Context: The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a statewide ban on products being sold with halal certificates with immediate effect. This ban will apply to food products as well as medicines.

Background

• This happened after an FIR was lodged in which the complainant alleged that some companies have started certifying products as halal in order to increase their sale among a community and thus were toying with the public’s faith.

What does ‘halal’ mean?

• Halal is an Arabic word that loosely translates to ‘permissible’ in English.

• In the Quran, the term ‘halal’ is contrasted with the term ‘haram’ which means ‘forbidden’.

• It is used to designate the categories of lawful (and allowed) and unlawful (and forbidden).

• The term is particularly associated with Islamic dietary laws to refer to food that is procured, processed, and traded in compliance with Islamic belief.

• It is similar to the ‘kashrut’ dietary rules followed by orthodox Jews, who only consume food that is ‘kosher’, i.e. permitted in Jewish law.

The two items of food that are most commonly considered haram (non-halal) are:

• pork (pig meat) and

• intoxicants (alcohol).

• Even meats that are not pork must satisfy specific requirements relating to their source, the way the animal was killed, and how it was processed, to qualify as halal.

• In the Indian context, halal is mostly used to refer to the slaughtering technique used by Muslims.

Can non-meat products also be halal?

• Halal simply means ‘permissible’ in Islamic law and this does not have to do with meat at all.

• So vegetarian food would be generally considered permissible or ‘halal’, unless it contains alcohol.

• The meaning can also go beyond food, and technically, any consumable item can be deemed halal or haram, depending on whether they are produced in accordance with Islamic law.

• For instance, medicines often use animal byproducts to create casings or capsules.

• The halal/haram consideration would be important in such a situation, as Muslims do not want to consume capsules containing pig-fat gelatin.

• Similarly, the term may also be used in the context of personal care products, packaging materials, animal feed, etc.

About Halal certificates

• Halal certificates simply tell a consumer whether a product meets the requirements for being considered halal or not.

• They do not indicate the presence of meat, or in and of themselves, have nothing to do with meat.

• India does not have an official regulator for the certification of halal products.

• Rather, there are various halal certifying agencies that provide companies, products, or food establishments halal certifications.

• Their legitimacy lies in their name-recognition among Muslim consumers as well as recognition from regulators in Islamic countries.

Certification by Halal India

• For instance, the certification company Halal India mentions that certification is provided after a rigorous process of lab testing and multiple process audits.

Halal India’s certification is recognised by:

• Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health,

• the UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, and

• Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development.

• These international accreditations are particularly important for products meant for export to Islamic countries.