Halaal-certifying bodies
Question:-
What is status of restaurants and food outlets certified as Halaal by certifying bodies? Is the food sold in such organizations Halaal? Can we rely on Halaal-certifying bodies?
Answer:-
The food items sold in any restaurant or food outlet cannot be classified or categorized as ‘Halaal’ based on the restaurant being certified by a Halaal-certifying body. The items sold in the restaurant should in itself be Halaal. For example, the meat items sold in the restaurant should be from such animals that have been slaughtered in accordance to Shariah, or, the food items should not contain any Haraam ingredients. If the meat sold at the restaurant is not from Halaal sources, then it will be Haraam, although certified ‘Halaal’ by a Halaal-certifying body.
Some of the Halaal-certifying bodies that certify restaurants, do so on the basis that, that particular restaurant is purchasing their meat products, for example, from a reputable and Halaal-certified abbatoir, or, their marinade and other related products, are purchased from companies that are Halaal-certified. Some of these organizations then have inspectors that inspect these businesses occasionally, or on a monthly basis. If they find that the products being sold at the outlet are sourced from Halaal-certified companies as required (by the Halaal-certifying body), then they are at ease and assume everything is in order.
However, assuming that proper measures are in place and checks are carried out regularly, then too, there is no guarantee that the food items are always Halaal. We have received information of non-Muslim store managers purchasing Haraam meat from the local chain stores when their stock of Halaal meat has been depleted, so that their customers are not turned away. There are always reports of Halaal-approved outlets purchasing Haraam products and being caught out at a later stage, and it is only then that their certification is withdrawn and notices put up on Masjid boards and circulated via social media. In the interim, perhaps thousands of good Muslims that are conscious of their food intake, have been deceived and fed Haraam. There have been reports of Muslim slaughterers intentionally omitting the Tasmiya at Halaal-certified abbatoirs (perhaps due to exhaustion or laziness, or otherwise) which renders the meat Haraam according to the Hanafi school of thought. These are just some of the problems encountered at certified outlets.
It is now up to you to decide whether you, as a Muslim, would be comfortable relying on Halaal-certified outlets and eating freely without any reservation, or would you be extra cautious to ensure that the food you consume is 100% Halaal, particularly when the acceptance and spirituality of good deeds is dependent on the food that we eat. We, therefore, advise that one should rather go the extra mile in ensuring that the food that one is consuming is 100% Halaal, even if it means slaughtering one’s own poultry and livestock, and in the case of undertaking a journey, carry food from home. In the case of an emergency, where one is left with no other option but to purchase food, then fruits, vegetables, fish etc. will suffice as a suitable alternative.
In conclusion, due to the various issues encountered by Halaal-authorizing bodies, and us, not being actively involved in the Halaal food industry, we are in no position to comment, or rather, approve of any Halaal-authorizing body and therefore, advise caution and abstention irrespective of the region you reside in. However, if you, as an individual, are 100% comfortable with a particular organization, and have no reservation in placing your trust in them, then you may follow that particular organization.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 29 Rajab 1443 / 03 March 2022