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INTRODUCTION TO HALAL

• Halal means permissible and lawful.

• It applies not only to meat and poultry,but also to other food products, cosmetics, and

personal care products.

• Things or actions permitted by shariah law without punishment imposed on the doer

THE PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPT OF HALAL

Halal Food Concept

The underlying principle for a Muslim diet is

Food has to be halal (permissible) and thoyyiban (wholesome:

healthy, safe, nutritious, quality)

All food are Halal except a few mentioned in the Quran (pork,

blood, carrion and those animals slaughtered without the name of

Allah)

Halal = not poisonous, not intoxicating and non hazardous to health

HALAL

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The basic principle is that all things created by God are permitted, with a few exceptions

that are specifically prohibited

Pork/Dog

Blood

Meat Of Animals That Died Of Causes Other Than Proper Slaughtering

According To Syariah

Food That Has Been Dedicated Or Immolated To Someone Other Than Allah

Khamr (Liquor)

Intoxicants

Inappropriately Used Of Drugs

To make lawful and unlawful is the right of God alone.

No human being, no matter how pious or powerful, may take this right into his

own hands.

PRINCIPLE 1

SURAH AL-MA’IDAH 5:3

Forbidden unto you (for food) are : carrion and blood and swine

flesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than

Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the

dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been

killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts

saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke) and that

which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that

ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination…

PRINCIPLE 2

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Examples: The industrial are forbidden to change this principles by mix the Halal

and Haram terms together.

The basic reasons for the prohibition of things are impurity and harmfulness.

A Muslim is not required to know exactly why or how something is unclean or

harmful in what God has prohibited.

There might be obvious reasons, and there might be obscure reasons.

What is permitted is sufficient, and what is prohibited is then superfluous.

God prohibited only things that are unnecessary or dispensable while providing

better alternatives.

People can survive and live better without consuming unhealthy carrion,

unhealthy pork, unhealthy blood, and the root of many vices - alcohol

PRINCIPLE 3

PRINCIPLE 4

The following rationales might be considered:

Carrion and dead animals are unfit for human consumption because the

decaying process leads to the formation of chemicals harmful to humans.

Blood that is drained from an animal contains harmful bacteria, products of

metabolism, and toxins.

Intoxicants are considered harmful for the nervous system, affecting the

senses and human judgements, leading to social and family problems and

in some cases even death.

Swine serves as a vector for pathogenic worms to enter the human body.

Infections by Trichinellaspiralis and Taeniasolium are common.

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Whatever is conducive to the “prohibited” is in itself prohibited.

If something is prohibited, anything leading to it, is also prohibited.

E.g The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w cursed not only the one who drinks

intoxicating drinks but also the one who produces them, the one who serves

them, the one to whom they are served and also the one to whom the price of

them is paid.

Falsely representing unlawful as lawful is prohibited. It is unlawful to legalize

God’s prohibitions by flimsy excuses. To represent lawful as unlawful is also

prohibited.

It is unlawful to make flimsy excuses or to consume something that is prohibited,

such as drinking khamr for supposedly medical reason.

Calling a Haram thing by a name other than its own or changing its form while

retaining its essence is a devious tactic. It remain sinful

Doubtful things should be avoided. There is a gray area between clearly lawful

and clearly unlawful. This is the area of “what is doubtful.”

Islam considers it an act of piety for Muslims to avoid doubtful things, and for

them to stay clear of the unlawful

E.g Enzymes from doubtful sources should be avoided as food ingredients

PRINCIPLE 5

PRINCIPLE 6

Hadith : A group of people will make peoples intoxication halal (allowable)

by giving it other names (Narrated by Ahmad)

PRINCIPLE 7

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THE IMPORTANCE OF HALAL

Muslims are required to eat Halal as a testimony of one’s identity, love and submission to Allah S.W.T. Interestingly, the act of eating Halal has a direct consequence on our Ibadah. It is clear that each of us should be peculiar regarding what we eat depending on our situation. The phrase “you are what you eat” holds a great amount of truth in Islam. The great success of companion of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w could partially be attributed to their cautious watch over Halal consumption. For an example, a bodybuilder consumes high protein and low fat because lifting weights is dependent on certain dietary needs. Similarly, a Muslim requires Halal intake because Salat is based upon our spiritual condition. Just as a Muslim’s prayer is jeopardized if he or she consumes haram food, how can our prayers to be accept while impurity runs through the veins of our bodies Halal food has a direct consequence on our health. The halal food from the farm to the table, and requires nutritious items prepared from permissible ingredients in a clean and hygienic manner. In relation to the halal certification, the procedures refer to preparation, slaughtering, ingredients used, cleaning, handling and processing, right down to transportation and distribution. Halal food also must be in good standards of hygiene and sanitation, and must not be harmful to health. Eating Halal is a fundamental attribute of the Prophetic teachings, the premise to being a Muslim. We as Muslims must unconditionally love the Prophet (SAW) and strive to emulate his lifestyle and embody his teachings. The Prophet (SAW) was very particular in what he ate and we too, out of love for Allah and his Prophet (SAW), should also be particular in what we consume. As Muslim, we are fundamentally obliged to eat Halal in order to ensure a righteous lifestyle in following the footsteps of the Prophet (SAW).

Hadith al-Bukhari and Muslim Prophet Muhammad said: “Halal (Lawful) is clear and Haram is clear; in between these two are certain things that are suspected (Shubha). Many people may not know whether those items are halal or Haram. Whosoever leaves them, he is innocent towards his religion and his conscience. He is, therefore, safe. Anyone who gets involved in any of these suspected items, he may fall into the unlawful and the prohibition. This case is similar to the one who wishes to raise his animals next to a restricted area, he may step into it. Indeed for every landlord there is a restricted area. Indeed the restrictions of Allah are the unlawful (Haram).”

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HALAL INDUSTRY SEGMENTS

Identify halal industry segments

a. Products

i. Food Products - a substance that can be used or prepared for use as food. Food industry

globally are looking at the ‘ يب الا ط concept as a new tool for marketing ’ال ح

For example

breadstuff - flour or meal or grain used in baking bread

food colouring - a digestible substance used to give color to food; "food color made from

vegetable dyes"

flour - fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain

dairy product - milk and butter and cheese

milk - any of several nutritive milklike liquids

juice - the liquid part that can be extracted from plant or animal tissue by squeezing or

cooking

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ii. Non Food Products- designating or of all commodities other than food

Pharmaceuticals- drug or medicine that is prepared or dispensed in pharmacies and

used in medical treatment. Pharmaceutical referred in this standard (MS 2424:2010 (P)

are phamaceutical products in finished dosage forms, and includes both presciption and

non- presciption medicinal products for human use. Example: biopharmaceuticals,

radiopharmaceuticals, traditional medicines and investigational medicinal products which

are registered with the Drug Control Authority, Ministry of Health Malaysia.

Most pharmaceutical is marketed are not Halal and has spurred demand for genuine

Halal products, hence need Halal certification from competent authority

A choice for Muslims to consume Halal Pharmaceuticals.

Cosmetics-any preparation applied to the body, esp the face, with the

intention of beautifying it

Driving Factors for Global Halal Pharmaceuticals

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Personal care product - A non-medicinal consumable product that is intended to be used

in the topical care and grooming of the body and hair and that is rubbed, poured,

sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to a body, human or

animal, for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance

without affecting the body’s structure or functions. Personal care products are

specifically for use in such activities as cleansing, toning, moisturizing, hydrating,

exfoliating, conditioning, anointing, massaging, coloring/decorating, soothing,

deodorizing, perfuming, and styling.”

Leatherwear - clothing and accessories made of leather

b. Services

i.Food (hotel and catering services)

Hotel - A commercial establishment providing lodging, meals, and other guest

services.

Catering is the activity of providing food and beverage for events. Caterers are

either independent vendors or individuals within a particular department of a facility

(such as a hotel, restaurant, institution, venue, etc.).

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Catering is provided at a full range of events, including business meetings,

conferences, exhibitions, special events, weddings, and other social occasions. In

addition to responsibilities for food and beverage, many caterers also handle event

decor, and other aspects of the program. The catering manager will typically

manage the staffing of servers, chefs and others.

Examples: The event manager organized a fund raising special event at the local hotel, and the

catering department handled all logistics associated with food, beverage, decor and

entertainment for the program. Catering included a cocktail hour and a formal sit

down meal.

ii.Related Activities

Certification - Improve the certification process Provide product and premise

certification services Monitoring and network with other relevant agencies

Training – Improve level of awareness on Halal and its benefits Implement

and coordinate HDC training programmes

Halal Awareness Programme (HAP) – for the Public

- Understanding Halal

- Understanding Halal Industry

- MS 1500:2004 – The Halal Standard

Halal Industry Programme (HIP) – for the Industry

- Best Halal Practices in Food Industry

- Effective Halal Operations in Food Industry

- Halal Internal Auditing Workshop

Halal Professional Programme (HPP) – for the Professional

- Professional Halal Trainers Workshop

- Professional Halal Auditors Workshop

- Refresher Course for Halal Consultants

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Banking - Malaysia’s Leadership in Islamic Banking provide an excellent

Syariah compliant financial instruments and services for the Halal Industry

Media- the means of

communication, as radio and television, newspapers, andmagazines, that rea

ch or influence people widely:

Logistics - Halal Logistics is the process of managing the procurement,

movement, storage and handling of materials, parts, livestock and finished /

semi-finished inventory both food and non-food (and related information &

documentation flows) through the organization and the supply chain in

compliance with the general principles of Shariah Law.Halal Logistics

involves providing halal certified cold storage facilities, refrigerated

transportation, and non-contaminated shipping services. Creation of Halal

Distribution Centres

Tourisms - Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and

staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one

consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the

exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited.

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Halal travel is now gaining popularity. This is due to the demand by

affluent Muslim travellers for products and services permitted by Islam

that has extended beyond food and interest-free financial instruments.

Tourism Australia also produces a guide to halal restaurants due to

the growing numbers of travellers from Muslim countries.

In another industry report, according to UAE-based Landmark Hotel

Management Co, they planned to launch 10 shariah compliant hotels

and serviced apartments in the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the end of

2010. Six of the 10 projects were launched in Dubai, two in Abu

Dhabi, one in Fujairah and one in Jeddah, the company said in a

statement. All the projects practise alcohol-free, serve halal food and

give a percentage of their profit to charity.

Haram means prohibited. It is directly opposite of halal.

Carrion or dead animals

Flowing or congealed blood

Swine, including all by-products

Animals slaughtered without pronouncing the name of God on them

Animals killed in a manner that prevents their blood from being fully drainedfrom their

bodies

Animals slaughtered while pronouncing a name other than God

Intoxicants of all types, including alcohol and drugs

Carnivorous animals with fangs, such as lions, dogs, wolves, or tigers

Birds with sharp claws (birds of prey), such as falcons, eagles, owls, or vultures

Land animals such as frogs or snakes

NON HALAL / HARAM

NON-HALAL FOOD PRODUCTS

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Swine - pork, lard, and their by-products or derived ingredients are categorically

prohibited for Muslim consumption. All chances of cross contamination from pork into

halal products must be thoroughly prevented.

Blood — blood that pours forth (liquid blood) is generally not offered in the marketplace

or consumed, but products made from blood and ingredients derived from it are

available. There is general agreement among religious scholars that anything made from

blood is unlawful for Muslims.

Alcohol and other intoxicants — alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, and hard

liquors are strictly prohibited. Foods containing added amounts of alcoholic beverages

are also prohibited because such foods, by definition, become impure. Nonmedical

drugs and other intoxicants that affect a person’s mind, health, and overall performance

are prohibited too.

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REFERENCES Dzulkifly Mat Hashim (2008). Application of the Halal Concept. Head of Laboratory, Halal

Products Research Institute, UPM. From CCMB Seminar On ‘Halal Awareness’, Matrade Kuala Lumpur.

HDC Halal Training Modules. Retrieved February 20, 2010 (details available in

www.hdcglobal.com/portal/indices/training) Retrieved Mac 25, 2010, (details available in halaljakim.gov.my/index) Retrieved August 18, 2010 (details available in http://www.hdcglobal.com/publisher/bhi_halal

certification) Retrieved August 18, 2010 (details available in http://www.halalfoodasia.org/) Retrieved August 18, 2010 (details available in http://www.hdcglobal.com/publisher/bhihc pro

and req) Retrieved August 19, 2010 (details available in

http://www.muslimconsumer.org.my/ppim/news.php) Retrieved August 19, 2010 (details available in http://www.malaysiahalalfoods.com) Retrieved August 19, 2010 (details available in

http://www.worldhalalforum.org/whfeurope/index.html)