Halal o Haram (The Lawful and the Unlawful)

The terms "haram" (unlawful) and "halal" (lawful) are legal designations in Shariah. What is prohibited is haram; what is not, is halal-this is a universally accepted principle without dispute. The real issue lies in application: what specifically falls under each category? Scholars of the past and present have differed on this. Key questions include: What is the purpose behind declaring some things lawful and others unlawful, even though all are God's creations?Who holds the legislative authori