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The word halal, its ethics and ethos and its compliance in Muslims has been in vogue by Islamic dietary laws, ever since the Qur`an declared in al-Baqra 2:168 and then in 2:172 that “O, ye men, eat what is in the earth lawful, wholesome and do not follow Satan, and O, ye who believe, eat good things that we have provided with and render thanks to Allah”. Allah also commanded in al-Maida 5:88 that “eat of what Allah has given you for food, that which is lawful and wholesome and fear Allah in whom you believe”. In fact Muslims all over the world have enjoyed what foodstuffs had been made lawful and nourishing for them and have abstained from what had been proscribe by the Creator. Allah as the great provider of sustenance for mankind, knew that there would come a time when man with his wisdom that He provided would use the hadid, the iron for his benefits in the form of machine and technology.
Although whenever halal is mentioned a good percentage of people concur with confidence and argue that their acquiesce should be that it only relates to meat and poultry. And also only in a way it is envisaged that it is the way the animals or the birds are slaughtered for consumption, that is where halal begins and that is where it ends. Truth is far from it. Halal means permissible or lawful.
Allah in His wisdom declared in Qur`an, what is haram and forbidden and declared that remainder of the digestible and ingestible are halal. He also imparted to us in 5:87 “O, you who believe, forbid not the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and transgress not, Allah does not love transgressors”
It is agreed that that halal means, wholesome, pure and fit for human consumption. In respect of meat it is mandatory from Qur`anic injunction that the animal intended for food-chain must not have been gored by another animal, must not have fallen (thus injured) from a height and must not have been asphyxiated or smothered prior to slaughtering. Halal Food Authority has always subscribed to the internationally agreed dictum of usage of technology or the expediency of machinery, whence animals would not become carrion prior to slaughter. Agreed adage and axiom is “no stunning to kill”. Since we as members of the World Halal Council, right from the Indonesia Council of Ulema, IFANCA (USA), the Federation of Islamic Association of New Zealand, JAKIM of Malaysia and Halal Food Authority (even Muslim authority in Brazil) are working with this criteria and are thus bringing in technological amelioration that mirrors to Islamic rules, a great percentage of customers in innumerable countries are enjoying the fruits of advancement of processing facilitated by mechanised system. Islamic system to be adhered to therein is that:
You do sometimes hear derisory comments from a hamlet in England twisted with intonation to heap unwarranted insults on organisations like Halal Food Authority, that stunning the animals causes BSE or other ailments. What a contrived theory! Over 55million of the UK non-Muslim population are consuming meat every day that is the yield of total stunning or stunning to kill, (either by gas, captive bolt or electric). However, they might have all the other medical complaints, but not BSE or vCJD!! Where is proof of this candour that is without clarity? EU has consented that Muslims and Jewish faiths are allowed to do slaughtering according to their customs and requirements, but they have not impugned or arraigned them from using immobilisation or controlled stunning of the animals. EU only wishes to have consideration of animal welfare and there could not be a better way of translating the Islamic modus operandi. Controlled stunning with monitoring and checks that the animal remains alive and all the flowing blood is drained. What is defined, as halal in London has to be accepted as such in Chicago, Kuala Lumpur and Jeddah and this is the reason that meat imported from New Zealand or Australia is affirmed to be partial to.
It is certain that people, who, by their verbal vacuous remarks attempt to impede progress and precious accomplishment of organisations like ours, are only etiolated by envious emulous predisposition mainly in their thinking and actions. It has taken Halal Food Authority nearly twelve years to thwart fears and concerns of halal slaughtering being cruel or labelled as such by many animal rights organisations and, should we have left this issue with believers of other conjectures, it would have been left with opacity of uncertain criteria; we are proud that we have been pellucid in transforming Qur`anic appellation for the benefit of Muslims consumers. After all the Qur`an is in perfect continuous tense and inviting us to be thoughtful of its core messages. Without technological advancements we would find ourselves far behind in the queue of progression and, this would make non-Muslims control our meat and foodstuffs with their business acumen. Interesting as it is, even today there are some who would object to a non-Muslim in partaking in halal trade. It must be said that livestock and the bird-flock come from farms owned by non-Muslims, slaughterhouses are owned and operated by them and the cutting plants and distribution centres are under their supervision and ownership. A small percentage are contracted or owner-operated by Muslims. Their total yield in kilograms is just a fraction of total requirements and consumption.
These paragons of virtue whose ambit is averse to belief of usage of technology are adamant to use the mobile telephone, the computer, travel by air high in the sky or by automobile on land, benefit from electricity and air conditioners and consume tonnes of processed food made by modern methods on conveyor-belt system. But, nay, technology is not to be used in slaughtering! Since machine and technology or electronics did not exist at the time of the Messenger or his Apostles.
Good news is that Meat and Livestock Commission together with Professor Steve Wooton of the Bristol University have developed a machine, yes machine called SAM, Stunning Assurance Monitor that would ensure that ovine animals (bovine as well with some alterations and adjustments) could be slaughtered without apprehension of these succumbing to the controlled electric stun. It is imperative to note that one of our reputable sister organisations here in the UK has also given blessing for its usage. Surely it was because it has been proven that the animal is not killed prior to slaughter. Trust that there would be others becoming cognizant of the advantages! Is not an answer to our prayers? HFA has affirmed and commended this welcome progression in technology and we had already been working with its predecessor prototype with reasonable success.
As it is obvious that meat goes into food chain and halal should be the condition of anything we consume, we should be looking at validity, authentication and verification of foodstuffs. Then again present day food is prepared by technology, processing, chilling and freezing methods with approved ingredients. This is one of the reasons that Halal Food Authority has taken an onerous responsibility of accreditation and authentication of ingredients and foodstuffs.
This is carried out by contractual means of audits and checks of constituents of foods and inspection of manufacturing sites and plants with facilitation of full trust to the endorsee to operate within the bounds of rules and compliance of relevant EU regulations of meat hygiene, food hygiene, food safety, HACCP and environmental health. Halal Food Authority symbol and logo of halal authenticity would only appear on items that have adhered to both Islamic dictum and compliance of relevant EU food hygiene and food safety regulations. It goes without saying that Islam always teaches us to conform to hygiene and food safety. We Muslims should never loose the sight of the axiom that halal in relation to food means, wholesome, pure and that it is fit for human consumption.
This is why; we insist that genetically modified foods or organisms, unless proven to be safe, should be kept out of halal food chain. HFA does not regulate hygiene compliance of the participating plants, but it is an added requirement that they should adhere to rules in vogue and are licensed by EU system.
Now let us turn our attention to ingredients. Additives, flavourings and colourings are made with chemicals and blended to achieve a desired item. For example, seven elements concocted and formulated would yield mushroom flavouring and, if we add four of other variety and take out one or two of the existing one that would result in strawberry flavouring (this hypothesis is narrated as an example only). What we in Halal Food Authority have to ensure is that there is no intoxicant element present and, there is no alcohol produced or left as residue as a result of combining the constituents.
Talking about alcohol either as an ingredient or a constituent, we have to do some ijtehad, to ensure that we are not leading ourselves astray or contravening the Islamic perceptions, canon law and the axiom of abstinence from usage or consumption of any intoxicants. We are aware that a learned and respected Muslim scholar in UK has ruled that 0.05% alcohol is admissible in restricted circumstances. Halal Food Authority would consent the aforementioned percentage to be left as residue in concentrates that are used to flavour 10 thousand or more litres of say, drinks or gallons of ice cream. Little did our learned friend realise that from the 1st of January 2006, according to approved EU directives in preparation and distilling of flavourings alcohol would be used instead of base of solvents. This could and would lead to some of our favourite and at times in an ad hoc manner considered halal flavourings residue of greater percentage of alcohol or intoxicant, and because of restrictive rules of labelling these might not be made privy to customers.
The other important and salient issue we have to address is of that animal cloning. It would not be long whence we would have animals and birds procured and obtained by cloning methods. Experiments have been successful in producing edible species. Since these would not be the fruits of natural reproduction method, what is the way knowing whether these would be innocuous for human nourishment, benign and harmless to future DNA. The question is, would this or the consumption of such meat and poultry be prescribed or proscribed by the Shari`ah.
Organic meat and food is another important factor to look at. Surprising as it may sound, but the truth is that there is not much awareness in the community of the advantages of eating organic stuff and, if some knowledgeable customers search for it there are not more than couple of outlets partaking in organic trade. We, in Halal Food Authority have been endeavouring to promote the ideology for the last seven/eight years. As you know we do not trade. Therefore, we broached the subject and liaised with the industry. However, because of insufficient quantities slaughterhouses both for ovine meat and poultry did not deem it to be viable and trade-worthy. We would implore our Muslim brethren to eat less but to eat wisely.
Regional and international exhibitions and seminars like this are an instrument to openly discuss, reflect and make pathways for progress in not only knowing what halal is, but also to beckon the industrious and wise people to visualise that the halal trade is calling them to open and establish their own farms, slaughterhouses, portioning and distributing plants, food and ingredients manufacturing and processing plants and factories. How long would we stay customers only and not the procurers? Would it not be fair to say that if there was no scope or joy or profit the other wizards and notables would not have ventured in millions of pounds worth meat and food industry. Non-Muslims are serving us halal foods, yes, prepared with care and authenticated. Should we Muslims not venture on this noble road and stop criticising others and do what Muslims were best at historically in first place, and that was – trade. By which, it was not meant to open a corner shop, but to be engaged in bigger and wider aspects of the industry.
Halal Food Authority, I am delighted to say that despite harmful, insulting and pernicious comments of some has achieved what it had set out to in the name of Allah. And that was to create awareness in the community that halal system was possible to be established in a Western region and we have with blessings of the Almighty been able to persuade the industry that it is in their interest as well to partake in halal trade and how nice it is see that the HFA symbol is on many a items depicting the validity and authenticity.
However, there is a lot to be done. In the short term, bird flu and colourings and additives. Long term animal health, animal welfare, hygiene, food safety and most of all inter-action with regulatory and government departments on issues that are important and concern us all now and would be mile-stone in the future. Our work and liaison with Food Standards Agency is amicable and on going.
In conclusion I would like to and dare it to say that people who are in halal trade should not attempt to and refrain from authenticating halal validity and endorsing products and it would be prudent to suggest the same for employees of the Government departments. Why invite the reason of culpability of conflict of interest? Voluntary advice and consultation is another matter.
Doctrines that are averse to or in contravention of the Islamic jurisprudence should be unequivocally admonished. Good should be enforced and evil should be extirpated.
May Allah go with us all – always.
Masood Khawaja
President
Ethnic and Speciality Food Show
Excel Centre,
Docklands,
London
24 November 2005
©Halal Food Authority 2006
