ISLAM is a systematic way of life and each and every teaching divulged by the religion comes with comprehensive standards and guidelines to be adhered to by Muslims.
One of these standards is the concept of the lawful (halal) which comes together with the concept of the prohibited (haram).
Matters pertaining to halal and haram are parts of al-maqasid al-syar’iyyah (the objectives of the Syariah) to preserve religion, life, property and progeny.
Halal is a Quranic term that means permitted or legal.
Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, a prominent Muslim scholar, defined halal as that which is permitted and upon which no restriction exists and the doing of which Allah has allowed.
The opposite of halal is haram – forbidden or unlawful.
Anyone who engages in it is liable to incur punishment in the hereafter as well as legal punishment in this world.
According to the Syariah, all issues concerning halal and haram and all disputes should be referred to the Quran and the Sunnah (prophetic tradition).
This is in line with the saying of Allah:
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end.”
To enable Muslims to better understand the concept, Muslim scholars have developed al-qawaid al-fiqhiyyah or the legal maxims of Islamic law.
It is a theoretical abstraction – usually in the form of a short statement that expresses the objectives and goals of the Syariah.
One of the popular maxims is “The basic principle is the permissibility of things” i.e. all God’s creations and the benefits derived from them are permissible.
Nothing is haram except what is explicitly spelt out by the Quran or the Sunnah.
Dr Yusuf al-Qardawi, in his book, The Lawful and The Prohibited in Islam , has underlined 10 more Islamic legal maxims pertaining to the concept of halal and haram such as “The prohibition of things is due to their impurity and harmfulness” and “The haram is prohibited to everyone alike. ”
Therefore, Islam forbids eating dead animals, pork, blood, etc due to their perilous elements which can cause ailments to human beings.
Similarly, adultery, fornication and homosexuality, which result in AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, are strictly prohibited by Islam.
This prohibition is applicable to all Muslims as Islam recognises no privileged classes.
Whatever God has legislated as halal is halal for all people and whatever He has prohibited is haram for all people regardless of their status.
Today, the concept of halal is no longer discussed in a conservative framework.
It has been given a new dimension whereby the value of the subject matter is analysed from various angles – especially from the commercial and scientific point of views. �
The launch of MS1500:2004 on Aug 16 last year by the Prime Minister during the Malaysian International Halal Showcase marked a new dimension to the halal concept, especially for those who are involved in the food industry and Muslim consumers as well.
The Halal Standard MS1500:2004 is a modern version of the halal concept promoted by the Quran.
It has been rejuvenated and has been improvised by categorising the standard based on industrial segmentation.
It is the first halal standard introduced in the country and perhaps in the world and basically complements the existing halal accreditation and halal logo issued by the Islamic Development Department and religious state council.
From an Islamic point of view, the Halal Standard MS1500:2004 which concerns food will bring a positive impact in various sectors.
The introduction of the halal standard and the commercialisation of the concept will uphold the image of Islam as a progressive religion.
When the authoritative organisations ordain the halal standard to manufacturers or producers, they actually place Islam and its principles in a position deserved by the religion.
Moreover, it will show non-Muslims that Islam is a systematic way of life so all tasks or duties are attached with specific requirements.
For Malaysia as an Islamic state, the introduction of the halal standard, especially the MS1500:2004, will help the Government achieve its mission of making Malaysia a halal hub for the region.
With its perfect example of a progressive, moderate and dynamic country for the Muslim world, coupled with its strategic geographical location, this vision can be achieved within a short timeframe provided that all agencies work hand in hand.
For consumers, they are free to choose the range of products offered by manufacturers without having doubts of the lawfulness of the goods.
There are cases whereby customers are cheated by manufacturers who are not sensitive about the halal and haram of the products put up for sale due to their obsession with reaping profits. �
Occasionally, consumers are not aware of the ingredients or the materials used in the production of goods.�
By having the halal standard, the problem will be reduced, as the halal certification embossed on the products will specify the status of the products.
Conformity to the halal standard will provide assurance about quality, safety and reliability of the products.�
This will also protect consumers against impurity and harmfulness of products or even activities, which are prohibited by the Syariah.
Eventually, the halal standard can contribute to the quality of life in general as elements that can stir religious sensitivities are being tackled at the roots.
For manufacturers and service providers, the halal standard means a larger market share to be tapped, which will simultaneously bring in more profits.
With halal certification, products and services will be of better quality.
It is globally recognised that quality is a critical element for any organisation to survive in the challenging business atmosphere and it is the major concern of chief executive officers.
In reality, business rivals always eye a bigger share of the pie and consumers have become more demanding as the level of consumer awareness has increased.
Therefore, the need for business entities to offer good products and services has escalated tremendously.�
One main point that should be stressed here is that the concept of halal and haram should not be viewed from a narrow perspective or be discussed within a rigid framework as it is not only applicable to food but also to each and every activity carried out by man.
In addition, the concept is no longer an issue whereby the discussants of the topic are ulamas or religious scholars.
It is now a universal topic as the concept implies and has a great potential if it is systematically developed to cater for various areas that concern reaching a good standard of human life.
It is important that Muslims have an in-depth understanding of the concept as Allah does not command anything without reasons and these reasons will benefit them and become the main cause for them to earn the pleasure of Allah in this life and the hereafter.