelers and avoid using the word casually. The same applies in English. Describing what is and is not used communicates more than the word halal alone.

English for non-pork and non-alcohol

The agency’s Reference Volume uses “non-pork” to say that pork is not used.

What you want to sayEnglish examples in the Reference Volume
Non-pork dishes are available (ノンポークの料理があります)Non-pork dishes are available.
A restaurant serving non-pork dishes (ノンポーク料理の店舗です)“All the dishes” are non-pork.
Non-alcohol dishes are available (ノンアルコールの料理があります)Non-alcohol dishes are available
A restaurant serving non-alcohol dishes (ノンアルコールの料理の店舗です)“All the dishes” are Non-alcohol.

In the Reference Volume, non-pork means using no pork, lard (ラード), pork bones (豚骨), or processed foods and seasonings labeled “pork” (豚) or “pork-derived” (豚由来). Non-alcohol means using no alcoholic drinks such as beer or sake and no seasonings containing alcohol, such as mirin (みりん). The Reference Volume notes that mirin belongs to the compound alcoholic beverage category. Before writing non-pork or non-alcohol in English, check that nothing in this scope is actually used.

The Reference Volume makes another important point about non-pork labeling: also state whether the non-pork food uses halal meat or does not use halal meat. Non-pork means pork is not used. It does not tell readers whether the beef or chicken is halal.

For drinks, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s multilingual menu creation website, EAT TOKYO, translates “non-alcohol” (ノンアルコール) as “Non-alcoholic Beverages.” The wording differs between sources: the agency’s Reference Volume uses non-alcohol for dishes, while EAT TOKYO uses non-alcoholic for drinks.

Pictograms are another option. According to the Reference Volume, some people find pictures useful, while some Muslims find pictures of pigs unpleasant. It is helpful to keep an option using English words alone.

English names for ingredients related to pork and alcohol

EAT TOKYO’s translations can help when writing ingredient names in English. The main ingredients related to pork and alcohol are listed below.

JapaneseEAT TOKYO translations
豚肉Pork
ラードLard
ゼラチンGelatin
牛脂Beef Suet
ブイヨンBouillon
豚骨ラーメンRamen Noodles with Pork-bone Stock
アルコールAlcohol
酒Sake
日本酒Japanese Sake
みりんMirin, Sweet Sake
ブランデーBrandy
ラム酒Rum

Translations of mirin differ between sources. EAT TOKYO uses “Mirin, Sweet Sake,” while the agency’s Reference Volume uses “sweet cooking rice wine.” It calls cooking sake (料理酒) “cooking sake.” EAT TOKYO combines the romanized reading with an explanation; the agency’s examples use an explanation alone.

The Japan Tourism Agency’s “Guidelines for Improving and Strengthening Multilingual Support to Make Japan a Tourism-Oriented Country” recommend writing Japanese words with no English equivalent in Hepburn romanization, followed by an explanation in parentheses. The example is “Noren (Traditional shop curtain).” Following this pattern, you can write “Mirin (sweet cooking rice wine).” The guidelines also specify a space before the opening parenthesis.

Gelatin (ゼラチン), emulsifiers (乳化剤), and shortening (ショートニング) may be made from pork. The Reference Volume says that when ingredients include emulsifiers or similar terms, their origin should be checked with the manufacturer. Writing “Gelatin” in English does not tell readers what it was made from. If the origin is known, adding the animal’s name helps readers decide. For how to identify alcohol in seasonings, see Are Soy Sauce, Mirin, Miso, and Vinegar Halal? Checking the Ingredients of Japanese Seasonings for Alcohol.

English beyond food: Muslim-friendly, prayer rooms, and other terms

JNTO’s English guide uses “Muslim-friendly” for restaurants and food that Muslim travelers can use more easily. The same article uses halal-certified for certified restaurants, distinguishing the terms.

However, what Muslim-friendly means varies by who uses it. The Japan Halal Association warns that Muslims may understand “Muslim-friendly” (ムスリムフレンドリー) to mean that the food is halal, while in Japan the term may also be used when only some menu items are halal, causing misunderstandings. If you write Muslim-friendly in English, adding terms such as non-pork and non-alcohol better explains what is offered. We compare these different uses in What Does “Muslim-Friendly” Mean? How It Differs from Halal Certification, and Standards That Vary by Who Uses the Label.

Prayer provides some useful terms beyond food. JNTO’s prayer information page calls prayer rooms across Japan “prayer rooms.” It explains that some have “wudu facilities” (facilities to wash the hands and feet before prayer), “prayer mats,” and “qibla marking” (a mark showing the prayer direction). These words are useful when offering a corner of your place for prayer or directing someone to a nearby prayer room.

JapaneseEnglish
礼拝室prayer room
清めの設備wudu facilities
礼拝用のマットprayer mat
礼拝の方角（キブラ）の表示qibla marking

Start by adding English to dish names on the menu

If making signs in English feels difficult, start by adding English to dish names on the menu. The agency’s Reference Volume says that even restaurants making no particular arrangements for Muslims can give Muslims information to decide what they can eat simply by adding English to dish and ingredient names. Its example is “Fried Noodles (Pork)” (焼きそば〈豚〉). A note after a dish name saying that it contains pork can be valuable information for someone choosing food.

It is especially useful to label dishes containing pork or alcohol in English. Describing the ingredients in dishes that use them, rather than marking only dishes without them, makes choosing easier for readers.

The Reference Volume also says that all customer-facing staff, as well as owners and chefs, should understand the arrangements correctly. Once you have made an English menu, check with everyone at the restaurant what the wording promises. For examples of answers to questions from customers in English, see How to Answer Questions from Muslim Customers: What to Tell Them About Pork, Alcohol, and Cooking Utensils. For the steps to make the whole menu multilingual, see How to Make a Multilingual Menu: Add Pork and Alcohol Information to Translated Dish Names.

The single word halal is short and useful, but it communicates a broad meaning that readers may interpret differently. When writing in English, stating the ingredients you use and those you do not use is a reliable approach.

Quotes from Japanese sources in this article are our own translations.

Sources

Primary sources

Secondary sources (cited in the article and identified as such)

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