Savvy marketers are constantly working to stay leading edge — keeping a pulse on consumer trends such as shifting demographics, evolving purchase behaviors and assessing lifestyles and life stages to best identify how their brands can fit into a variety of consumers’ lives. One consumer group that is gaining more attention among multicultural marketing experts is American Muslim consumers.
This group, numbering between six and eight million in the U.S., represents billions in disposable spending power – yet is perhaps the most underserved market in America. The third annual American Muslim Consumer Conference (AMCC), which took place on Oct. 29 in New Brunswick, N.J., addressed the opportunity for companies to reach out to this growing group of consumers.
When marketed to effectively, Muslim consumers remarkably champion brands and provide consistent and continued results, as evidenced by several of the success stories shared during the conference about companies such as Saffron Road Foods and Whole Foods Market. Muslims want brands and retailers to engage with them and say they are willing to open their wallets to those who do.
Consistent with last year’s conference, the AMCC drew both mainstream and Muslim-owned companies and organizations from Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Thomson Reuters to IFANCA, Noor Pharmaceuticals and Modern Eid. This year’s theme, “Multiculturalism & the American Muslim Consumer Market,” addressed the diversity within the Muslim market as it includes a variety of ethnic backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles.
As highlighted in the new book, Marketing to the New Majority, published by leading international research firm Millward Brown, American demographics are changing significantly, and if companies want to survive, they will need to think differently about how they reach various communities, such as Muslims, within our multicultural society.
Many Muslim market experts agree that missing the Muslim market today would be like missing the Hispanic market in the ’90s. For companies in the U.S. that are interested in tapping into the lucrative and loyal Muslim consumer market, the AMCC is a must-attend event. Millions of consumers are waiting for companies to acknowledge and engage with them. As companies are currently planning for the upcoming new fiscal year, how will your brand’s multicultural marketing efforts reach Muslim consumers in 2012?
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Australia: Jordanian princess pushes for live export restrictions
A member of Jordan’s royal family is urging the Australian Government to demand higher standards of its live export customers in the Middle East.
Princess Alia Al Hussein says Australia should refuse to export sheep and cattle to any market where stunning is not used before slaughter.
With financial support from the Australian Government and advice from animal advocacy charity Animals Australia, the Princess Alia Foundation has introduced stunning for more than 80 per cent of all livestock slaughtered in Jordan.
The foundation’s goal is a 100 per cent take-up of the Australian standard where animals are stunned with an electric charge or percussive blow to make them unconscious before their throats are cut.
Princess Alia says an Islamic fatwa supporting this method was issued in the 1960s and she believes the practice should be mandatory across the Middle East, where Australia will export 2.6 million sheep and about 200,000 cattle this year.
“I think you do have a right to demand that the creatures you have raised are treated in the right way and especially when it is possible, it is feasible and it’s not that hard to do,” Princess Alia said.
She says Australian chilled and frozen meat is widely imported across the region and is accepted by religious authorities as halal or compliant with Islamic sharia law.
“In Islam halal it’s also about how you treat the animal. You are supposed to lead it to death in a kind way, in a beautiful way,” Princess Alia said.
“So it may sound like an oxymoron but you’re actually supposed to treat it in a good way the whole way along the process, so it’s not just about killing it quickly it’s about not beating it, not stressing it.”
After Animals Australia and ABC TV’s Four Corners program exposed cruel practices in Indonesian abattoirs this year, the Australian Government announced new guidelines last month for the billion-dollar-a-year live export industry.
The blueprint demands compliance in all destination markets with standards set by the OIE, the World Organisation for Animal Health.
It will also require markets to ensure supply chain traceability to approved slaughtering facilities by the end of next year, but falls short of requiring stunning, which is not necessary under the OIE guidelines.
Meat and Livestock Australia’s livestock services manager for the Middle East Peter Dundon says Australian importers will instead try to encourage stunning in the region.
“Stunning is a matter for the importing country government, religious authorities and the importer,” says Mr Dundon.
The chairman of the Bahrain Livestock Company, Ebrahim Zainl, says Australia’s more diplomatic approach has a greater chance of success.
“Stunning is something new to this part of the world and unless it is made as gradual steps [it] could have some sort of negative reaction from the public,” he said.
“And it would not be to the interest of the Australian trade as a whole because people could consider that this is enforcing something which is not acceptable to the public.”
But Animals Australia advocate Lyn White says it is a missed opportunity by Australia to use its commercial leverage to enforce the more humane standard.
“We’ve seen in Indonesia in the past six months that we’ve gone from two to five facilities starting (stunning) to now 70 facilities by the end of the year,” she said.
“That’s because they were concerned at losing their supply of Australian animals, so there is real commercial leverage there and certainly the opportunity was there, and we’re disappointed that it hasn’t been taken.”
Ms White is hopeful that a bill expected to be introduced to Federal Parliament this month by Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie may still achieve a more humane outcome.
If passed, the law would require mandatory stunning in all Australian live export markets.
“We believe there’s considerable support amongst the Coalition and the ALP for stunning in importing markets,” says Ms White.
“You know there is considerable concern about live animal export and the community is not going to accept animals being sent to countries where they are not stunned before slaughter.”
Princess Alia Al Hussein says Australia should refuse to export sheep and cattle to any market where stunning is not used before slaughter.
With financial support from the Australian Government and advice from animal advocacy charity Animals Australia, the Princess Alia Foundation has introduced stunning for more than 80 per cent of all livestock slaughtered in Jordan.
The foundation’s goal is a 100 per cent take-up of the Australian standard where animals are stunned with an electric charge or percussive blow to make them unconscious before their throats are cut.
Princess Alia says an Islamic fatwa supporting this method was issued in the 1960s and she believes the practice should be mandatory across the Middle East, where Australia will export 2.6 million sheep and about 200,000 cattle this year.
“I think you do have a right to demand that the creatures you have raised are treated in the right way and especially when it is possible, it is feasible and it’s not that hard to do,” Princess Alia said.
She says Australian chilled and frozen meat is widely imported across the region and is accepted by religious authorities as halal or compliant with Islamic sharia law.
“In Islam halal it’s also about how you treat the animal. You are supposed to lead it to death in a kind way, in a beautiful way,” Princess Alia said.
“So it may sound like an oxymoron but you’re actually supposed to treat it in a good way the whole way along the process, so it’s not just about killing it quickly it’s about not beating it, not stressing it.”
After Animals Australia and ABC TV’s Four Corners program exposed cruel practices in Indonesian abattoirs this year, the Australian Government announced new guidelines last month for the billion-dollar-a-year live export industry.
The blueprint demands compliance in all destination markets with standards set by the OIE, the World Organisation for Animal Health.
It will also require markets to ensure supply chain traceability to approved slaughtering facilities by the end of next year, but falls short of requiring stunning, which is not necessary under the OIE guidelines.
Meat and Livestock Australia’s livestock services manager for the Middle East Peter Dundon says Australian importers will instead try to encourage stunning in the region.
“Stunning is a matter for the importing country government, religious authorities and the importer,” says Mr Dundon.
The chairman of the Bahrain Livestock Company, Ebrahim Zainl, says Australia’s more diplomatic approach has a greater chance of success.
“Stunning is something new to this part of the world and unless it is made as gradual steps [it] could have some sort of negative reaction from the public,” he said.
“And it would not be to the interest of the Australian trade as a whole because people could consider that this is enforcing something which is not acceptable to the public.”
But Animals Australia advocate Lyn White says it is a missed opportunity by Australia to use its commercial leverage to enforce the more humane standard.
“We’ve seen in Indonesia in the past six months that we’ve gone from two to five facilities starting (stunning) to now 70 facilities by the end of the year,” she said.
“That’s because they were concerned at losing their supply of Australian animals, so there is real commercial leverage there and certainly the opportunity was there, and we’re disappointed that it hasn’t been taken.”
Ms White is hopeful that a bill expected to be introduced to Federal Parliament this month by Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie may still achieve a more humane outcome.
If passed, the law would require mandatory stunning in all Australian live export markets.
“We believe there’s considerable support amongst the Coalition and the ALP for stunning in importing markets,” says Ms White.
“You know there is considerable concern about live animal export and the community is not going to accept animals being sent to countries where they are not stunned before slaughter.”
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Press Release
Kazakhstan is the central hub of Islamic finance for CIS countries: Zubair Mughal
International Islamic financial Institutions are ready for doing investment in Kazakhstan
(Lahore/Kazakhstan, 24th September, 11) They are many chances of investment in Kazakhstan regarding International Islamic Banking and financial institutions are in looking on different options for investments in Kazakhstan because the world sees the Kazakhstan a central hub for Islamic banking and finance for CIS countries. These are the views of Muhammad Zubair Mughal the Chief executive officer of Al-HUDA centre of Islamic banking and economics, which he expressed in his speech in the International finance forum that is held in the Astana the capital of Kazakhstan in this week. In which the Finance minister Mr. Zhamishev Bolat of republic of Kazakhstan, the vice member of the chancellor of Prime Minister Mr. Tolevkhanov Dauren, the member of the area of department of strategic progress and research of President Administration Mr. Sadvawasov Darmen, the senator of the Kazakhstan Parliament Mr. Yensegenov Sarsenbag, the chairman of the committee of national bank of republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Nurpeissov Darkhan, the executive director of Zakat fund Mr. Alpysbay Edige and include International experts. The theme of the conference was to make fruitful plan and procedures for the development and expansion of Islamic finance in Kazakhstan.
By addressing to the forum, Mr. Muhammad Zubair Mughal presented the origin and starting of Islamic banking and finance in Pakistan in the form of case study that how Pakistan make fast success in Islamic banking in a short period of time. They said that Kazakhstan while doing Islamic banking and Sukuk should also utilize and use the Takaful, Islamic fund, Islamic microfinance and Islamic Reits side by side and for the development of infrastructure the government and Kazakhstan should issue Sukuk in International market so that the Kazakhstan is recognized as the Islamic Financial state in the international market.
He said Kazakhstan is one of the ninth biggest countries of world which holds the 70% population of Muslims from the 16.5 million populations, that is the sign of huge market of Islamic banking and finance. Due to which by making the Kazakhstan the model of Islamic Finance for the rest of CIS countries so that the implementation of Islamic banks and finance their can easily be done. Especially in Central Asian countries because there the population of Muslims is very much huge like Kazakhstan 70%, Uzbekistan 97%, Azerbaijan 99%, Turkmenistan 94%, Kyrgyzstan 86%, Tajikistan 84% is Muslim population. That is the clear sign of the progress and demand of Islamic banking there.
Kazakhstan is the central hub of Islamic finance for CIS countries: Zubair Mughal
International Islamic financial Institutions are ready for doing investment in Kazakhstan
(Lahore/Kazakhstan, 24th September, 11) They are many chances of investment in Kazakhstan regarding International Islamic Banking and financial institutions are in looking on different options for investments in Kazakhstan because the world sees the Kazakhstan a central hub for Islamic banking and finance for CIS countries. These are the views of Muhammad Zubair Mughal the Chief executive officer of Al-HUDA centre of Islamic banking and economics, which he expressed in his speech in the International finance forum that is held in the Astana the capital of Kazakhstan in this week. In which the Finance minister Mr. Zhamishev Bolat of republic of Kazakhstan, the vice member of the chancellor of Prime Minister Mr. Tolevkhanov Dauren, the member of the area of department of strategic progress and research of President Administration Mr. Sadvawasov Darmen, the senator of the Kazakhstan Parliament Mr. Yensegenov Sarsenbag, the chairman of the committee of national bank of republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Nurpeissov Darkhan, the executive director of Zakat fund Mr. Alpysbay Edige and include International experts. The theme of the conference was to make fruitful plan and procedures for the development and expansion of Islamic finance in Kazakhstan.
By addressing to the forum, Mr. Muhammad Zubair Mughal presented the origin and starting of Islamic banking and finance in Pakistan in the form of case study that how Pakistan make fast success in Islamic banking in a short period of time. They said that Kazakhstan while doing Islamic banking and Sukuk should also utilize and use the Takaful, Islamic fund, Islamic microfinance and Islamic Reits side by side and for the development of infrastructure the government and Kazakhstan should issue Sukuk in International market so that the Kazakhstan is recognized as the Islamic Financial state in the international market.
He said Kazakhstan is one of the ninth biggest countries of world which holds the 70% population of Muslims from the 16.5 million populations, that is the sign of huge market of Islamic banking and finance. Due to which by making the Kazakhstan the model of Islamic Finance for the rest of CIS countries so that the implementation of Islamic banks and finance their can easily be done. Especially in Central Asian countries because there the population of Muslims is very much huge like Kazakhstan 70%, Uzbekistan 97%, Azerbaijan 99%, Turkmenistan 94%, Kyrgyzstan 86%, Tajikistan 84% is Muslim population. That is the clear sign of the progress and demand of Islamic banking there.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
An Agreement for a Halal Industrial Park between Halal Research Council and FIEDMS Formal Annoucement to Establish the M3 Halal Industrial Park in Pakistan for the Development of Halal Industry.
August 17, 2011: (Lahore)
An MOU ceremony between Halal Reserch Concil (HRC) and Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development (FIEDMC) was held at the Head office of FIEDMC, Faislaabd. The MOU was signed by Mr. Muhammad Zubair Mughal Chief Executive Office of Halal Research Counicl and Khawaja Asim Khursheed, Chairman FIEDMC. Additionally, Mr. Hamid Sheikh Seceretry Livestock and Dairy Development Govt. of Punjab, Naseeb Saifi chairman Halal Meat Export Committee, Brigadier Ahmad Raza Siddique COO, FIEDMC Amir Saleemi Head of Marketing and Sales, Syed Zubair Qutab Manager Strategic Planning Halal Research Council and the Board Members of FIEDMC and a number of industrialists attended the ceremony. Under the MOU, Halal Research Counicl will provide guidance regarding technical, halal certification, training and international communication to the M3 Halal Industrial Estate in Faisalabad.
While addressing, Khawaja Asim Khurheed Chairman FIEDMC declared the MOU as an important breakthrough for the Halal Industrial Park. He officially annouced the M3 Halal Industrial Park in Pakistan situated at M3 motorway. This developed Industrial Estate has facilities of modern roads, Power stations, modern Sewearge system, Fire brigade, Run way, Helipad, Labour colony etc. Furthermore, he stated that Halal Industrial Park will help Pakistan’s Food, Livestock and Meat market to flourish and will also provide with good export market.
Mr. Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh (Secretry Livestock and Dairy Development) said that Halal Park has given a value addiation to the Pakistan’s Halal Meat. He further added that Govt. of Punjab is continously working for the developemnt of Halal Industry and in this regard a brief action plan is in process.
While adressing at the occassion, Muhammad Zubair Mughal Chief Executive Officer Halal Research Council stated that Halal edible products are gaining popularity rapidly. The market for Halal food is not only limited to 1.9 Billion Muslims but it is also liked by the Non-Muslims who believed Halal Food as hygenic, pure and a best food product. He enlightened the importance of Pakistan’s First Halal Park by giving the brief analysis of Halal Parks of Malaysis, Yamin, Middle-East, U.K. and Russia. He argued that geographically it is located at key strategic location and from here we can easliy export Halal Products to Middle East, Africa, Far East and Europe. This will help to flourish the Industrail sector of Pakistan and thereby decresing the Trade defict of country.
An MOU ceremony between Halal Reserch Concil (HRC) and Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development (FIEDMC) was held at the Head office of FIEDMC, Faislaabd. The MOU was signed by Mr. Muhammad Zubair Mughal Chief Executive Office of Halal Research Counicl and Khawaja Asim Khursheed, Chairman FIEDMC. Additionally, Mr. Hamid Sheikh Seceretry Livestock and Dairy Development Govt. of Punjab, Naseeb Saifi chairman Halal Meat Export Committee, Brigadier Ahmad Raza Siddique COO, FIEDMC Amir Saleemi Head of Marketing and Sales, Syed Zubair Qutab Manager Strategic Planning Halal Research Council and the Board Members of FIEDMC and a number of industrialists attended the ceremony. Under the MOU, Halal Research Counicl will provide guidance regarding technical, halal certification, training and international communication to the M3 Halal Industrial Estate in Faisalabad.
While addressing, Khawaja Asim Khurheed Chairman FIEDMC declared the MOU as an important breakthrough for the Halal Industrial Park. He officially annouced the M3 Halal Industrial Park in Pakistan situated at M3 motorway. This developed Industrial Estate has facilities of modern roads, Power stations, modern Sewearge system, Fire brigade, Run way, Helipad, Labour colony etc. Furthermore, he stated that Halal Industrial Park will help Pakistan’s Food, Livestock and Meat market to flourish and will also provide with good export market.
Mr. Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh (Secretry Livestock and Dairy Development) said that Halal Park has given a value addiation to the Pakistan’s Halal Meat. He further added that Govt. of Punjab is continously working for the developemnt of Halal Industry and in this regard a brief action plan is in process.
While adressing at the occassion, Muhammad Zubair Mughal Chief Executive Officer Halal Research Council stated that Halal edible products are gaining popularity rapidly. The market for Halal food is not only limited to 1.9 Billion Muslims but it is also liked by the Non-Muslims who believed Halal Food as hygenic, pure and a best food product. He enlightened the importance of Pakistan’s First Halal Park by giving the brief analysis of Halal Parks of Malaysis, Yamin, Middle-East, U.K. and Russia. He argued that geographically it is located at key strategic location and from here we can easliy export Halal Products to Middle East, Africa, Far East and Europe. This will help to flourish the Industrail sector of Pakistan and thereby decresing the Trade defict of country.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Bangladesh gets go-ahead to export halal food
(Reuters) – Bangladesh will soon start exporting halal food after Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development approved the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh (IFB) as a halal certification body, a business leader said on Saturday.
“It is good news for us as we have been pursuing for such an approval authority in Bangladesh,” said Syed Moazzam Hossain, president of Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He told Reuters that Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development had also included it in the list of halal certification bodies worldwide, meaning Bangladesh could take a slice of the $661 billion global market for halal food, which is prepared following Islamic dietary laws and regulations.
World Halal Forum data shows the halal food market has grown fast over the past decade and is now worth an estimated $661.6 billion a year, representing almost 17 percent of the global food industry.
Jalal Ahmed, vice chairman of the state-run Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau , said Bangladesh could earn a huge amount of foreign currency from halal food exports.
The largest contributors to the halal food market in Asia are Indonesia, China, India, Malaysia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council members including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Jalal said that five Bangladeshi companies who had already received orders from abroad to supply halal food so far had not been able to export due to the lack of certification.
Moazzam said some companies had already signed contracts with Malaysian importers to supply halal food. (Reporting by Serajul Islam Quadir)
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/07/09/bangladesh-gets-go-ahead-to-export-halal-food/
“It is good news for us as we have been pursuing for such an approval authority in Bangladesh,” said Syed Moazzam Hossain, president of Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He told Reuters that Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development had also included it in the list of halal certification bodies worldwide, meaning Bangladesh could take a slice of the $661 billion global market for halal food, which is prepared following Islamic dietary laws and regulations.
World Halal Forum data shows the halal food market has grown fast over the past decade and is now worth an estimated $661.6 billion a year, representing almost 17 percent of the global food industry.
Jalal Ahmed, vice chairman of the state-run Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau , said Bangladesh could earn a huge amount of foreign currency from halal food exports.
The largest contributors to the halal food market in Asia are Indonesia, China, India, Malaysia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council members including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Jalal said that five Bangladeshi companies who had already received orders from abroad to supply halal food so far had not been able to export due to the lack of certification.
Moazzam said some companies had already signed contracts with Malaysian importers to supply halal food. (Reporting by Serajul Islam Quadir)
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/07/09/bangladesh-gets-go-ahead-to-export-halal-food/
Friday, June 17, 2011
UK: New Halal meat group formed
Mohammed Akram Gill (Director of Pak Mecca Meats Birmingham) and the chairman of Association of Non-Stun Abattoirs Ltd, said “This was long overdue the non-stun halal industry was without a voice.
“The lack of industry leadership and cooperation, especially given the state of the current economy the association aims to create and raise awareness of the halal industry according to the teaching of the Quran and the prophetic tradition.
Speaking at the Paragon Hotel Birmingham Ghulam Mustaffa (Premier Halal Meat), said “This is good news for Muslim consumers especially Muslim House wife’s. The ANSA logo will give them assurance that the meat they will be consuming is truly halal and is ritually halal slaughtered according to Islamic principles”.
Ejaz Najib (Director M. Najab and sons) Vice Chair said ”The halal word is most misused word in the UK for labeling of meat and poultry, ANSA will be able to offer cleans and wholesome product that the Muslims community wants”.
The non political and not for profit organization aims to act as a voice for the Non-Stun Halal Abattoirs and to create a better understanding of halal meat industry throughout the supply chain right down to the consumers.
The Association aims to build confidence amongst the UK Muslim population on English Halal meat industry by doing this it will open up the halal trade for export further improving the British economy.
The association welcomes the new legislation where all non stun meat will have to display a three-step label describing the animal’s country of birth, upbringing, and slaughter.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/06/16/uk-new-halal-meat-group-formed/
“The lack of industry leadership and cooperation, especially given the state of the current economy the association aims to create and raise awareness of the halal industry according to the teaching of the Quran and the prophetic tradition.
Speaking at the Paragon Hotel Birmingham Ghulam Mustaffa (Premier Halal Meat), said “This is good news for Muslim consumers especially Muslim House wife’s. The ANSA logo will give them assurance that the meat they will be consuming is truly halal and is ritually halal slaughtered according to Islamic principles”.
Ejaz Najib (Director M. Najab and sons) Vice Chair said ”The halal word is most misused word in the UK for labeling of meat and poultry, ANSA will be able to offer cleans and wholesome product that the Muslims community wants”.
The non political and not for profit organization aims to act as a voice for the Non-Stun Halal Abattoirs and to create a better understanding of halal meat industry throughout the supply chain right down to the consumers.
The Association aims to build confidence amongst the UK Muslim population on English Halal meat industry by doing this it will open up the halal trade for export further improving the British economy.
The association welcomes the new legislation where all non stun meat will have to display a three-step label describing the animal’s country of birth, upbringing, and slaughter.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/06/16/uk-new-halal-meat-group-formed/
Bengal Meat basks in halal boom
Bengal Meat Processing Industries, an internationally certified meat producer and exporter, expects to ring up Tk 400 million in overseas sales this year by doubling its halal meat export.
The company was recently awarded halal certification by the Department of Islamic Development, Malaysia (JAKIM), which allows it to export processed meat to any halal market around the world.
"We now export 1000 tonnes meat a year and our target is to make 5000 tonnes by 2012," Mazharul Islam, managing director of Bengal Meat, told the FE in an interview.
He said they exported processed meat worth Tk 200 million last year.
The export market is confined to a few Middle Eastern countries like Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia for the last seven years, mainly targetting expatriate Bangladeshis and other ethnic Muslims in those countries, only adding Malaysia to the list this year.
Dato Tan Lian Hoe, deputy minister for trade of Malaysia, welcomed the Bangladeshi meat processing company, which has achieved the certification of her country during the opening ceremony of a three-day Malaysian trade fair in the city.
She also visited the Bengal Meat factory at Pabna further facilitating the entry of Bangladeshi halal processed meat to the Malaysian market.
Mr Islam said that his factory, the only ISO certified meat processing company, can be compared with any international standard factory but stressed the government's effort to ensure certain issues for the development of meat processing industry in Bangladesh.
"The process of entering the Malaysian market began almost two and half years ago. We as a factory had no problem to be approved by any country but the government must ensure animal health management, disease control and disease free zone to promote Bangladesh as a meat exporting country," he said.
Although Bangladesh has the 7th largest cattle population in the world, it has one of the lowest per capita meat consumption.
"Generally, a person should intake 100 to 110 gm of protein. In Bangladesh, the per capita meat consumption is 12 gm," Mr. Islam added.
He said about 10,000 cows are producing about 1000 tonnes of meat and 40,000 goats producing about 300 tonnes are slaughtered everyday in the country.
He added the per capita meat consumption is bound to increase as the per capita income increases.
Bangladesh has to ensure the importing countries that the meat exported does not contain any hazardous elements and germs, said Mr Islam, adding "it requires an international testing lab."
The government earlier had a plan to form a high-profile committee to recommend ways to establish a board for certification for halal foods after repeated appeals from processed food exporters and setting up of a testing lab which is yet to see light.
Mr Islam said the most important thing for the growth of this sector is backward linkage and ensuring quality cattle raising to be an internationally approved meat exporting country.
He said developed countries like Australia and New Zealand have turned around their economy by harvesting the huge potential of their dairy farm sector, which also can be a prospective industry for Bangladesh too by having the right attitude towards the sector.
"The economy of Bangladesh is based on agriculture and cattle raising. People now just to learn the process of raising quality cattle and policy to make the sector commercially viable," he added.
Ref: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=139410&date=2011-06-16
The company was recently awarded halal certification by the Department of Islamic Development, Malaysia (JAKIM), which allows it to export processed meat to any halal market around the world.
"We now export 1000 tonnes meat a year and our target is to make 5000 tonnes by 2012," Mazharul Islam, managing director of Bengal Meat, told the FE in an interview.
He said they exported processed meat worth Tk 200 million last year.
The export market is confined to a few Middle Eastern countries like Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia for the last seven years, mainly targetting expatriate Bangladeshis and other ethnic Muslims in those countries, only adding Malaysia to the list this year.
Dato Tan Lian Hoe, deputy minister for trade of Malaysia, welcomed the Bangladeshi meat processing company, which has achieved the certification of her country during the opening ceremony of a three-day Malaysian trade fair in the city.
She also visited the Bengal Meat factory at Pabna further facilitating the entry of Bangladeshi halal processed meat to the Malaysian market.
Mr Islam said that his factory, the only ISO certified meat processing company, can be compared with any international standard factory but stressed the government's effort to ensure certain issues for the development of meat processing industry in Bangladesh.
"The process of entering the Malaysian market began almost two and half years ago. We as a factory had no problem to be approved by any country but the government must ensure animal health management, disease control and disease free zone to promote Bangladesh as a meat exporting country," he said.
Although Bangladesh has the 7th largest cattle population in the world, it has one of the lowest per capita meat consumption.
"Generally, a person should intake 100 to 110 gm of protein. In Bangladesh, the per capita meat consumption is 12 gm," Mr. Islam added.
He said about 10,000 cows are producing about 1000 tonnes of meat and 40,000 goats producing about 300 tonnes are slaughtered everyday in the country.
He added the per capita meat consumption is bound to increase as the per capita income increases.
Bangladesh has to ensure the importing countries that the meat exported does not contain any hazardous elements and germs, said Mr Islam, adding "it requires an international testing lab."
The government earlier had a plan to form a high-profile committee to recommend ways to establish a board for certification for halal foods after repeated appeals from processed food exporters and setting up of a testing lab which is yet to see light.
Mr Islam said the most important thing for the growth of this sector is backward linkage and ensuring quality cattle raising to be an internationally approved meat exporting country.
He said developed countries like Australia and New Zealand have turned around their economy by harvesting the huge potential of their dairy farm sector, which also can be a prospective industry for Bangladesh too by having the right attitude towards the sector.
"The economy of Bangladesh is based on agriculture and cattle raising. People now just to learn the process of raising quality cattle and policy to make the sector commercially viable," he added.
Ref: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=139410&date=2011-06-16
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Italy: First ‘Halal’ firm to supply restaurants and canteens
Italy’s first-ever ‘halal’ supplier has opened for business in Italy’s northern city of Bologna, selling meals prepared according to Islamic principles to restaurants and canteens in Italy and abroad.
“Integration is also being able to eat as one should and to be at peace with God,” Hamza Piccardo, told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Piccardo, an Italian convert to Islam, is the director of the ‘Tre Alfieri Halal’, which is based in Bologna, a renowned gastronomic centre. “Our new company wants to be a triumph of integration: to combine Italy’s great cuisine and Islam’s rules without losing the flavours of the former and the spiritual rigour of the latter,” he said.
Piccardo believes the company’s ‘halal’ meals, which already include a range of pasta dishes and risottos, will appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Besides restaurants and canteens ‘Tre Alfieri Halal’ will also supply caterers .
“This is a genuine alternative to fast food, which compromises quality and flavour, and to elitist and costly ’slow food’, which is hard to reconcile with the pace of modern living,” Piccardo said.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/05/21/italy-first-halal-firm-to-supply-restaurants-and-canteens/
“Integration is also being able to eat as one should and to be at peace with God,” Hamza Piccardo, told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Piccardo, an Italian convert to Islam, is the director of the ‘Tre Alfieri Halal’, which is based in Bologna, a renowned gastronomic centre. “Our new company wants to be a triumph of integration: to combine Italy’s great cuisine and Islam’s rules without losing the flavours of the former and the spiritual rigour of the latter,” he said.
Piccardo believes the company’s ‘halal’ meals, which already include a range of pasta dishes and risottos, will appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Besides restaurants and canteens ‘Tre Alfieri Halal’ will also supply caterers .
“This is a genuine alternative to fast food, which compromises quality and flavour, and to elitist and costly ’slow food’, which is hard to reconcile with the pace of modern living,” Piccardo said.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/05/21/italy-first-halal-firm-to-supply-restaurants-and-canteens/
Monday, May 16, 2011
Pakistan: MoU signed with Malaysia for meat exports
Lahore - A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Punjab government and Peneng State Government Malaysia regarding cooperation in halal industry at Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Saturday.
Chief Executive Officer Lahore Meat Company Dr Hamid Jalil on behalf of Punjab government and Minister for Religious Affairs and Chairman Halal Industry Development Peneng State Government, Haji Abdul Maalik Qaseem on behalf of Malaysian government signed the MoU. Punj
ab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Minister Agriculture Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Members Provincial Assembly, Chairman Planning & Development, Commissioner Lahore, Chairman Special Initiatives, Vice Chairman Punjab Investment Board and officers concerned were present on the occasion. According to the agreement, Peneng State Government Malaysia will work jointly with Punjab Meat Company for setting up of Halal Industrial park in Punjab, training programme, international certification and export of halal products from Pakistan.
Speaking on this occasion, the CM said Malaysia was a brotherly Islamic country and the agreement between Peneng State Government Malaysia and Punjab government with regard to promotion of halal industry was a good omen. He said there was a big scope of exporting halal meat from Punjab to international market and Punjab government was taking solid steps in that regard. He said a state-of-the-art slaughter house was also being established in Lahore with the cooperation of Iran whereas for the first time in the history of the country, halal meat had been exported to Malaysia. “The Punjab government is also working on the project of certification of halal meat so that it could be exported to Middle East, Malaysia and other countries from Punjab as per international standard,” he said, adding that the government would work for the uplift of halal meat industry with the cooperation of Peneng State Government, Malaysia, and directed Dr. Hamid Jalil to take further steps in that regard.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/05/15/pakistan-mou-signed-with-malaysia-for-meat-exports/
Chief Executive Officer Lahore Meat Company Dr Hamid Jalil on behalf of Punjab government and Minister for Religious Affairs and Chairman Halal Industry Development Peneng State Government, Haji Abdul Maalik Qaseem on behalf of Malaysian government signed the MoU. Punj
ab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Minister Agriculture Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Members Provincial Assembly, Chairman Planning & Development, Commissioner Lahore, Chairman Special Initiatives, Vice Chairman Punjab Investment Board and officers concerned were present on the occasion. According to the agreement, Peneng State Government Malaysia will work jointly with Punjab Meat Company for setting up of Halal Industrial park in Punjab, training programme, international certification and export of halal products from Pakistan.
Speaking on this occasion, the CM said Malaysia was a brotherly Islamic country and the agreement between Peneng State Government Malaysia and Punjab government with regard to promotion of halal industry was a good omen. He said there was a big scope of exporting halal meat from Punjab to international market and Punjab government was taking solid steps in that regard. He said a state-of-the-art slaughter house was also being established in Lahore with the cooperation of Iran whereas for the first time in the history of the country, halal meat had been exported to Malaysia. “The Punjab government is also working on the project of certification of halal meat so that it could be exported to Middle East, Malaysia and other countries from Punjab as per international standard,” he said, adding that the government would work for the uplift of halal meat industry with the cooperation of Peneng State Government, Malaysia, and directed Dr. Hamid Jalil to take further steps in that regard.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/05/15/pakistan-mou-signed-with-malaysia-for-meat-exports/
Pakistan can help China tap over a trillion dollar Halal Food Market
Islamabad: A top official has said that China is developing one of the biggest economic zones in the world which will also benefit Pakistan’s economy.
Deputy DG of Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Muhametmin Yashen (Muhammad Amin Yasin) said this while speaking to business community at the residence of Raza Khan, Chairman Coordination FPCCI.
Yashen said that in west we have economic powerhouse like Shenzhen and in east we have Kashi (Kashgar) Special Economic Zone in just few hundred kilometres from Pakistan’s border.
Flanked with Deputy Chief of Mission, Chinese Embassy Huang Xilian and other officials, he said that they are organising first ever China Asia-Europe Expo in Urumqi scheduled Sept 1-5. He called upon business community to participate in the fair.
Yashen, who is leading a 50-member delegation, said that Kashi economic zone will bring prosperity to the whole region while expo will provide an interaction opportunity.
At the occasion Raza Khan said Chinese investors should explore opportunities in sectors like finance, banking, power, alternative energy, IT, engineering goods, textile machinery, agriculture, agro-based industry, food, fruit processing, packaging, livestock, dairy farming and real estate sectors. He said that Pakistan can help China in its plans to tap the vast potential of export market of Islamic countries.
Raza Khan demanded special packages and incentives for Pakistani business community in the Kashi Special Economic Zone.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/05/13/pakistan-can-help-china-tap-over-a-trillion-dollar-halal-food-market/
Deputy DG of Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Muhametmin Yashen (Muhammad Amin Yasin) said this while speaking to business community at the residence of Raza Khan, Chairman Coordination FPCCI.
Yashen said that in west we have economic powerhouse like Shenzhen and in east we have Kashi (Kashgar) Special Economic Zone in just few hundred kilometres from Pakistan’s border.
Flanked with Deputy Chief of Mission, Chinese Embassy Huang Xilian and other officials, he said that they are organising first ever China Asia-Europe Expo in Urumqi scheduled Sept 1-5. He called upon business community to participate in the fair.
Yashen, who is leading a 50-member delegation, said that Kashi economic zone will bring prosperity to the whole region while expo will provide an interaction opportunity.
At the occasion Raza Khan said Chinese investors should explore opportunities in sectors like finance, banking, power, alternative energy, IT, engineering goods, textile machinery, agriculture, agro-based industry, food, fruit processing, packaging, livestock, dairy farming and real estate sectors. He said that Pakistan can help China in its plans to tap the vast potential of export market of Islamic countries.
Raza Khan demanded special packages and incentives for Pakistani business community in the Kashi Special Economic Zone.
Ref: http://halalfocus.net/2011/05/13/pakistan-can-help-china-tap-over-a-trillion-dollar-halal-food-market/
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
MoU Signing Between Halal Research Council Pakistan and Halal Council of Mauritius
The MoU is signed between Halal Research Council and Halal Council, Jummah Mosque of Mauritius for the promotion of Halal industry, research and education and for the export of Halal goods to Mauritius. The momentous signing ceremony was held in Quartre Borne Mauritius and Mr. Zubair Mughal Chief Executive Officer, Halal Research Council and Nisar Ahmed Ramtoola President, Jummah Mosque, Mauritius signed the MoU. Major General (Retd.) Muhammad Siddique, High Commissioner for Pakistan, Cassam Uteem Ex-President, Mauritius, Muhammad Shakeel, Minister of Labor and Industrial Relations Mauritius, Iqbal Belath Governor, Bank of Mauritius, Sunil Benimadhu, Chief Executive, Stock Exchange of Mauritius, Raffick Nabee Mohammad, AlBarakah, MPCS and well known personalities and many others participated in this ceremony.
Major General (Retd.) Muhammad Saiddique- Commissioner for Pakistan while addressing the audience said that there is enough room available for the Halal market promotion between Pakistan and Mauritius and Pakistan can play a vital role in the development of this Halal industry. He added that the volume of Halal market is 2.3 Trillion Dollars at this moment which includes Halal food, Halal banking and finance, Halal tourism, Halal cosmetics and Halal logistics etc. He said that there are deep friendly relations found between both countries and Pakistan is providing resources in the fields of education, banking etc to Mauritius.
Muh. Zubair Mughal, Chief executive Officer, Halal Research Council, Pakistan said that it will provide excess to Pakistan Halal goods in Mauritius markets which include Halal meat, grains, Halal spices juices and many other goods. He further said that there are ample opportunities available for Halal tourism in Mauritius. Nissar Ahmed Ramtoola President, Jummah Mosque, Mauritius appreciated this MoU and both countries will utilize the opportunities of the development of Halal industry.
It is to be noted that Jummah Mosque, Mauritius is a historical mosque of the country that was built in 1850 and 125 mosques of Mauritius are directly affiliated with it that is working for the promotion of Islam in the country.
Plan to label ritually slaughtered meat angers religious groups
Consumers could be told whether the meat they buy comes from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter, following a move in the European parliament.
MEPs on the food safety committee voted on Tuesday to back amendments to a food labelling bill that would see the mandatory inclusion of labels stating “meat from slaughter without stunning” on relevant food products.
The proposals, which go before the European parliament in July, target meat slaughtered using ritual techniques like those employed by Jewish shechita and Muslim halal butchers.
Animals killed by the shechita technique are not stunned before having their throats cut and blood drained out. Halal meat is slaughtered using a similar technique, although research by the British Veterinary Association suggests 80% of halal meat is stunned before slaughter.
Religious groups have expressed anger at the proposals. A Jewish campaign group, Shechita UK, controversially claimed the measure was the “21st-century equivalent of the yellow star, but on our food”. “This amendment does nothing to improve animal welfare, fails to fully inform consumers and is clearly discriminatory by design,” said Henry Grunwald, spokesman for the group.
His comments were attacked by the British Humanist Association. “To compare the proper labelling of meat from religious slaughter methods with the Nazi requirement for all Jews to wear yellow Stars of David is grotesque and false,” said Naomi Phillips, its head of public affairs. “Giving consumers the information to make ethical choices about the meat they buy through labelling does not prevent Jews who wish to from buying kosher meat.”
Scottish Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson, who introduced the amendments to the bill, had originally suggested the labels should record whether meat was halal or shechita. But he opted for the “non-stunned” label after representations from religious groups.
Stevenson insisted his proposals were born from “animal welfare concerns, not by anything to do with religion“. Stevenson said: “A very significant quantity of meat finding its way onto our shelves and tables has been slaughtered by this method and we’re not aware of it. The public have a right to know.”
The UK government has signalled it opposes the proposals, which, to become law, also need to be endorsed by the council of ministers, the body comprised of representatives of governments drawn from each of the EU’s 27 member states.
Reference: http://halalfocus.net/2011/04/24/plan-to-label-ritually-slaughtered-meat-angers-religious-groups/
MEPs on the food safety committee voted on Tuesday to back amendments to a food labelling bill that would see the mandatory inclusion of labels stating “meat from slaughter without stunning” on relevant food products.
The proposals, which go before the European parliament in July, target meat slaughtered using ritual techniques like those employed by Jewish shechita and Muslim halal butchers.
Animals killed by the shechita technique are not stunned before having their throats cut and blood drained out. Halal meat is slaughtered using a similar technique, although research by the British Veterinary Association suggests 80% of halal meat is stunned before slaughter.
Religious groups have expressed anger at the proposals. A Jewish campaign group, Shechita UK, controversially claimed the measure was the “21st-century equivalent of the yellow star, but on our food”. “This amendment does nothing to improve animal welfare, fails to fully inform consumers and is clearly discriminatory by design,” said Henry Grunwald, spokesman for the group.
His comments were attacked by the British Humanist Association. “To compare the proper labelling of meat from religious slaughter methods with the Nazi requirement for all Jews to wear yellow Stars of David is grotesque and false,” said Naomi Phillips, its head of public affairs. “Giving consumers the information to make ethical choices about the meat they buy through labelling does not prevent Jews who wish to from buying kosher meat.”
Scottish Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson, who introduced the amendments to the bill, had originally suggested the labels should record whether meat was halal or shechita. But he opted for the “non-stunned” label after representations from religious groups.
Stevenson insisted his proposals were born from “animal welfare concerns, not by anything to do with religion“. Stevenson said: “A very significant quantity of meat finding its way onto our shelves and tables has been slaughtered by this method and we’re not aware of it. The public have a right to know.”
The UK government has signalled it opposes the proposals, which, to become law, also need to be endorsed by the council of ministers, the body comprised of representatives of governments drawn from each of the EU’s 27 member states.
Reference: http://halalfocus.net/2011/04/24/plan-to-label-ritually-slaughtered-meat-angers-religious-groups/
Friday, March 18, 2011
Halal brands has potential to make Pakistan proud, prosperous, says minister
ISLAMABAD: Enormity of Halal business cannot be denied whereas importance and significance of value added exports in any economy could not be over emphasized, said Minister for Science and Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali. He said contrary to the common understanding, Halal business was not limited to Muslim communities and countries rather because of its high hygienic values the Halal products are attracting non-Muslims as well. He was chairing the first meeting of National Steering Committee for promotion and development of Halal products, on Friday. The minister said Halal market and Halal branding was today a global phenomenon and it had the potential to make Pakistan proud and prosperous. The minister said without research and development no industry could go far in that competitive world so S&T organisations had to make sure that private industry was fully supported by applied Research & Development work. Jamali said there were only four Islamic Republics in the World including Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Mauritius, and Pakistan was the only country with such a potential for production and export in Halal market. The participants included Federal Secretary Irfan Nadeem representatives from Ministry of Religious affairs, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Live Stock and Dairy Development, Ministry of Industries and production, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Law, Board of Investment representative of each province, Lahore and Karachi Chamber of Commerce etc. staff report
Courtesy By: Daily Times
Courtesy By: Daily Times
Information | Establish good dietary lifestyle early
This past week, I had the pleasure of going into my daughter's kindergarten class to discuss healthy eating with her classmates.
There was plenty of energy and excitement around the room and I felt like a rock star when I left.
But then, smoothies and fruit with dip are always a hit with the under-six crowd.
Helping children understand why their little bodies need healthy food can be challenging and I am very careful to not demonize less than healthy foods lest I trigger some food issue later in life. Developing healthy eating habits early will lead our children to a healthier adulthood and all the grown-ups around them have to join in the effort.
Schools around the world are wrestling with food policies that will enable them to deliver healthy food to children while still being fiscally responsible. I have the honour of working with the Calgary Board of Education on healthy eating policies and initiatives and it is a daunting task.
What, after all, is healthy food when there are so many definitions and interpretations? Add in religious, health and economic issues and it gets even more complicated.
For example, when I go out to talk to a school group, I have to consider food allergies, intolerances and dietary restrictions if I'm bringing a treat.
So, Jell-O fingers may sound like a good idea, but as gelatin is derived from animals, I might need to find a halal or even vegetarian option so that all the children can enjoy the treat and not feel left out. I also have to ensure that ingredients for the take-home recipes are accessible to all students regardless of geography and economic means. If they can't recreate it when they get home, then the learning is lost.
What amazes me most is how open-minded young people are; they do want to talk and learn about food. While a five-year-old may not care abut a food's glycemic index or how an animal was dispatched, she knows that food is important for survival and may also have a sense that what we eat is part of who we are.
My daughter does not really understand why her friend next door doesn't eat pork or regular marshmallows, but she does know that we need to have halal snacks on hand if her friend is to enjoy afternoon tea at our house.
Healthy eating doesn't have to be difficult and, as an example, I have included our recipe for Apricot and Banana Squares. They are a great snack for a quick pick-me-up and they freeze well.
There is oat bran, which is a good source of fibre and other essential nutrients, in this recipe. The apricots and bananas let us check off another selection from Canada's Food Guide, and the macadamia nuts make a nice change from the ubiquitous walnut-banana pairing in so many recipes.
I encourage you to have conversations with the young people in your life about healthy food choices. Canada's Food Guide (easy to find on the Internet) is a good place to start, but you have to make sure children understand what it means beyond the colour coding and pretty pictures. We can't just assume they understand why making healthy choices matters.
The more we talk about food with our kids, the more we raise smart eaters.
Courtesy By:Business Journal
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
For Elderly Muslims, Few Care Options Outside the Home
Nazli Currim lived for 14 years at the intersection of tradition and frustration. After her father died, her mother moved into Ms. Currim’s home. She cared for her mother full time, even after a stroke six years before she died.
Ms. Currim, 69, founder of the American Muslim Women’s Association, never considered finding a nursing home for her mother. Her attitude is common among Muslims in the United States, many of whom are reluctant even to consider placing an aging family member in a facility.
Part of that decision was a personal one, but part of it was practical: It is difficult for Muslims to find nursing homes and assisted living facilities that reflect their way of life.
Cultural competence has become a buzzword as adult children seek elder care solutions that acknowledge an older person’s cultural and religious identity. But the Muslim community faces a particular challenge. The elderly segment of that population is quite small, representing “only 0.5 percent of our American Muslim population,” according to Aneesah Nadir, president of the Islamic Social Services Association U.S.A., based in Phoenix. “Most of the elders of those who have immigrated here are still overseas. We’re a youthful population.”
Older parents who do come to the United States often live an insulated existence. “They don’t speak the language, so people can’t communicate with them,” said Ms. Nadir. For them, life in a majority of residential facilities would be an alien experience.
“Many of the facilities are not equipped to provide the kind of care a Muslim elder needs — requirements for diet, for prayers, for things that would make a comfortable setting,” she said. “We can’t count on those things in most elder care facilities. They’re not used to us.”
Demand for these facilities may not yet be enormous, but that seems likely to change. The Pew Research Center reports that the Muslim population in the United States will double by 2030, which means that more adult children will need a greater range of options for their aging parents. Without expanded services at existing facilities, or a combination of Muslim-run residences and an increased willingness to use them, the coming generation will face a care crisis.
The traditional model of a full-time stay-at-home caregiver will not survive as the elderly population increases and Muslim women step into the work force. Ms. Currim knows that she was able to do it only because she had both time and a network of supportive relatives to help out.
“Many of the women in our community are stay-at-home moms, even though we’re very educated,” said Ms. Nadir. “We’ve been fortunate that way. But the next generation is not going to stay at home. My daughter’s not going to stay at home.”
As the community enters a period of transition, the need for outside help will increase.
“I envision facilities where ethnicity and religions would be taken into consideration,” said Ms. Nadir, which for her family would mean that only women would attend to female residents; that halal foods, in which animals are slaughtered according to instructions, would be available; and that the staff would be aware of the presence of alcohol or animal gelatin in any medications or preparations.
For now, she focuses her outreach work on smaller steps, interim changes that provide services short of full-time care. “First, I have to get the Muslim community to admit we have social issues, like everyone, that we have to start preparing for,” she said. “Then I have to get my Muslim colleagues to recognize that the Muslim community is going to be part of this elderly community.”
“We need more social support groups within our own community, more things we can do together so our daughters and sons won’t worry,” said Ms. Nadir. “Take lunch. I don’t like to cook alone or eat alone — so if we could go somewhere and have lunch together, even that would be a start.” Until there are residential facilities or community centers that cater to the halal dietary restrictions that many Muslims observe, her options for meeting her friends are limited.
Ms. Currim says that her mother drew comfort and peace of mind from her religious and cultural practices. “My mom passed away as serenely as she lived,” she said, “her soul pouring out as easily as water from a glass laid on its side.”
She and Ms. Nadir anticipate that providing a peaceful end of life will not be as simple for the next generation of aging Muslims.
Courtesy By: The new Hork Times
Where’s My Halal Food?
The New Jersey City University cafeteria does not cater to Muslims who have a religious obligation to eat halal food. There are many cultural foods ranging from Italian to Spanish dishes that are served, but the one important choice the cafeteria does not have is for people with religious restrictions.
"NJCU is very diverse and full of multiple religions. It is not fair to serve one group of people and force all others to adjust," Rita Rosario, 19, Psychology, Hoboken.
In particular, Islam and Judaism dictate a need for food restrictions. Specifically, for Muslims Halal food is embedded into ones culture and upbringing and for Jewish individuals kosher not only pertains to food but is considered a way of life.
What is Halal food?
In Arabic the word halal means lawful or permitted. A Muslim has a set of rules or standards to live by and one of those is that they must follow certain dietary guidelines (Halal foods). All foods are considered to be halal except particular substances specified in the Qur'an. For example, Muslim believe that pork is harmful to their health because it is unsanitary.
Muslims can only eat meat from animals that were living when slaughtered to ensure that there is no blood in the meat when it is eaten. Animals must be freshly killed in a humanitarian way in order to be considered halal.
"Halal food plays a big role in or religion. Our university is bent on educating students about all individual religions, backgrounds, and culture. I do not understand why the cafeteria finds it difficult to be open towards all different eating habits and choices," Maysa Abdelrazeq, 19, Political Science of Cliffside Park.
The fact that NJCU does not serve halal food can be construed as an insult to the Muslim student body because there is a substantial number of Muslims who attend NJCU and are proud of the diversity and acceptance it offers. Leaving students without a viable option when they want a bite to eat is not acceptable.
Halal meat is more expensive than normal meat because its specifications and demand are high. The benefits of halal food are numerous health wise because it is cleaner and less likely to have risks. By adding halal foods to the cafeteria menu more Muslim students will be able to eat in the cafeteria as opposed to packing lunch or eating at home. As a whole, it gives NJCU the satisfaction of being culturally driven and show religious acceptability.
It is sad that halal food is not included in a lot of seemingly diverse cities. When a person goes to the food court at the mall they don't see a food stand advertising halal foods. Are the 1. 8 billion Muslims in America supposed to refrain from eating in every public place they attend because the food industry does not include Muslims? The American Fast food chains don't offer anything even remotely Halal on their menu. America prides itself on the different cultures, but they don't take other cultures into consideration. I guess this melting pot doesn't allow halal ingredients.
Courtesy By:The Gothic Times
"NJCU is very diverse and full of multiple religions. It is not fair to serve one group of people and force all others to adjust," Rita Rosario, 19, Psychology, Hoboken.
In particular, Islam and Judaism dictate a need for food restrictions. Specifically, for Muslims Halal food is embedded into ones culture and upbringing and for Jewish individuals kosher not only pertains to food but is considered a way of life.
What is Halal food?
In Arabic the word halal means lawful or permitted. A Muslim has a set of rules or standards to live by and one of those is that they must follow certain dietary guidelines (Halal foods). All foods are considered to be halal except particular substances specified in the Qur'an. For example, Muslim believe that pork is harmful to their health because it is unsanitary.
Muslims can only eat meat from animals that were living when slaughtered to ensure that there is no blood in the meat when it is eaten. Animals must be freshly killed in a humanitarian way in order to be considered halal.
"Halal food plays a big role in or religion. Our university is bent on educating students about all individual religions, backgrounds, and culture. I do not understand why the cafeteria finds it difficult to be open towards all different eating habits and choices," Maysa Abdelrazeq, 19, Political Science of Cliffside Park.
The fact that NJCU does not serve halal food can be construed as an insult to the Muslim student body because there is a substantial number of Muslims who attend NJCU and are proud of the diversity and acceptance it offers. Leaving students without a viable option when they want a bite to eat is not acceptable.
Halal meat is more expensive than normal meat because its specifications and demand are high. The benefits of halal food are numerous health wise because it is cleaner and less likely to have risks. By adding halal foods to the cafeteria menu more Muslim students will be able to eat in the cafeteria as opposed to packing lunch or eating at home. As a whole, it gives NJCU the satisfaction of being culturally driven and show religious acceptability.
It is sad that halal food is not included in a lot of seemingly diverse cities. When a person goes to the food court at the mall they don't see a food stand advertising halal foods. Are the 1. 8 billion Muslims in America supposed to refrain from eating in every public place they attend because the food industry does not include Muslims? The American Fast food chains don't offer anything even remotely Halal on their menu. America prides itself on the different cultures, but they don't take other cultures into consideration. I guess this melting pot doesn't allow halal ingredients.
Courtesy By:The Gothic Times
Halal or Haram? A new council gives advice to Muslims in Sweden
The newly-formed Swedish Fatwa Council sets out to help Muslims in Sweden seeking advice about how to live in accordance with Islam, but not everyone is convinced the group is necessary, The Local's Karen Holst discovers.
•'God's House' being built in suburban Stockholm (2 Mar 11)
•Swedish Muslim Council renews support for leader (11 Jan 11)
•Swedish fatwa council condemns bomb attack (20 Dec 10)
Is it halal or haram? Right or wrong?
For the more than 450,000 Muslim living in Sweden, or about 5 percent of the total population, it may not always be easy to understand how Islamic practices are best applied in Swedish society.
The group, known as the Swedish Fatwa Council (Svenska Fatwarådet), officially began in mid-2009 with 14 members, composed of educated imams and people with qualified experience in the field.
“The most common questions we receive are related to relationship issues, marriage and divorce, economic issues, private issues of how to live as Muslims in Sweden and arbitration of conflicts,” says Saeed Azam, chairman of the Council.
It is common practice that Muslims seek religious advice regarding how to live in the best, most constructive way where ever they are as well as how to interpret contradictory information.
The word fatwa is commonly defined as a legal pronouncement in Islam that is issued by a religious law specialist on a specific issue.
Fatwas run the spectrum from basic - which foods to eat - to the modern – which music to listen to – to the political – positions on world terrorism. They are adopted to the specific circumstances, environment and time of a certain situation, as fatwas cannot be the same all over the world, in all times due to differing elements.
The decrees also can be refuted or redefined by other Islamic scholars.
For example, in 2001, Egypt's Grand Mufti issued a fatwa stating that the popular television show “Who Will Win the Million?”, modelled after the British show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”, was un-Islamic.
The Sheikh of Cairo's Al-Azhar University later rejected the fatwa, finding that there was no objection to such shows since they spread general knowledge.
The most notable fatwa to recently hit the global audience is the 600-page Fatwa on Terrorism, an Islamic decree against terrorism and suicide bombings released last year.
This fatwa was a direct rebuttal of the ideology behind al-Qaeda and Taliban. It is one of the most extensive rulings to date, with an "absolute" condemnation of terrorism without "any excuses or pretexts" and even goes as far as to declare terrorism under Islamic law as kufr, or of a person who does not believe in Allah.
It was produced in Canada by the influential Muslim scholar Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri and launched in London last March. According to experts, this fatwa is a significant set-back to terrorist recruiting operations.
Dr. Qadri said during the launch, "Terrorism is terrorism, violence is violence and it has no place in Islamic teaching and no justification can be provided for it, or any kind of excuses or ifs or buts."
The Swedish Fatwa Council issued its first fatwa last year in response to the suicide bomb attack in Stockholm, condemning the act and describing it as not compatible with Islam.
Back in Malmö, Azam believes there is a great need in Sweden for the Muslim minority to have such a council to turn to for advice in a context that fits the environment.
“We know what it’s like to live in Sweden and the conditions that people live with here, we understand the challenges,” Azam says.
The Swedish Fatwa Council aims to have a geographical spread of qualified imams throughout the country to increase their reach.
Within the Council they plan to establish the Fatwa Committee, which will consist only of imams who have earned at least a bachelor’s degree in Sharia, or the study of a system of laws derived from the Koran and the Prophet Muhammed’s actions.
Sharia, however, can differ from country to country, and the interpretations of it can range from conservative to liberal.
“It’s been a balancing act to find the right representatives, to avoid extremes,” Azam says.
Today the Committee has nine such educated imams, who reference both the Koran and the Prophet Muhammad’s actions when answering questions about what is and what is not permissible under Sharia Law.
Since fatwas can differ depending upon the school and branch of Islam, the Committee will remain an odd number to ensure a majority vote when providing answers.
Questions are submitted to the Council by letters and e-mails through their website.
The imams plan to lean on authorities abroad when needed, rather than compete with the major fatwa centres of the Middle East and elsewhere in the world, such as the European Fatwa Council.
The Council can then reshape those fatwas in a manner that is applicable to life in Sweden.
However good the intentions though, not all are in favour of the Swedish Fatwa Council.
“They are a little group without the real qualifications to be established here in Sweden,” says a representative from the Grand Mosque in Stockholm.
“There are many other organisations that are properly established in Sweden to provide such counsel. This is not one of them.”
The Grand Mosque, which is run by the Islamic Association, fails to see the need in assigning its own representative to the group.
The Swedish Fatwa Council’s biggest challenges thus are to earn the recognition and respect of the numerous Muslim factions and organizations within Sweden, as well as find representation that matches the nation’s diverse Muslim community.
The Muslim Council of Sweden (Sverige’s Muslimska Råd - SMR) is regarded as the highest Muslim authority in the nation and serves as the influential umbrella organization to most registered Islamic groups in Sweden.
SMR president Helena Benaouda says there's not a real need for the Swedish Fatwa Council or the need to have a fatwa for every little detail of life.
She adds that while it's good for imams or groups of imams and educated individuals to think about how to best implement Islamic practices in Sweden, Benaouda warns against opinions and guidance coming from too narrow a field.
"We welcome all efforts to explain Islam in a European context but this group is still too little - they need to be much bigger and much broader," Benaouda says, adding that educated female representation also is important, which the group in Malmö currently lacks.
The diverse Muslim community in Sweden includes large numbers of believers who originate from countries outside the Middle East such as Bosnia and Somalia. As of yet these groups do not have representation in the Council either.
Despite views from those who are sceptical about the Fatwa Council and its ability to represent Sweden's diverse Muslim population, Azam is nevertheless optimistic about the Council's potential to serve as an important resource for Muslims in Sweden.
"We believe we have the specialist knowledge needed, since the imams in our Council have the proper religious education," he says.
"We want other Muslim minorities to be included in the Council in the future."
Courtesy by: The Local
•'God's House' being built in suburban Stockholm (2 Mar 11)
•Swedish Muslim Council renews support for leader (11 Jan 11)
•Swedish fatwa council condemns bomb attack (20 Dec 10)
Is it halal or haram? Right or wrong?
For the more than 450,000 Muslim living in Sweden, or about 5 percent of the total population, it may not always be easy to understand how Islamic practices are best applied in Swedish society.
The group, known as the Swedish Fatwa Council (Svenska Fatwarådet), officially began in mid-2009 with 14 members, composed of educated imams and people with qualified experience in the field.
“The most common questions we receive are related to relationship issues, marriage and divorce, economic issues, private issues of how to live as Muslims in Sweden and arbitration of conflicts,” says Saeed Azam, chairman of the Council.
It is common practice that Muslims seek religious advice regarding how to live in the best, most constructive way where ever they are as well as how to interpret contradictory information.
The word fatwa is commonly defined as a legal pronouncement in Islam that is issued by a religious law specialist on a specific issue.
Fatwas run the spectrum from basic - which foods to eat - to the modern – which music to listen to – to the political – positions on world terrorism. They are adopted to the specific circumstances, environment and time of a certain situation, as fatwas cannot be the same all over the world, in all times due to differing elements.
The decrees also can be refuted or redefined by other Islamic scholars.
For example, in 2001, Egypt's Grand Mufti issued a fatwa stating that the popular television show “Who Will Win the Million?”, modelled after the British show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”, was un-Islamic.
The Sheikh of Cairo's Al-Azhar University later rejected the fatwa, finding that there was no objection to such shows since they spread general knowledge.
The most notable fatwa to recently hit the global audience is the 600-page Fatwa on Terrorism, an Islamic decree against terrorism and suicide bombings released last year.
This fatwa was a direct rebuttal of the ideology behind al-Qaeda and Taliban. It is one of the most extensive rulings to date, with an "absolute" condemnation of terrorism without "any excuses or pretexts" and even goes as far as to declare terrorism under Islamic law as kufr, or of a person who does not believe in Allah.
It was produced in Canada by the influential Muslim scholar Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri and launched in London last March. According to experts, this fatwa is a significant set-back to terrorist recruiting operations.
Dr. Qadri said during the launch, "Terrorism is terrorism, violence is violence and it has no place in Islamic teaching and no justification can be provided for it, or any kind of excuses or ifs or buts."
The Swedish Fatwa Council issued its first fatwa last year in response to the suicide bomb attack in Stockholm, condemning the act and describing it as not compatible with Islam.
Back in Malmö, Azam believes there is a great need in Sweden for the Muslim minority to have such a council to turn to for advice in a context that fits the environment.
“We know what it’s like to live in Sweden and the conditions that people live with here, we understand the challenges,” Azam says.
The Swedish Fatwa Council aims to have a geographical spread of qualified imams throughout the country to increase their reach.
Within the Council they plan to establish the Fatwa Committee, which will consist only of imams who have earned at least a bachelor’s degree in Sharia, or the study of a system of laws derived from the Koran and the Prophet Muhammed’s actions.
Sharia, however, can differ from country to country, and the interpretations of it can range from conservative to liberal.
“It’s been a balancing act to find the right representatives, to avoid extremes,” Azam says.
Today the Committee has nine such educated imams, who reference both the Koran and the Prophet Muhammad’s actions when answering questions about what is and what is not permissible under Sharia Law.
Since fatwas can differ depending upon the school and branch of Islam, the Committee will remain an odd number to ensure a majority vote when providing answers.
Questions are submitted to the Council by letters and e-mails through their website.
The imams plan to lean on authorities abroad when needed, rather than compete with the major fatwa centres of the Middle East and elsewhere in the world, such as the European Fatwa Council.
The Council can then reshape those fatwas in a manner that is applicable to life in Sweden.
However good the intentions though, not all are in favour of the Swedish Fatwa Council.
“They are a little group without the real qualifications to be established here in Sweden,” says a representative from the Grand Mosque in Stockholm.
“There are many other organisations that are properly established in Sweden to provide such counsel. This is not one of them.”
The Grand Mosque, which is run by the Islamic Association, fails to see the need in assigning its own representative to the group.
The Swedish Fatwa Council’s biggest challenges thus are to earn the recognition and respect of the numerous Muslim factions and organizations within Sweden, as well as find representation that matches the nation’s diverse Muslim community.
The Muslim Council of Sweden (Sverige’s Muslimska Råd - SMR) is regarded as the highest Muslim authority in the nation and serves as the influential umbrella organization to most registered Islamic groups in Sweden.
SMR president Helena Benaouda says there's not a real need for the Swedish Fatwa Council or the need to have a fatwa for every little detail of life.
She adds that while it's good for imams or groups of imams and educated individuals to think about how to best implement Islamic practices in Sweden, Benaouda warns against opinions and guidance coming from too narrow a field.
"We welcome all efforts to explain Islam in a European context but this group is still too little - they need to be much bigger and much broader," Benaouda says, adding that educated female representation also is important, which the group in Malmö currently lacks.
The diverse Muslim community in Sweden includes large numbers of believers who originate from countries outside the Middle East such as Bosnia and Somalia. As of yet these groups do not have representation in the Council either.
Despite views from those who are sceptical about the Fatwa Council and its ability to represent Sweden's diverse Muslim population, Azam is nevertheless optimistic about the Council's potential to serve as an important resource for Muslims in Sweden.
"We believe we have the specialist knowledge needed, since the imams in our Council have the proper religious education," he says.
"We want other Muslim minorities to be included in the Council in the future."
Courtesy by: The Local
Monday, March 14, 2011
Major Halal Food Producer By 2016
BINTULU: Sarawak should be able to become a major producer of halal food once Tanjung Manis Halal Hub is fully operational in the next five years, said Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
And the state must adopt modern agriculture practices to achieve that.
Taib noted that the state had the ingredients to become a major halal food producer if it put greater emphasis on agriculture as one of 10 sectors to be implemented under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
The chief minister revealed that in 2009, the halal food market was worth an estimated US$600 billion and would reach US$1 trillion in the next three years.
"Through modern agriculture, Sarawak can become a major halal food producer once Tanjung Manis Halal hub is fully operational in the next five years," Taib said at the State Farmers', Breeders' and Fishermen's Day at Bintulu Old Airport here yesterday.
He revealed that some 70,000 hectares of land in Tanjung Manis had been set aside for the halal hub, where some 40,000 hectares were allocated to farmers under the first phase.
"The first phase will benefit farmers with contract farming to ensure their products have ready markets," he said.
Taib who is also Minister of Planning and Resource Management revealed that his deputy, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is also minister of modernisation of agriculture would be tasked to duplicate the halal hub model in other districts to increase the income of rural farmers.
"He (Jabu) is to lead the state forward to embrace modern agriculture," he said.
Taib assured non-Muslims that the government's emphasis on halal food production was not meant to Islamise them as even Nestle, a non-Muslim major global food producer based in Switzerland, has gone into halal food production.
Sarawak's livestock has been known to be free from the dreaded foot and mouth disease.
"Our farmers must expand their knowledge and adopt modern agriculture to raise their income. Modernisation of agriculture means we have to adopt biotechnology to ensure our food is safe for consumption and for export," he said.
Taib urged youths to be involved in agriculture as it is a lucrative endeavour.
The cottage industry must continue to be developed as it would be a major contributor to the economy.
"We must be willing to learn modern techniques of packaging and marketing," he added.
The chief minister announced that from next year two special prizes would be awarded for food processing and entrepreneurship.
Courtesy by: Borneo Post Online
And the state must adopt modern agriculture practices to achieve that.
Taib noted that the state had the ingredients to become a major halal food producer if it put greater emphasis on agriculture as one of 10 sectors to be implemented under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
The chief minister revealed that in 2009, the halal food market was worth an estimated US$600 billion and would reach US$1 trillion in the next three years.
"Through modern agriculture, Sarawak can become a major halal food producer once Tanjung Manis Halal hub is fully operational in the next five years," Taib said at the State Farmers', Breeders' and Fishermen's Day at Bintulu Old Airport here yesterday.
He revealed that some 70,000 hectares of land in Tanjung Manis had been set aside for the halal hub, where some 40,000 hectares were allocated to farmers under the first phase.
"The first phase will benefit farmers with contract farming to ensure their products have ready markets," he said.
Taib who is also Minister of Planning and Resource Management revealed that his deputy, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is also minister of modernisation of agriculture would be tasked to duplicate the halal hub model in other districts to increase the income of rural farmers.
"He (Jabu) is to lead the state forward to embrace modern agriculture," he said.
Taib assured non-Muslims that the government's emphasis on halal food production was not meant to Islamise them as even Nestle, a non-Muslim major global food producer based in Switzerland, has gone into halal food production.
Sarawak's livestock has been known to be free from the dreaded foot and mouth disease.
"Our farmers must expand their knowledge and adopt modern agriculture to raise their income. Modernisation of agriculture means we have to adopt biotechnology to ensure our food is safe for consumption and for export," he said.
Taib urged youths to be involved in agriculture as it is a lucrative endeavour.
The cottage industry must continue to be developed as it would be a major contributor to the economy.
"We must be willing to learn modern techniques of packaging and marketing," he added.
The chief minister announced that from next year two special prizes would be awarded for food processing and entrepreneurship.
Courtesy by: Borneo Post Online
Friday, March 11, 2011
Establishing a manufacturing plant to produce halal medicines
The Minister of Health, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan, invited the Second Minister of Finance at the Prime Minister's Office to respond to the matter.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman, said the manufacturing 'plant' sector to produce medicines is an area identified as having potential to be developed and it is hoped it would further enhance the government's revenue especially in the non-oil and gas sector. Yang Berhormat said the establishment of VIVA Pharmacy Sendirian Berhad or Viva Brunei, constitutes a project that can be implemented under the Brunei auspices. Viva Pharmaceutical Incorporated Canada, the Minister said, was established in 1984 in Canada and produces pharmaceutical and natural health products. The Company aspires to become the leading supplier in halal certified medicines, vitamins and nutritional supplement not only for the local market but also regional and middle east markets.
Courtesy by: Brunei News
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Mellow Hope (HTDS) Reaches a Milestone in Indonesia
The Indonesian Muslim Association inspected the Mellow Hope plant that produces the ACYW135 and A+C Meningococcal Polysaccharide vaccines. Mellow Hope plant and method of production of these vaccines met the HALAL certificate (Halal Assurance System) requirements. The Indonesian Muslim Association is well-known and regarded as the most authoritative Muslim organization in the world. The HALAL is a difficult certificate to receive, and Mellow Hope believes that there are only two companies in the world that have obtained this certificate. With the HALAL certificate in hand, Mellow Hope believes that it will have advantage in marketing its MEVAC-ACYW and A+C in Indonesia and other Muslim countries. Mellow Hope is participating in tenders of Group ACYW135 in Indonesia and Bangladesh, and believes that the ability to acquire HALAL certificate will be a great help in securing the tenders.
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