New Chicago Festival Promotes Halal Lifestyle

When most people hear the term halal, it’s likely they think of meat. Specifically, meat prepared as prescribed by Muslim law. Salman Chaudry, co-managing director of the first-ever Halal lifestyle festival in America, is out to change that line of thinking. Instead, halal extends beyond meat and embraces a lifestyle, Chaudry says.

I Heart Halal will take place at Chicago’s Navy Pier from Friday, April 13 through Sunday, April 15. To reinforce the idea of a halal lifestyle, which Chaudry admits might be a foreign idea initially to some, it’s packed its programming to include a wide range of nationally-recognized experts and entertainers.

“Consumers today are more conscious of what they’re consuming and putting into their bodies,” Chaudry says. “Halal meat is one product that would appeal to these consumers because of how the meat is prepared, but halal goes beyond food and includes health, wellness, travel, fashion, beauty and even finance. A halal lifestyle is more focused on those who want to live a good, values-driven life. ”

“Halal” means permissible according to Islam, but among Muslims today, it means so much more. Halal products are those that are good, wholesome, healthy, and nutritious. They may be ethically-sourced and produced, cruelty-free, vegan, vegetarian, or organic. There are also halal actions. To “live halal” is to choose a life that is authentic, where one’s actions express one’s own values in today’s world.

For comparison, Chaudry points to those who prefer to eat organic food, or those who live a socially-conscious lifestyle. Both are in line with a halal lifestyle, he says, and it has a broader appeal to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

"Halal meat is one product that would appeal to these consumers because of how the meat is prepared, but halal goes beyond food and includes health, wellness, travel,

“We created I Heart Halal as a space for people to come together as a community,” he adds. For Muslims, it’s an opportunity for them to come together and connect with others with a similar background and interest. For non-Muslims, it introduces them to halal in a way that they may not have ever experienced or considered.

To help bridge the gap and showcase all that is halal, Chaudry and his team have gone out of their way to ensure the programming is top-notch and includes something for everyone.

Link-> https://www.forbes.com/sites/megykarydes/2018/03/28/new-chicago-festival-promotes-halal-lifestyle/#611aa63744ac