Everything One Need To Know About Halal

We are launching this website to create awareness about growing pervasiveness of “Halal” certification and labelling in India, its deceptive use in products and services being sold to unsuspecting non-muslims, economic and cultural appropriation by Islamists, institution of a parallel system of governance and regulation of economic activity and employment in India, and violation of Indian Constitution. Awareness is necessary but not sufficient to solve this growing scam against consumers and a potential threat to sovereignty and integrity of India. It is equally important to provide actionable information and tools to consumers who may notwant to choose Halal certified products and services. There is no transparency in the contents of a Halal certificate, what are the requirements and processes for certifying a product or service as Halal, what are its implications for the consumers, how it violatesconsumers’ rights to have meaningful information for a buying decision, whether it is consistent with the laws and regulations in India governing those products and services, is this process approved by the Government, and who benefits from Halal certification.
It is the right of Muslims in India to choose to buy and sell Halal products and services on a willing buyer-willing seller basis if it does not violate Indian laws. It is equally the right of non-Muslims to choose not to buy and sell Halal products and services. It is the responsibility of the government and the sellers to provide substantive information to the consumers for their meaningful consent for a buying decision.
The focus of this website is on products and services sold in the domestic market in India. We will exclude the export economy of India from our review. Through this website we will try to provide information to: (a) create awareness among the public, the government and the regulatory authorities, corporates, and consumes about the issue, magnitude of the parallel economy, adverse impacts on consumer choice and economic and cultural appropriation, (b) provide a fact and analysis based report for advocacy, action for protecting legal rights of consumers, and campaign against deceptive institutions of halal certification, (c) provide concrete recommendations to the government and regulatory authorities, corporates, and consumers for transparent regulation of food and other products and services in order to enable consumers to make informed choices.

Let us ponder over some facts.

Halal certification for meat products gained momentum in 1980s when Malaysia enacted a law defining Halal trade and within a few years Malaysia became a Global Halal Hub. Now the network has spread to 45 countries with 78 certifying entities. A 2010 study by World Halal Forum Secretariat estimated the potential market to be US$2.3 trillion (food US$1.4 trillion, pharmaceuticals US$506 billion and cosmetics US$230 billion) which is now estimated to beabout US$3 trillion. What was supposed to be a mandate for meat (Quran Surah Al Ma’idah Verse 3) has been expanded beyond food to all aspects of life.

“As such, the concept of Halal includes any Islamic Shari'ah-compliant product(s) which start with food and beverages and moves from it to cover banking and finance, tourism, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, jobs, travel, technology and transport services, etc.” (Mohd Imran Khan and Dr. Abid Haleem- Jamia Milia Islamia University, Delhi; put in bolds by us). For meat, the slaughter must be performed only by a Muslim.For Halal certification of any product or service, the entire supply chain management- procurement of ingredients, transport, storage, production, warehousing- must follow the principles of Halal and not be mixed with anything else. This enforcement of Halal requirements on entire supply chain of not just food but even pharma, cosmetics, and services would create a Muslim monopoly of economic activity.

In India, the regulation of food standards and quality, regulation of pharmaceutical and cosmetics, regulation of services such as travel and tourism, real estate are regulated by a variety of laws and government authorities. There are self-appointed 23 NGOs/Trusts/private companies/individuals, including some based in foreign countries, issuing Halal certificates in India. More than 100 companies claim to have Halal certification for their products. We will keep updating the names of companies and products on this website for your information but don’t be surprised when you pick up an ice-cream, atta, spices, tea, pulses, salt, namkeen, honey, peanuts for your child, pickle, coffee, biscuits, ketchup or curd,burger at McDonald, or get food served on the flight by Tajsat, it turns out to be Halal certified which you never bothered to look at. The small restaurant where you may go for fresh Dosa and Idli could be Halal certified and you would wonder what does Halal certification mean for a pure vegetarian delight of vada or idli. Your Ayurvedic medicine, and ingredients in your prasadam at a temple could be Halal certified. Could your hotel where you stay or the mutual fund in which you invest could be Halal certified? Answer is yes.

How much is the fee being charged by self-styled Halal Certifying agencies, how do they use that income? You may not have even the faintest idea of how the whole supply chain of what you buy, how the whole business and resultant employment, has been tilted in favor of Muslims and others discriminated against, to be eligible for Halal certification.

We will regularly provide information, analysis, suggestions on actions you can take, and updates on developments. We appeal to the public to send us verifiable information for evidence-based advocacy and appeal for action.

We have no views or concerns on use of Halal certification for exports, or the choice Muslims want to make for themselves, but we are against illegal, unconstitutional, discriminatory practices of deceiving the customers into buying what they may otherwise not want to. This campaign is to fight againsteconomic and cultural appropriation by vested interests and to awaken the policy makers and regulatory institutions to the dangers of parallel governance and threat to India’s economic and political sovereignty, territorial integrity and social harmony.

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