Halal Options Now Available

This fall, the University Auxiliary Services at Albany introduced Halal dining options to the Dutch Quad dining room. Twice a week, at the exhibition station in the dining room, Halal options are presented to students.

Muslims follow a set of strict guidelines called Halal, meaning any object or action which is permissible to use or engage according to Islamic law. This extends into Muslim dietary code and restricts certain preparations of food, much like the kosher guidelines observed by Jews.

The Halal dining program was proposed by Arefur, a senior English and Public Health major from Queens, New York.  Arefur is an active member of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), a student group that helps bring together Muslim students through charity events, recreation, and fundraising efforts. The organization conducts fundraisers for soup kitchens and both local and international charities; they meet with other religious groups on campus to discuss and promote understanding of each other’s beliefs; and they hold social events like movie nights and athletic competitions.

In order to help fit the dietary needs of Muslim students, Arefur looked into bringing Halal food to the UAlbany campus. He reached out to Chartwells Resident District Manager Alisa Mathis Peterson, who contacted a local distributor of Halal meats and arranged to have them delivered to the Dutch Quad dining room.

Before the Halal food was brought to the Dutch Quad dining room, Arefur compared his diet to that of a “vegetarian, or a guy who eats seafood all of the time. It gets depressing, but it’s the alternative and I’ve been doing it for years.”

Arefur stated that he was “absolutely pleased with the results” and noted that there are efforts being made to eventually have Halal food served four days a week.