A Critical View on Global Halal Certification Activities in Terms of Fiqh and Siyasah Shar'iyyah

Abstract

Halal is used by Muslims to mean religiously 'not forbidden,' 'permitted,' and as opposed to concepts like 'haram' and 'makrooh', similar to the concepts of 'mubah' and 'jaiz'. While it was easier to distinguish between halal and haram in the pre-industrial era, today it has become much more difficult due to complex products which are a result of innovations through industry and technology and their tremendous outreach. This has led to a loss of confidence in Muslims in the products they buy and increased the number of products whose halalness is doubted. While historically muhtasibs assumed the duty of preserving people's confidence in markets by inspecting them, nowadays halal certificates are attempting to do the inspection and generate confidence. Although halal certificate activities have been going on and improving for almost half a century, they are not at a level to generate widespread and efficient halal guarantees. Opinion differences in fiqh, differences in institutions of certification, differences in halal certificates and logos, national and international legal gaps, and commercial competition between countries and institutions of certification affect the efficiency of the process negatively. The claim that the halal certificate is the best standard in terms of health, trustworthiness, and hygiene, its contribution to individual and societal religiosity, and the commercial advantages and disadvantages that it provides to Muslims is a remarkable field of inquiry.