Can Religious Liberty Become "Halal"?

The groundswell that began in Tunisia has ousted Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, and is spreading across the Middle East. This moment may well represent a historic turning point for the Muslim world . . . or it may not. The choice is up to new leaders of the Middle East, who will (hopefully) continue to topple authoritarian governments, or at least extract substantial reforms. Now is the time for the Muslim world to rise up—but not just for democracy. As we have seen in China, "democracy" is a sham without real religious liberty. Islam's detractors say that Muslims are incapable of embracing religious liberty, because Islam is an inherently coercive faith. Let us hope that events will prove that assumption untrue.
Those who see Islam as a uniquely oppressive religion fail to note that there was a time when Christians brutally suppressed religious dissent, too. Christians began as persecuted sectarians who hoped only to win the freedom to worship. They got their wish when Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313. But that development set the stage for Christianity to become the state religion of the Roman Empire, and later, for the Catholic powers of medieval Europe. The Catholic Inquisitions were an extreme version of the suppression of religious dissent, and the wars of the Reformation led both Protestants and Catholics to stifle unorthodox sects.
The Puritans of New England, too, outlawed dissenting religious groups such as Baptists, Quakers, and Anglicans. They saw it as a religious duty to expel dissenters such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams, and in the most tragic case, they hung three recalcitrant Quakers in the years 1659-1661. Freedom of religion, to the early Puritans, meant freedom to leave New England if you did not agree with them.

America's pattern of religious persecution only gradually abated during the 18th century. Until the eve of the American Revolution, state-sanctioned maltreatment of dissenting Christians continued. A number of Baptists were put in jail for illegal preaching in Virginia as late as the 1770s, a development that leaders such as Patrick Henry and James Madison watched with disgust. Their revulsion shaped the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights, which affirmed not just "toleration" of dissenters, but the "free exercise of religion." Baptists continued to insist, however, that real religious liberty meant not only stopping the abuse of dissenters, but abolishing official state denominations. This was the triumph of the First Amendment's ban on an "establishment of religion": the United States, unlike England, would not have a national church.
Most Muslim-dominated countries have failed to make the transition to full religious liberty. The reasons why are historically complex. In the early modern period many Muslim countries actually afforded greater protections to religious minorities than Christian countries did (evangelism among Muslims was always problematic, though). But today, Muslim-dominated countries often smother religious dissent and allow minority Muslim and Christian sects to be viciously persecuted. Those who would turn from Islam to other faiths commonly face flagrant harassment or even execution.
Some Muslim leaders have, of course, gone on record favoring religious liberty, but with the sea change happening now in the Muslim world, there has never been a better chance to apply the freedom principle. If fundamentalist Muslims hijack these uprisings and suppress adherents of different beliefs (such as happened in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution), it will be a great tragedy. But if moderate Muslims do not insist upon religious liberty as an essential part of any new democratic order, it will be perceived as an indictment of Islam itself.
I can hear Islam's critics now: "Have you ever read the Quran? Muslims cannot honestly support religious liberty." Remember, Christians have their coercive, violent passages, too. (Ever read the book of Joshua?) Sacred verses commanding the destruction of enemies have always required interpretation. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Christians became almost universally convinced that the Old Testament commands to destroy the Canaanites did not represent a mandate for all time, but only for ancient Israel.
I pray that the Muslim world will condemn violent jihadism and the persecution of religious minorities and converts. As a recent New York Times editorial put it, democracy is now becoming halal (or permissible under Islamic law). Hopefully religious liberty will become halal, too.

Courtesy by: Path Eos

homeNewsFeaturesOpinionWespeaksArtsSportsChew and TellBlargusTrial Halal Food Program Found Fiscally Unsustainable

At the start of the spring semester, Bon Appétit administrators discontinued the Usdan Marketplace Halal food program, which had been running on a trial basis since Oct. 25, citing the program’s financial impracticality. The announcement frustrated many Muslim students, who can no longer purchase Halal meat under the meal plan.
According to Director of Usdan University Center Michelle Myers-Brown, only five or six students picked up Halal meal tickets each week. After Thanksgiving, Bon Appétit administrators decided to switch the program from lunch to dinner in hopes of generating more interest, then cancelled it entirely for the spring semester.
Myers-Brown said that the bulk of the financial burden came from hiring an additional chef who worked 20 hours per week.

“To avoid potential contamination with other foods, the preparation had to be done in a separate kitchen which meant this individual could not also work on other kitchen needs for the general population,” Myers-Brown wrote in an e-mail to The Argus. “Meaning we had hired an individual as special cook for, what ended up being, five to six students.”
According to Ali Chaudhry ’12, who has advocated for a Halal program since his freshman year, there are only 20 to 25 students on campus who identify as Muslim. However, Chaudhry said that the relatively small number of Muslim students on campus does not mean that the program is less valuable.
“Often the school says that if the demand increases they will provide Halal food,” he said. “But that’s a really dangerous kind of argument, because then they are saying the minorities aren’t important in a way.”
Although participants were required to pick up their meal tickets every Monday morning, the food was offered to all students one hour before the end of each meal. According to Chaudhry, each meal was prepared for between 40 and 45 students. Chaudhry said that he believes the Halal station should have been open to all students for the entirety of the meal, just as the kosher station is.
“[40 to 45 students] is a little absurd, because the Muslim students on campus are 20 to 25, and you can’t expect each and every Muslim student to eat there,” he said.
Myers-Brown said that Bon Appétit has explored a number of alternatives, but has not found any to be feasible. Last year, they fulfilled the demand by purchasing frozen meat and selling it for point. However this program required students to prepare the food themselves, and was seen as a temporary solution from an administrative standpoint.
“We have had numerous conversations and looked at many ways we could financially support a program; we have discussed the issue with colleagues on other campus who have strong Halal programs; we have discussed it with [the Finance Office] and with students, we have reached out to distributors,” Myers-Brown wrote. “A big piece of any solution, however, will have to be actual student participation—that did not materialize last semester.”
Chaudhry said that many Muslim students will now have to purchase Halal meat on their own.
“Many of us who are from Muslim programs are on financial aid plans, and expecting us to spend $50 to $100 per week on Halal food is a little outrageous, especially given that we already have a meal plan, which we paid for,” he said.
Chaudhry said he hopes the cause will garner support from the greater University community.
“The idea now is to get student support from across campus,” he said. “To try and get some kind of petition started to get a movement started to get Halal food on campus.”

Courtesy By: The wesleyan

RBC Holds Maulud Nabi Celebration, Receives Halal Certs

Bandar Seri Begawan - Royal Brunei Catering (RBC) organised a Maulidur Rasul 1432H celebration. The celebration was held at Seasons' Restaurant in Gadong yesterday.
The religious occasion saw a recital of al-Quran read by one of the RBC's staff. It followed by the mass reading of ratib al-attas and selawat led by Mudim Haji Metassim bin Haji Metassan. A religious lecture on Maulidur Rasul and leadership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was delivered by Dr Hj Syahroni bin Hj Abd Kahar from Islamic Dakwah Centre.
The guest of honour for the event was Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Religious Affairs, Awg Haji Abd Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Hj Mohd Yussof. Among those who attended the event were the ministry's senior officers, RBC senior management and its staff.
At the ceremony was an official handover of Halal certificates to RBC's four outlets, namely, Season Restaurant, Sungai Tilong, Kiulap and Tutong Express Fast Food.

Courtesy by:  Borneo Bulletin

Brunei Halal brand gets support in S'pore

THE Brunei Halal Brand is enjoying good reception from Singaporean shoppers, especially the Muslim population, who acknowledge the halal certification from Brunei, said a representative from NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Ltd.
Winston Ng, assistant manager of Corporate Communications in an e-mail to The Brunei Times said that the more popular items include the brand's seashell chocolates, biscuits, sparkling juice and instant noodles.
"However, it's too early to comment on any sales figures as we have only launched the range of products some three months ago," said Ng.

NTUC FairPrice, which is run by Singapore's National Trade Union Congress, started offering the Brunei halal products in the middle of October 2010, the first supermarket chain to do so outside the Sultanate.
Around 15 per cent of Singapore's five million people are Muslims.
Brunei's halal brand, which is owned by state company Wafirah Holdings, is handled by Ghanim International Food Corporation, a joint venture company formed in July 2009 by the Brunei government and Hong Kong-based Kerry FSDA.
Kerry Logistics, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based firm, distributes the products. It also handles the products' international freight forwarding and integrated logistics management to ensure compliance with strict halal standards.
Ghanim, on its part, is working with global manufacturers to make products that suit local demand that will need approval by Brunei's halal certification body.
In an earlier statement, Antony Greenstein, Kerry FSDA's director of Global Business, said that the company was confident it would see further opportunities in Asia and Europe "as we roll out the Brunei Halal range of products". Following the Singapore launch, Brunei Halal Brand's Interim Chief Executive Officer said that the brand's marketing and trading agency is looking at two more countries within the region as potential markets.
Noel Shield added: "We are still negotiating with other companies, but to get in a country is not an easy task."
"You can't just turn on the tap as there are a lot of negotiations and hard work involved," he previously said, adding that most importantly, they "needed the right products."
The brand's presence in Singapore marks a significant step for the Sultanate, as efforts to leverage on Brunei's stringent halal certification becomes a reality.
This, Shield said, reinforces what Ghanim has believed all along that the brand has a lot to offer, as product sales across the board have been good.
Further, the Singaporean foray of the brand also shows that efforts to leverage on Brunei's stringent halal certification is now coming to fruition.
"The public's response is way beyond what we expected," Shield said.
"The communities are very much behind the brand and product sales across the range have exceeded (our) expectations."
More than 20 products including cup noodles, noodle nuggets, chocolate, potato chips, prawn crackers, cookies, cheese puffs and sparkling juices, were made available at NTUC's supermarket and stores during the launch.

Courtesy by: Asiaone News

Halal industry seen to propel economy of Mindanao

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Feb. 14 (PIA) -- The huge global market for Halal products may propel the economy in Mindanao, but this is largely dependent on the consciousness of local Muslim consumers and the business community when looking at the vast potentials of the industry.

Dr. Norodin A. Kuit, Muslim Mindanao Halal Certifying Board, Inc. (MMHCBI) Lead Halal Auditor said that halal goods and services are currently valued at USD 1.323 trillion in global food value.

He said that other countries, particularly non-Muslim countries are venturing more on the halal industry because of its multi-billion dollar value. He cited Thailand as champion of the industry, which is currently dubbed as the “kitchen of the world.”

Dr. Kuit said that unlike in the Philippines, Thailand has sole Halal Certifying Board and 33 out of 78 provinces have their own halal program. Eleven universities have their comprehensive halal program, notably the Cholalongkorn University in Bangkok that has their own Halal Science Center with sophisticated 280 million Baht worth of Halal laboratory and equipment.

He added that Thailand government allotted about 40 billion Baht to develop Patani Province as the Key Halal Production Hub of Thailand.

Dr. Kuit said that the Philippines, particularly the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are looking at the model countries for halal industry development in the country.

He said the halal market is so vast that Mindanao particularly the ARMM should take advantage of, adding that Global Muslim consumers are estimated at 1.8 billion in 112 countries. Non-Muslim countries exporting Halal products are Thailand with a value of US$10 billion annually and Australia with US$3.2 billion in 2002.

In his message during the third Halal Consultation and Orientation workshop in Lamitan, Basilan last week Veterinary Dr. Rogelio M. Bahinting, the OIC-Provincial Agriculture Officer challenged stakeholders to take an active role in spreading awareness of the industry towards the pursuit of economic growth in Mindanao.

Saddened by the slow pace of its development since it was started in 2003, Bahinting asked the participants to find the missing link that would raise the halal industry in the Philippines to its maximum growth potential.

He called on all stakeholders to look back at previous consultation meetings if questions and commitments made during those times were answered, particularly in boosting the industry through advocacy, the commitment of the Ulamas in spreading awareness and local government units in policy support.

Courtesy by: PIA Daily News

French Muslims Confused Over Halal Restrictions

The news suspended forks on their way to mouths, and sent supermarkets rushing to pull goods from shelves. Last month, the website Débat Halal claimed it had evidence that a popular brand of halal-certified poultry sausages marketed in France by a giant international food producer actually contain pork, rendering them forbidden — or haram — to Muslims. The accusation led many French Muslims to question how they can be sure that any of the halal food they buy meets certification standards — only to discover that no single set of standards exists for determining which products are halal and which aren't. Now, some observers are hoping that the haram hubbub may finally push France's Muslim leaders to agree upon a united code for the halal food sector — one of the biggest-booming niche markets in the nation.

The stir began when Débat Halal published a Jan. 16 report saying that tests had detected pork — a substance forbidden under both halal and kosher rules — within halal-branded poultry sausages produced by Herta, a unit of global food giant Nestlé. Counter-tests revealed by Herta a week later found no traces of pork in their Knacki Halal poultry sausages. Nevertheless, on Feb. 1, one of France's largest supermarket chains, Casino, removed the sausages from its stores to run its own test to "guarantee the strictest respect of halal certification." Still, the entire episode led Muslim consumers to wonder about the reliability of all the halal food they buy.

Courtesy by: Time

Most halal products lack official approval

Just over a third of all the halal products offered for sale in Indonesia actually have official halal certificates, according food and drug monitoring agencies.

Only 41,495 products — 36.73 percent of all products registered at the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) — had official halal certificates, according to the BPOM.

Lukmanul Hakim, the Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) Food and Drug Analysis Agency chairman, said on Tuesday that there was lack of awareness among manufacturers about the need for halal certification.

Halal certification was needed to show that certain products could be safely consumed Muslims and to ensure that the products could be consumed by all people, regardless of religion, due to the healthy and nutritious ingredients and hygienic production process required for halal products, he said.

“Halal certification will assure that the products are safe both in terms of sharia and hygiene,” he said on the sidelines of a hearing with the House of Representatives’ Commission VIII overseeing religious affairs.

According to government regulations on food labeling and advertising, every manufacturer or importer of products to be circulated in the Indonesian market had to declare that their consumable goods were halal.

They were also responsible for affixing halal labels to their products.

A 1996 Health Ministry regulation stipulated that the MUI’s halal certification process would be based on an edict (fatwa) issued by the council’s commission on the use of product ingredients.

The regulation further stipulated that a agreement letter on the use of halal logos would be issued by the BPOM.

“By attaching a halal logo, a manufacturer ensures that the product is safe for Muslims,” Lukmanul said, adding that such certifications were needed since most Indonesians were Muslim.

In fact, many consumable goods circulating in the domestic market lack halal certificates.

The House of Representatives has been deliberating a bill on halal products that would make it mandatory for food and drugs offered for sale in Indonesia to bear a halal label.

The bill, however, has sparked controversy among manufacturers, who said it would be an additional burden on the national economy. The bill was also criticized as superfluous since existing laws regulating food and drugs were sufficient.

Lukmanul, whose organization and the BPOM have been authorized to issue halal certifications, said the bill would hopefully increase awareness on the importance of certification.

According to a BPOM market survey, 54.9 percent of all products with halal logos that it found offered for sale had not been officially certified halal.

“Not all products with halal logos have official halal certificates,” Lukmanul said, adding that most halal logos were counterfeit.

Lukmanul said the situation was worsening since people were unable to determine whether if the products they purchased were genuinely halal.

BPOM director Kustantinah said the agency had continuously monitored consumable goods safety by intensifying pre-and post-sale controls.

“We still find many products improperly using halal logos, however,” she said.

She said that 357 products of 843 products surveyed by the agency in 2010 improperly displayed halal logos, meaning that they actually had no halal certificates.

Lukmanul said that popular awareness of the importance of halal certifications for daily consumable goods had significantly increased.

Citing a recent report, he said 21,837 products were certified halal in 2010, a 100 percent increase from 2009. About 21 percent of the products certified as halal were imported from the US, the EU, Australia, New Zealand and China, among other countries.

“We have seen a sharp increase in interest among foreign manufacturers to obtain halal certificates for their products. This is part of their strategy to win our market,” he said.

He said Chinese manufacturers’ awareness of halal certifications had increased sharply, as evinced by China’s 21 percent share of halal-certified imported products.

“They may think that a halal certification will increase the competitiveness of their products in the Indonesian market,” he said.

In another hearing session on the bil at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) chairman Soedaryatmo questioned the government’s ability to make the certification obligatory, saying that it had turned blind eye to companies that have refused to comply with the policy.

“It would be better that the certification is voluntary,” he said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

He also said that the existing procedure also burdened micro and small companies as certification officials have asked fees to conduct surveillance on their products.

Courtesy by: The Jakarta Post

How Democracy Became Halal

IN the Western study of medieval Islamic history, the institution of iqta — land grants from the sovereign to his soldiers — once loomed large, because scholars searched for reasons behind the Muslim failure to develop feudalism, and with it the contractual relationships that eventually led to constitutional government. But looking for parallels between the West and Islam — especially the classical Islamic heartland from North Africa to Iran — has always been politically a sad endeavor, since the region seemed so resistant to the ideas and institutions that made representative government possible.
President George W. Bush’s decision to build democracy in Iraq seemed so lame to many people because it appeared, at best, to be another example of American idealism run amok — the forceful implantation of a complex Western idea into infertile authoritarian soil. But Mr. Bush, whose faith in self-government mirrors that of a frontiersman in Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America,” saw truths that more worldly men missed: the idea of democracy had become a potent force among Muslims, and authoritarianism had become the midwife to Islamic extremism.
One of the great under-reported stories of the end of the 20th century was the enormous penetration of the West’s better political ideas — democracy and individual liberty — into the Muslim consciousness. For those of us who speak and read Persian, the startling evolution was easier to see. Theocracy-versus-democracy has been a defining theme of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the revolution, which harnessed both Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s religious charisma and the secular intelligentsia’s democratic aspirations. Over the last three decades, clerical Iran has nurtured an intense intellectual discourse about the duties that man owes to God.
When the legitimacy of theocracy started to unravel amid the regime’s corruption and brutality in the late 1980s, democratic ideas, including powerful democratic interpretations of the Islamic faith, roared forth. The explosion on the streets after the fraudulent presidential elections of June 2009 was just the most visible eruption of the enormous democratic pressures that had built up underneath the republic’s autocracy. More regime-threatening moments are surely coming.
Today’s Arab societies — less intellectually vibrant than Iran, in great part because their regimes have been more effective in shutting down internal debate — have become increasingly schizophrenic. Long before the tumult in Tunisia and Egypt, Arab liberal secular intellectuals had divided. Except for the fearless, who went to prison, liberals who didn’t flee their homelands usually became “court liberals,” whose views never seriously challenged the rulers.
Aware of the dismal fates of their kind in Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini, they faithfully echoed the anti-Islamist, après-moi-le-déluge fears that the region’s autocrats used in Washington whenever American officials objected to tyranny. Democracy remained for them a cherished ideal, attainable at some future date when the Islamists had lost their appeal and the despots their power.
The secular intellectuals in exile, however, more forcefully embraced the democratic cause — their newspapers, books, magazines, Web sites and, increasingly, appearances on Al Jazeera — delivered their views back home. Intellectuals of such diverse viewpoints as Kanan Makiya, Edward Said, Saad Eddin Ibrahim and Burhan Ghalioun opened up an ever-increasing liberal, democratic space in foreign and Arabic publications. Yes, some mixed their message of liberty with other “Arab” priorities: anti-Zionism, anti-Americanism and anti-imperialism. But their support of democracy was clear, and became more acute after the 9/11 attacks.

Courtesy By: The Opinion Page

Halal market valued at $1.2 trillion

More than 1.8 billion consumers worldwide purchase halal products according to the International Halal Integrity Alliance with the halal food market forecast to grow by more than 20% over the next decade.
Taking place from February 27 to March 2 at the Dubai International Convention and Conference Centre, Gulfood 2011 hosts companies from more than 100 countries around the world, and is ideally positioned at the epicentre of a burgeoning international import and export halal market.
“Gulfood plays a pivotal role in the industry by both showcasing products and fostering growth in the regional markets. In terms of the halal food and beverage category specifically, this is demonstrated by the wide range of international companies participating at Gulfood, and the increasing number of local and regional companies specialising in the halal market who attend to broaden their markets beyond the GCC,” said Helal Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of Gulfood.
“Halal is an increasingly important pillar of the trade, and Gulfood is perfectly positioned both geographically and economically as a trading hub to support and facilitate continued growth for local, regional and international businesses in the halal segment,” he added.
The focus on halal products at Gulfood extends from almost every corner of the world, with beef, poultry, dairy, raw ingredients and flavourings, baby foods and processed foods just some of product lines on show. Country pavilions including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, New Zealand, and the US all have exceptionally strong halal product representation.

Khazan Foods, one of the Middle East’s top producers of premium chilled and frozen meat products and quality food in the FMCG market, and the platinum sponsor for this year’s Gulfood exhibition, will be unveiling their latest halal product range aimed at the health conscious consumer. Called Light & Vital, the premium beef, turkey and chicken products are low fat, and free of lactose, MSG, soya and gluten.
“We have chosen Gulfood to launch our latest range because the reach of this exhibition enables us to keep our customers updated on our product offerings, rev up our sales and increase our market share, all at the same time,” said Frank Andreu, General Manager of Khazan.

Included in the 300-plus halal exhibitors at Gulfood this year, are: Al Accad Department Stores, Al Islami Foods, Americana Meat, Brazil Food, Herfy Food Service Co., Matrade, Nestle, Rembrandt Foods Inc., Sadia International, The Halal Catering Argentina and Volys Star.

Courtesy by: Hotelier Meddle East

Halal industry awareness campaign starts

Lahore—National Awareness Road Show on Halal Industry organized by Halal Research Council has been started from Peshawar. The prime aim of this road show is to promote nationwide awareness of Halal industry and Halal products of Pakistan in the international market. While conducting 150 Awareness Seminars it will pass by 50 Major Cities of Pakistan and end up on 01st Mar 2011 in Karachi.

Dr. Tila Muhammad, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Peshawar briefed the audience about the latest trends of Halal industry. He admired the selfless efforts of Halal Research Council for the promoting of Halal industry and confirmed his full support for the cause. Addressing to the audience, Mr. Muhammad Sulaiman, Director, Pakistan National Accreditation Council Islamabad admired the efforts of PNAC and gave the details of the workouts of the council. Dr. Subhan Queshi, KPK Agriculture University Peshawar praised noteworthy endeavors of the department of food technology. An awareness program was also conducted to help industrialists and exporters to develop the awareness of the international Halal linkages. This was arranged in Sarhad chamber building with the mutual collaboration of Tribal Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Exporters and industrialists in bulk participated in this program.

While speaking to the participants, Mr. Muhammad Zubair Mughal, CEO, Halal Research Council said that the volume of Halal market is 2.3 trillion dollars in which Pakistan doesn’t have even a smaller share into that. Pakistan can earn heavy revenue with Halal branding. He further added that ten countries are on the top of the list of Halal food exporters e.g. Brazil, America, France, India, Russia and New Zealand etc. Pakistan having name being the large Muslim state can earn name in 1.8 billion dollars market of Halal food industry of Muslim world.

It is to clear that Halal Research Council is working for the promotion of Halal industry. This road show will conduct different programs in Sarhad, Truibal, Murdan Islamabad, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SMEDA, Minsitry of Science and Technology. State bank of Pakistan ARID University etc and will end up with a grand closing ceremony in Karachi on March 01, 2011.

Courtesy By: Pakistan Observer

Gov’t targets to finalize national halal standards by April

THE GOVERNMENT hopes to finalize unified standards for halal products by April, in time for presentation in an international conference scheduled that month, the Agriculture department said in a statement yesterday.
Such a move, in turn, has long been cited by both government and industries as a requirement to penetrating the global halal market that is estimated to be worth some $2.3 trillion.
Halal refers to the prescribed process of preparing certain products according to Islamic law.
Local halal products have been certified by groups like the Ulama Conference of the Philippines. But Republic Act No. 9997, or the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Act of 2009, sought to introduce a national system by forming this agency to accredit halal-certifying bodies.
Still, these standards and certifying procedures have to be harmonized with what is enforced in major Muslim countries if Philippine halal exports are to gain a foothold in these markets.
The press statement quoted Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala as saying that nationwide consultations are now under way to finalize three draft standards, namely: the Halal Agriculture and Fishery Products, the Code of Halal Slaughtering Practices for Poultry and the Code of Halal Slaughtering Practices for Large Ruminants. Besides prescribing specific procedures for each food group, the standards will also "address issues on genetically modified organisms," the statement added.
The Agriculture department hopes to finalize these halal standards in time for their presentation at the meeting of the ASEAN Technical Working Group on Halal Food and the World Halal Forum this April in Malaysia, the statement said.
"I had instructed the Department of Agriculture’s Halal Food Industry Development Committee, chaired [sic] by BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) 12 (Central Mindanao) Regional Director Sani D. Macabalang to undertake a series of consultations with stakeholders nationwide, so they could share in refining the proposed draft standards," Mr. Alcala said.
The first consultation, held last Jan. 24 at the Bureau of Plant Industry office in Quezon City, was attended by 50 Muslim scholars from Metro Manila, as well as representatives of NCMF, relevant agencies and the private sector, the statement said.
Datu Tahir S. Lidasan, Jr., NCMF director for External Relations and Halal Technical and Accreditation Unit, said in a phone interview yesterday that another round is scheduled in Cebu City from Feb. 7-9.
The statement said two other hearings have been planned: one in General Santos City on Feb. 16 and another in Zamboanga City sometime in March.
"[Middle Eastern countries] do not produce their own food," Mr. Lidasan explained. "The Philippines wants to get a share of that market, which is actually dominated by non-Muslim countries like New Zealand, Australia, and the United States."

Courtesy by: Business World

Kuwait Resolutions supports the banning of machine slaughter for Halal.

"The First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry and its Services". Organized by Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs State of Kuwait, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and GCC Standardization Organization. 

The conference which was hosted by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of Kuwait (MAIASK), the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), and GCC Standardization Organization.

The conference enjoyed the cooperation with international specialized organizations in the halal standards industry, the Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation, the Public Authority for Industry in Kuwait, Halal Industry Development Foundation for the Awqaf Ministry of Malaysia, International Halal Integrity Alliance of Malaysia (IHIA), the Association of Awareness and Information to the Defence of Muslim Consumers in France (ASIDCOM), Muslim council of Britain (MCB), and the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).

The conference also lined up diverse group of speakers from all over the world, including Malaysia, South Africa, USA and UK. The conference covered a wide array of topics ranging such as global halal standards, status of ingredients, and animal welfare standards.

Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs, Minister of Justice, and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Rashed Al-Hammad said, “All products of this industry should be fully compliant to the provisions of Islamic sharia.” the minister made his remarks when addressing the first Gulf conference on halal.

The Conference called for providing the necessary financial support for scientific research centres and universities to conduct research on ways to detect Hararn (prohibited) materials in the foods, considering the great need for such findings in substantiating the religious decisions adopted by the Islamic jurisprudence bodies.
The Conference recommends applying caution with the use of stunning methods as much as possible and alternatively advocates use of hand slaughtering when performing Zibbah, with emphasis on the enforcement of the Islamic jurisprudence bodies resolutions, and in particular the Decision of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy No: 95 (3 / 10).
The Conference recommends referring the scientific papers presented throughout the conference sessions on stunning methods to the International Islamic Fiqh Academy for review and appraisal.
At the conclusion of the conference the participants decided to extend their deepest thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Sabah A1-Ahmad A1- Iaber A1-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, may Allah protect him, and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad A1-Iaber A1-Sabah, the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Moharmriad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs, and Minister of Iustice, the Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Chancellor Rashed Abdul Mohsen Al-Hammad Chancellor, for his patronage of the Conference.

Courtesy by: Halal World

National Awareness Road Show on Halal Industry Starts from Peshawar

 

National Awareness Road Show on Halal Industry Starts from Peshawar

While conducting 150 Awareness Seminars it will pass by 50 Major Cities of Pakistan and End up on 01^st Mar 2011 in Karachi

Feb 02, 2011

(Lahore) National Awareness Road Show on Halal Industry organized by Halal Research Council has been started on Feb 01, 2011 from Peshawar. The prime aim of this road show is to promote nationwide awareness of Halal industry and Halal products of Pakistan in the international market. While conducting 150 Awareness Seminars it will pass by 50 Major Cities of Pakistan and end up on 01^st Mar 2011 in Karachi.

Dr. Tila Muhammad, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Peshawar briefed the audience about the latest trends of Halal industry. He admired the selfless efforts of Halal Research Council for the promoting of Halal industry and confirmed his full support for the cause. Addressing to the audience, Mr. Muhammad Sulaiman, Director, Pakistan National Accreditation Council Islamabad admired the efforts of PNAC and gave the details of the workouts of the council. Dr. Subhan Queshi, KPK Agriculture University Peshawar praised noteworthy endeavors of the department of food technology. An awareness program was also conducted to help industrialists and exporters to develop the awareness of the international Halal linkages. This was arranged in Sarhad chamber building with the mutual collaboration of Tribal Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Exporters and industrialists in bulk participated in this program.

While speaking to the participants, Mr. Muhammad Zubair Mughal, CEO, Halal Research Council said that the volume of Halal market is 2.3 trillion dollars in which Pakistan doesn’t have even a smaller share into that. Pakistan can earn heavy revenue with Halal branding. He further added that ten countries are on the top of the list of Halal food exporters e.g. Brazil, America, France, India, Russia and New Zealand etc. Pakistan having name being the large Muslim state can earn name in 1.8 billion dollars market of Halal food industry of Muslim world.

It is to clear that Halal Research Council is working for the promotion of Halal industry. This road show will conduct different programs in Sarhad, Truibal, Murdan Islamabad, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SMEDA, Minsitry of Science and Technology. State bank of Pakistan ARID University etc and will end up with a grand closing ceremony in Karachi on March 01, 2011.

Halal burgers and hotdogs now available at Union Market

Two halal meat options, a burger or hotdog, are now being offered at the Union Market as of Jan. 28.
"Our goal is to make (halal food) available as much as possible," said Zia Ahmed, senior director of Campus Dining Services at Ohio State.
Halal meat is meat that Muslims are permitted to eat according to Islamic dietary guidelines and the Quran. "Halal" means "lawful" in Arabic. The meat, which can never be pork, must be slaughtered in a certain way and in the name of Allah.
Some Muslim students at OSU opted out of eating meat on campus because of the lack of any certified halal meat through dining services.
"As a freshman with a meal plan, I could not eat meat. I had no choice but to eat a vegetarian diet. Many Muslim freshmen, limited to meal plans, do not eat meat on campus," said Maria Ahmad, president of OSU's Muslim Students' Association and a third-year in speech and hearing sciences.
Students unable to eat meat on campus were the main inspiration behind Ahmad's campaign platform in Spring 2010 to bring halal foods to OSU.
Ahmad caught wind of Food Service Express' media outreach via webinars and speeches at conferences that advised students on ways to approach campus administrators about providing halal options.
Don Tymchuck, president of HalalHealthy.com and Med-Diet, a parent company of Food Service Express, spoke at the Muslim Students' Association Conference on Jan. 30 at the Ohio Union.
"Students must create the demand. Campus Dining Services will not provide alternative dining options unless that demand is expressed," Tymchuck said. "It is my goal to prime the pump by guiding students."
After reading a packet on Tymchuck's steps for addressing campus administration, Ahmad contacted Ahmed in Autumn 2010.
"I came from the University of Akron four months ago and my goal is to refocus commitment to student feedback, to address all backgrounds: religious, cultural, and even dietetic needs," Ahmed said. "We've met with students from the USG, BSA (Black Student Association) and graduate societies."
Campus Dining Services is not just waiting for requests; it is also focusing on reaching out to students.
"We are reaching out and soliciting information. But we would never arbitrarily place a product out there … it would not make sense to introduce a product no one wants," Ahmed said.
Tymchuck said there is a niche for halal.

"Halal has a market. Nearly half of the colleges we surveyed had 100 or more Muslim students; however, only 6 percent had halal meal plans," Tymchuck said.
Ahmad said it took three meetings with the Undergraduate Student Government's Diversity Committee supporting the Muslim Students' Association and one meeting with the Muslim Students' Association representing itself to convince Dining Services that halal should be offered.
Ahmed said Campus Dining Services took its time sorting out the logistics of offering halal. Ahmad said it is difficult to provide food that meets religious guidelines. It took two weeks for dining services to get halal meat on the Union Market grill.
"It is important to do something the right way. You can imagine how terrible it would be if we called something halal or kosher and it was discovered not to be," she said.
Food supplier Restaurant Depot now provides meat that is halal-certified to Campus Dining Services. The issues of contaminating halal were also addressed. Halal meat ceases to be halal if contaminated by haram foods — "haram" means "forbidden" in Arabic.
Ahmed said measures were taken to educate chefs about halal and that one side of the grill is used specially to cook halal burgers or halal hot dogs.
"The University will probably see if students respond well to halal. They should; it's a big deal," said Ahmad. "Students want dining to be a home away from home." 

Courtesy by: The Lentern

Nestle suspends halal products due to pork traces

Nestle (NESN.VX) said on Tuesday it was suspending all production of its Herta halal products after a laboratory found traces of pork.
"We have decided to carry out DNA tests so this will delay deliveries ... As a result we are suspending production in France until we find a new production process," a spokeswoman said.

Retailer Casino (CASP.PA) decided earlier on Tuesday to pull from the shelves halal sausages with the Herta brand. (Reporting by Gerard Bon; Editing by Will Waterman)

Courtesy by: Reuter