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It is imperative to perceive that halal is an Arabic word used in the Qur`an, the Muslim Holy Book to denote and signify, anything which is permissible. Opposite to it is the word haram, meaning unlawful or forbidden. Hermeneutically it is the correct interpretation of these words. However, to a Muslim it is more than a must to comply with all the ordinances of the scripture – the Qur`an. Since if he does not conform to and comply with even one or a part of the covenants, he could be deemed to be a transgressor. A Muslim in reality is a person who is absolutely resigned and submits to the will of Allah and adheres to all His commands without question.
Webster’s universal dictionary gives us the meaning of myth as, word, speech, story, and legend. Ostensibly here we will examine and reconnoitre halal as it is made compulsory for the Muslims by their dietary laws. All Muslims have to obey and follow axiom and principles revealed in Qur`an. Interpretation of Islamic jurisprudence gives us an insight of modern day development in food preparation and food industry.
We have to be cognizant of the fact that the word halal is not only used in respect of foodstuffs, it can also be for our attire, our behaviour, in respect of economical or financial affairs, and also pertaining to every aspect of everyday life.
For the purpose of this talk we have to concentrate on food matters. Allah has given His command by Qur`anic exegesis for the believers, the Muslims that :
For people who perform good deeds are commanded through the Messenger, in chapter al Mu`minun 23, verse 51, “O you messenger! Enjoy all things good and pure and, work righteousness: for I am well acquainted with (all) that you do.
It should be noted that Allah (SWT) has promised in the Qur`an 11:6 , “and no moving (living) creature is there on earth , but its provision (food) is due from Allah”. And for this purpose He has elucidated that “and He it is who has subjected the sea to you, that you eat thereof fresh tender fish” 16:14 and, in several other places.
He is guiding us that we should explore the earth, and that we should eat what is in it, 2:168 “and, eat that grows outside pure or within the earth”. In verse 45:13 it is stipulated in these words “and made subservient unto you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, all, on His behalf, verily in this are signs for the people who reflect”.
These verses are a clear testimony of symbological permission given to mankind to explore, procure and engage in agriculture to obtain minerals, chemicals, fruits, grains and vegetables for sustenance, energy and prolonging life.
“ And He has made from the animal kingdom (permissible) lawful to you to (eat) all beasts of cattle except that which will be announced to you,” 5:1
There is only one named animal, from all the four legged species, which has been declared haram or forbidden for Muslims and that is - pig.
What is halal?
It is generally thought that a lump of meat sold from halal butchery is halal or the chicken tikka masala dished out from a take-away owned by a Muslim is halal. This is contrary to the halal doctrine. In the light of the foregoing injunctions of the Islamic Jurisprudence when we examine various food stuffs, we find that the criteria should be that all substances found on the earth or extracted from within it, are permissible unless specified to be haram, unlawful or forbidden.
This facilitates us to ascribe the components and constituents, which are haram, forbidden or unlawful to consume. These are:
It is prudent to point out here that apart from halal and haram there is another term for describing items which either are not mentioned by jurists or usage of these is allowed only by choice of the individual user. For example, some Muslim sects or denominations will not consume shrimps and crabs and some will abstain from eating eels because these resemble serpents. This is called Makrooh, meaning something which is nearer to be called a dislike or disrelish. However, inexorable attention has to be paid to the halal haram rules.
Present day process
Now in this age of electronics and expediency of machinery, there are food items which are made en masse with various different formulations and at times on conveyer belts and sometimes at unimaginable speed and quantities per minute. Under these circumstances and because of high temperatures in vessels and formulators, some foodstuffs loose energy and, more than often have to be fortified with vitamins, colours, additives and emulsifiers to enable these to look, to preserve to increase shelf life, to enhance taste and to keep their textures like the original substance or products. Now the question is, that since majority of the additives and preservatives in ages past were neither formulated nor used like these are commercially and liberally used, at present day food industry; are these halal?
There are times when for various reasons, processor and manufacturers of food are somewhat unaware of the dietary requirements. To make a certain product halal or permissible for Muslims, we have to check :
When we talk about ingredients it goes without saying that the problems are innumerable. Not only for the Muslims, but, also for people whose diet is required to be Kosher and consumers with specific allergies and for vegetarians as well. The Halal Food Authority in the UK, like other notable organisations in other parts of the world, is liaising and advising manufacturers/providers of foodstuffs, to choose ingredients for any brand named product with extra care. Halal endorsement is only contractually bestowed once full criteria has been adhered to. For instance:
Majority of the items quoted above are now covered by E numbers, which when ascribed on wrap-overs of various foodstuffs are somewhat confusing even to the best of experts in food labelling and food safety. Take E306 and try saying tocopherol, although it is wheat-germ oil but a gynaecologist might translate it to be childbirth ! And pick E124 and pronounced ponceau or E436 and say it is polyoxethylene sorbitan tristearate. Can you imagine that by the time I would manage to twist my tongue I might have finished the biscuit or consumed the sauce of which it is a constituent. Take E914, oxidised polyethylene wax, used as glazing agent on fresh citrus fruits. If we do not rinse and wash oranges, what then? Then there is E920, famous L-cysteine hydrochloride. Yes, we are being assured that they do not use poultry or duck feathers or human hair in preparation any more, but can we justify usage of animal bones and tissues? Even though these wonderfully concocted additives are to enhance the look, taste, and durability namely shel life and texture, we not only have to ensure that they are halal and permissible but, also that they are they good and wholesome and whether they pose any threat to our genetic make-up now or in the future?
This brings us to animal feed, GM organism and GM food. There is no one who has not seen and suffered directly or indirectly the calamity of BSE or vCJD because of unintentional human error. And allow me to say that it was a scientific mis-judgement in feeding bovine animal who digest their meal by re-gurgitation only, when according to the Qur`an they should only be given feed and nourishment for their growth and human benefit as we consume their meat, this way: “ eat and pasture your cattle, verily, in this are proofs and signs for men of understanding” Ta-Ha 20:54 So we notice that in Islam, not only animal welfare is important, the very food given to animals is also of paramount importance. Since it has been proven time and again that some ill affects and diseases can be passed on to human as a result of consuming meat which has to be procured humanely.
Genetic engineering and modification
Now, even though GMOs and GM food issues have been subject of debates and subsequent regulations, assurances of their containments and traceability and their non-existence and non-usage in foods and through out the food chain, there is still a big question which has to be addressed. Are these in any way harmful to human beings? Could usage of GM food alter characteristics of humankind? Is there any possibility of a change in our DNA or could these have any ill affect on our future generations? We are given to understand that there are always two kinds of affects from every thing. We need sun for radiant heat and nourishment and sun bathing. However, too much of it will ruin crops or too much exposure may cause skin cancer. We need rain to supplement fresh water and for agricultural usage and the like, but torrent and deluge of water destroys cities and environment.
Likewise, the reluctant affirmation of scientists that acceptance of public of availability of added value food, is a panacea of the modern needs of pick and mix food consumption and changed eating trends, is debatable. Although one has to admit that we are provided with a lots of exotic flavoured drinks with added vitamins, variety of cuisines, dishes as cooked in far flung places, foodstuffs which taste better than natural ones, and foodstuffs which are not only directly used from freezers and eaten when taste buds and opportunity demands, but could also be classified as convenient and functional food. It has to be said that such food has longer shelf life and tendency of keeping texture and inviting looks!
Slowly but surely usage of growth hormones in poultry has been recognised to be a long term hazard and we have now been assured by the peers of veterinary medicine that usage of these at least in the UK has ceased. But, the question still is, what hidden affects or slow incubating affect would there be on consumers who were partial to such poultry meat. Alarm bells might ring if we start to elucidate the repercussions.
Usage of halal products
With the establishment of the European Food Safety Agency that would advise, liaise and regulate food legislations for the member states of the European Community, the HFA is satisfied that our meat and food would be fit for human consumption. We must be cognizant of the fact the UK Food Standards Agency is performing and discharging its duties for the betterment of public and the consumer and, its various laws and enforcement of the same is putting us way ahead in present day situation. On behalf of the halal trade we at the Halal Food Authority have been a proponent of having such a body to uphold general principles of Food Laws for the safety of the people within EC and wherever products processed by the Community Member Countries are consumed.
Perusing the Proposal for the General Principles and Requirements of Food Law, Establishing the European Food Authority and Procedures for Food Safety and article 251 of the European Treaty, we will fin d the very first clause emphasises that:
“ the free movement of safe and wholesome food is an essential aspect of the internal market and contributes significantly to the health and well-being of citizens and to their social and economics interests” and as we have already iterated earlier water is the basis of life and food, in the same article clause 6 European Food Authority Procedures state that:
“ Water is ingested as other foods, there by contributing to the overall exposure of a consumer to ingested substances, including chemical and microbiological contaminants. It should therefore, be considered to be food, without prejudice to the requirements established in Council Directives 80/778/EC and 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption”
It might sound conceited, peculiar or idiosyncratic, but religion has a lot to impart and offer to science. Our scripture was revealed centuries ago without lab-tests and commanded us not to eat flowing blood, not to eat carrion, not to partake in intoxicants and to be thankful and to be selective in eating wholesome vegetables, fruits, grains, minerals and chemicals of good value, but in ratio proportions.
It is more than lucid and obvious that halal is something in relation to ingestible and digestible that a Muslim is deemed to and supposed to consume according to religious injunctions. Islamic jurisprudence cannot be interpolated. However, there is every thing to entice and lure the people of other faiths and inclinations to partake in such foods. In fact the choice and ubiquitous practices show that in reality halal food is more in demand and halal out lets are more frequented by people of other faiths, because of abundance of taste, analogous regards to respect animal welfare, usage of potent, natural non-contaminating ingredients and a healthy approach to preserve environment and most of all to preserve life.
To ameliorate the theme of wholesomeness in food, we Muslims can claim that we have been prime users of vegetables, herbs, chemicals and minerals in our diets from time immemorial. Truth of the matter is that these conventions had been in vogue long before science thought of taking goodness out of substances at higher temperatures for convenient formulations and then adding the substitutes back for glamorous labelling purposes with conveniently formulated and - so called additives.
One can safely say that the myths of halal are easily dispelled once we acquaint ourselves with the ethics and ethos of halal and dietary requirement of Muslims. It becomes crystal clear that halal food prepared from halal ingredients, prepared in a hygienic environment with total adherence to relevant food safety laws, is not only good for Muslims, but, is also enjoyed by people who have good taste, and are partial to traditional meals! These days halal is not confined only to the curry and tandoori dishes from the subcontinent or to Arabian and Turkish cuisine. It is now available in modern foods like pizza, salami, sausages, chicken nuggets and, yes we also have halal Irish stew!
On behalf of Muslims, the Halal Food Authority would, as always, implore that when foods or pharmaceuticals are prepared with halal logos or otherwise, and processed with the regimes of health and safety, environmental health rules, HACCP and all regulations of food safety in vogue should be strictly applied. This should be done in the interest of the protection of the human race and above all to provide ourselves with nourishment, which we all need to sustain life.
Masood Khawaja,
President
The Halal Food Authority
Leatherhead Food Research
Centre RA
Leatherhead,
Surrey
4th July 2001
©Halal Food Authority 2006
