Something is considered halal when it complies with Islamic law, meaning it is lawful or permissible for Muslims to consume or use. This involves several key criteria:

• Ingredients must not include anything prohibited by Islamic law, such as pork, blood, alcohol, or any derivatives of these forbidden items.
• Animals for meat must be slaughtered according to the Islamic method called dhabihah, in which a Muslim invokes the name of Allah, and the animal's blood is fully drained to avoid consumption of blood.
• The entire production process, including sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, and storage, must avoid contamination with haram (forbidden) substances. Equipment and utensils used must be clean and not previously used for haram products.
• Ethical and cleanliness standards aligned with Islamic principles must be adhered to.

Thus, halal extends beyond food to other products like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals but always requires compliance with the defined religious guidelines to be considered permissible for Muslims.