Halal Audit of European Fatwa Council

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

HALAL HARAM REGARDING COSNSUMPTION GOODS

 

European Fatwa Council for Halal TransactionsFor European thinkers today there is a challenge, what kind of Islamic interpretation can match with the order of mankind? Whether the traditional schools will determine the public opinion, or we establish a particular infrastructure which can provide an option even for non- Muslims without claiming them to convert Islam. This was the trend what was offered for different nations 1400 years ago by the Caliphates. In this light we let our readers know those traditions and habits which today represent the basic elements of the lives of one and half billion citizens on the world.

 

“O ye men! Eat of what is lawful and good in the earth; and follow not the footsteps of Satan; surely, he is to you an open enemy” 2:168

 

Here God puts a strong boundary between His creatures which are good and lawful and those means which are under the rule of Satan. These are the means which recruit men to serve the Satan.

 

“And I come fulfilling that which is before me, namely, the Torah; and to allow you some of that which was forbidden you; and I come to you with a Sign from your Lord; so fear Allah and obey me.” (3:50)

 

Lord has revealed the same bans for the people of Israel as He did for Muslims. There are some differences too, which the Holy Quran mentions as follows:

 

“All food was lawful to the children of Israel, except what Israel forbade himself before the Torah was sent down. Say, ‘Bring, then, the Torah and read it, if you are truthful.”  3:93

 

What Quran says is that Allah has given the same commandments for Jews and Muslims. The difference in bans goes back to the pre-Torah period. We can obviously dispute why the today Torah legitimates the differences on bans? These disputes lead us far from the essence which essence is almost the same in both cases. At the moment Jews and Muslims follow those commandments which Lord has revealed as Halal and Haram.

“This day all good things have been made lawful for you. And the food of the People of the Book is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And lawful for you are chaste believing women and chaste women from among those who were given the Book before you, when you give them their dowries, contracting valid marriage and not committing fornication nor taking secret paramours. And whoever rejects the faith, his work has doubtless come to naught, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”  5:5

 

The similar commandments are followed on each side where Quran or previous Scriptures are followed in regard of bans and allowances. So the foodstuff of every side is allowed for the other side. This case is in force only if every side follows their original commandments. However the earthly interpretations of these commandments during the thousands of years caused division between us. Unfortunately the unity in this issue has collapsed. It is a pity.

In regard the marital relations the opportunity for practice is there. Islam allows for Muslim man to marry Muslim, Jewish or Christian woman. However this marriage has to be legitimated according to the Islamic law.

 

“O ye who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Surely, Allah loves not the transgressors.” 5:87

 

As time passes people always try to validate their own laws and force their own regulations on the commandments of Allah. This is prohibited. Human standards cannot be accepted in general on consumer good, men-men relations and financial issues. In case of consumer good men poison themselves, in men-men relations a third person takes advantage and regarding finance humans become always victims. We have to accept that Allah, Who created us knows the best, what we have to do for our own sake.

 

“The game of the sea and the eating thereof has been made lawful for you as a provision for you and the travelers; but forbidden to you is the game of the land as long as you are in a state of pilgrimage. And fear Allah to Whom you shall be gathered.”  5:96

 

Seafood, fishes are Halal food and their consumption is lawful. The wild game is also allowed with exception of the boar and carnivorous animals after a preparation according to Islamic regulation and mentioning the name of Allah on it. The wild game and their hunting are forbidden only in case somebody makes spiritual sacrifice like pilgrimage.

 

“He has made unlawful to you only that which dies of itself, and blood and the flesh of swine, and that on which the name of any other than Allah has been invoked. But he who is driven by necessity, being neither disobedient nor exceeding the limit, it shall be no sin for him. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.”   2:173

 

What is prohibited and belongs to the Haram category there is no need to create theories. The science and the local wise traditions can provide us several explanations for the whys but the real reason of Haram is hidden with Allah and cannot represent subject of any dispute. The dead and blood and flesh of swine and everything what we don’t remember the name of Allah belong to this category. However if our life is in danger and depends of food which consist of the forbidden issues the ban can transfer to allowance. If in this case we take blood or pork, this allowance cannot generate a sense to find a way back to eat these items again.

“Forbidden to you is the flesh of an animal which dies of itself, and blood and the flesh of swine; and that on which is invoked the name of one other than Allah; and that which has been strangled; and that beaten to death; and that killed by a fall; and that which has been gored to death; and that of which a wild animal has eaten, except that which you have properly slaughtered; and that which has been slaughtered at an altar. And forbidden is also that you seek to know your lot by the divining arrows. That is an act of disobedience. This day have those who disbelieve despaired of harming your religion. So fear them not, but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as religion. But whoso is forced by hunger, without being willfully inclined to sin, then, surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.”  5:5

 

We can find some details about the essence of Haram regarding food. Everything what was not bled out properly, not fresh, not hygienic and not offered for Allah is prohibited. It is essential that the food can serve only to moderate the appetite. Food cannot be offered for idols; it cannot be used for forecast and it cannot be the subject of any game. The hunger can change the rule. In case of hunger everything changes in order to make man survive. With these instructions was finished the revelation of the faith for man. We can see that everything is in the service of the health and survival of man.

 

“And what reason have you that you should not eat of that over which the name of Allah has been pronounced, when He has already explained to you that which He has forbidden unto you — save that which you are forced to? And surely many mislead others by their evil desires through lack of knowledge. Assuredly, thy Lord knows best the transgressors.”  6:119

 

Allah has ordained all His creations for the service of men. He has raised men and He has given him brain and He put men in front of the crossroad. It depends on men whether he choose the way of God or the way of Satan. It is the man who is fed by food made of plants and animals. Both plants and animals have to give their lives in order men survive one day more. If these creations sacrifice themselves for us we have to remember Allah Who ordered like this. Therefore it is a very sensitive issue whether the name of Allah was told at the time when the lives of these creatures were taken or when they were eaten? The group of those who consider it as a significant question is increasing.

If men are under pressure they are exempted from the obligation.

 

What about pork and other intensively bred and fattened animals today?

Now the facts:

 

Pork is one of the most consumed meats of the world. China is the largest producer of pigs that were first domesticated way back around 7500 B.C.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more than 100 viruses come to the United States each year from China through pigs. There are some obvious concerns about this. Aside from not needing more viruses to fight off, some of these viruses can prove to be downright dangerous to humans.

Of course, you’re probably familiar with H1N1, better known as the “swine flu”. This too is a virus that has made the leap from pig to human.

But H1N1 is not the only disease to fear from the pig. There are other sicknesses you can get directly or indirectly from the pig.

There are reasons that the meat of the pig becomes more saturated with toxins than many of its counterpart farm animals. The first reason has to do with the digestive system of a pig.

A pig digests whatever it eats rather quickly, in up to about four hours. On the other hand a cow takes a good twenty-four hours to digest what it’s eaten. During the digestive process, animals (including humans) get rid of excess toxins as well as other components of the food eaten that could be dangerous to health.

Since the pig’s digestive system operates rather basically, many of these toxins remain in their system to be stored in their more than adequate fatty tissues ready for our consumption. The other parts of these toxins leave the body of the pig in the manure and pollutes the soil and the crops what can absorb these toxins

Another issue is with the pig is that it doesn’t have any sweat glands. Sweat glands are a tool the body uses to be rid of toxins. This leaves more toxins in the pig’s body.

Did you know that pigs carry a variety of parasites in their bodies and meat? Some of these parasites are difficult to kill even when cooking.

One of the biggest concerns is the trichinellosis or trichinosis. This is an infection that pork can transfer to humans. This worm parasite is very commonly found in pork. When the worm, most often living in cyst in the stomach, opens through stomach acids, its larvae are released into the body of the pig. These new worms make their homes in the muscles of the pig. Next stop? The unknowing human body who consumes their infected meat flash or use pig manure as fertilizer to grow vegetables. This parasite is inside the pork manure too, so it can spread in all over the cops what is fertilized by pork manure.

Pigs carry many viruses and parasites with them. Whether by coming in direct contact with them through farms or by eating their meat we put ourselves at higher risk of getting one of these painful, often debilitating diseases.

There are several attempts to block bacterial pathogens like E. coli; S. enteritidis with antibiotics selected from the following: ampicillin; cefotaxime; chloramphenicol; erythromycin; gentamicin; tetracycline; vancomycin; metronizadole; nalidixic acid; and kanamycin;

 

Intensively bred and fattened animals are a real storehouse of the antibiotics

 

There’s a global campaign to force meat producers to rein in their use of antibiotics on pigs, chickens and cattle. European countries, especially Denmark and the Netherlands, have taken the lead. The U.S. is moving, haltingly, toward similar restrictions. Now the concerns about rampant antibiotic use appear to have reached China, where meat production and antibiotic use have been growing fast.

Holland is double the size of New Jersey, and there are about 6,500 pork producers in all. Swine herds average 320 sows, with 10,000 sows representing the largest (4,000-head maximum on one site), and they produce about 25 million pigs annually.

Referring to CIO, Center for Isotope Research and IVEM, Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, University of Groningen, the life weight of an average pork in the Dutch fattening system is 115 kg. Its fattening period lasts only for 112 days when it reaches this weight. The average manure production in this period is 340 kg. This is the solid part but the majority of the manure is liquid. The farmers can repeatedly fatten the pigs 3.3 times in a year. In order to reach this result they have to apply tremendous amount of antibiotics.

 

High density of animals and extremely intensive technologies

 

Netherland is a lowland below the see level. The capillary system of the soil is under the pressure of the see and the pork manure what is mainly consist of liquid part, comes up near to the surface. Antibiotics and other additional materials together with the manure come up too what was used in the fattening. The pressure of the see on the capillary system practically pumps the ingredients of the pork manure into the vegetation. These materials represent hazard for human health because they can be absorbed by vegetables and horticulture products.

This huge amount of pork manure represents a heavy environmental hazard. The existing agricultural technologies use the pork manure as a fertilizer but this fertilizer is a poison.

According to Matthew Cimitile, Environmental Health Sciences, today close to 70 percent of the total antibiotics and related drugs produced in the United States are fed to cattle, pigs and poultry. Although this practice sustains a growing demand for meat, it also generates public health fears associated with the expanding presence of antibiotics in the food chain.

Among the manures of the different livestock the pig is the most hazardous because of two reasons.

If there is no drug and antibiotic treatment on pork, the manure contains all parasites and viruses which cannot be found in the manure of other animals and this cause health hazard for humans. These pathogens can pollute the soil and the crop itself.

Due to the high density of pigs the intensive technology cannot avoid the use of high dosages of antibiotics. Without antibiotics epidemic diseases can easily spread in the stock what is kept densely. On the other hand the antibiotics and other hazardous drugs which are mixed in the fodder of the pigs cause intensive weight grows what makes possible to reach 115 kg life weight of pork during 112 days.

 

HALAL-HARAM FOR ALCOHOL

 

“They ask thee concerning wine and the game of hazard. Say: ‘In both there is great sin and also some advantages for men; but their sin is greater than their advantage.’ And they ask thee what they should spend. Say: ‘What you can spare.’ Thus does Allah make His commandments clear to you that you may reflect.”   2:219

 

In the Holy Quran Khamr doesn’t mean unequivocally alcohol. It means a sort of material, drink or drug. “Al-Kohuul” is an Arabic word so if alcohol should have been concerned than this word had been used. In this case it is better if we collect all those materials under the umbrella of Khamr which can influence one’s conduct and physical status by replacing the control of his own mind.

We don’t find categorical Haram ban for Khamr in the Quran; however we can’t explain it as tolerable. One has to avoid its consumption and also its transport and its manufacturing. In fact even the coexistence with those who take alcoholic drinks has to be avoided. The Khamr is not allowed even in small portions in beverages, drinks, foods, sweets, deserts and other good.

Its ban was introduced in the history of Islam in different times with different steps. The consumption of wine in the pre-Islamic Mecca was common and the trade of wine caused huge income for the wine traders. However the profit what wine caused was not possible to be compared to the damages what it caused in health, family and men-men relations. In the first step the Quran compares the damages to the income due to the alcohol and declares that damages are more than the benefit out of it.

 

“O ye who believe! Approach not Prayer when you are not in full possession of your senses, until you know what you say, nor when you are unclean, except when you are travelling along a way, until you have bathed. And if you are ill or you are on a journey while unclean, or if one of you comes from the privy or you have touched women and you find no water, then betake yourselves to pure dust and wipe therewith your faces and your hands. Surely, Allah is Most Indulgent, Most Forgiving.” 4:43

 

In the status of “Sukara” means stupor there is a ban to establish worship. Prayer cannot be achieved under the influence of any chemical, drug or drink. The prayer is a sort of spiritual purification so it has to be realized after a physical purification. Concerning the purification of mental status any kind of stupor has to be avoided. Regarding the physical purification a ritual wash is needed according to the prescription.

We have to emphasize here that the status of stupor and all means what results this status has to be avoided and not simply the alcohol is prohibited.

 

“O ye who believe! Wine and the game of hazard and idols and divining arrows are only an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. So shun each one of them that you may prosper.”  5:90

 

We can see here the next step. This aya refers to the origin of the alcohol and the game of hazard. Different forms of means and behaviors serve Allah and different forms of means and behaviors serve the Satan. This is the basic principle of the Halal-Haram theory. We have to know which category serves the will of Allah and which belongs to the Satan. The alcohol and the gamble definitely belong to the Satan. And we can see here the commandment: avoid it! Instead of saying Haram it says avoid it! You cannot ban the Satan because Satan exists, and he coexists with us so there is no use to ban him. But you as a man with your free will can chose to join or avoid him! It is prescribed to avoid him.

 

“Satan desires only to create enmity and hatred among you by means of wine and the game of hazard, and to keep you back from the remembrance of Allah and from Prayer. But will you keep back?”  5:91

 

Here you are the explanation. What the Satan wants? For what the Satan is going to use his means? He uses them for generating hostility and anger between people. Satan wants to prove for Allah that His creature is weak and Allah has no power over him. This is the subject of dispute between Allah and Satan since the creature had taken place. Now we can see that not only the alcohol and game of hazard are involved in the category which has to be avoided but everything what belongs to the means of Satan in order to generate terror and hostility between mankind.

 

WHAT IS HALAL AND TAYYEB?

 

Referring to the previous Quranic verses most of them say that Tayyeb is prescribed as good or blessed. Whatever is Tayyeb is Halal. Tayyeb is a noun in this case and Halal is an adjective. Therefore Islamically we always have to check the Tayyeb, which is good for health and coming from the source of Allah.

In the time of our Prophet (peace be upon him) everything was natural, organic. There was nothing polluting rivers and soil. The chance was low to find contaminations in the food of animals what can cause hazard for people. Therefore the Halal control was very simple. It was prescribed to slaughter animals in the name of Allah, cut them with sharp knives and check bleeding.

However today the case is different. The intensive agricultural plants use tremendous amount of antibiotics, hormones and other hazardous materials which are mixed in animal fodders. Due to the huge density of animals, antibiotics are inevitable in order to avoid epidemics. Also antibiotics and hormones cause intensive fattening so animals will be ready earlier for slaughtering.

So far we always speak about the meat. But what about the manure? Big part of these antibiotics and hormones leave the body therefore millions of tons of chemicals together with pesticides and herbicides enter annually to the soil and natural resources. Due to the polluted environment and after their accumulation, these materials can enter to any plant, vegetable or fruit. Indirectly they contaminate other consumption goods like cosmetics and medicines as well.

After all it is ridiculous if we Muslims concentrate only to the slaughtering itself while the animal what we slaughter is a piece of poison. According to Islam this animal is not Tayyeb no matter its neck is cut according to Shariya. Therefore our attention has to spread to any field what is connected with human consumption and following the update methods we have to set up our own quality insurance system which is Islamic.

Time has come to take Tayyeb and Halal control as a comprehensive system from the water and soil to the table.

Survey has to be made at first on the region where a particular production is supposed to be achieved to test the hazard factors in the soil and water. Then the whole procedure starting from raw materials, fodders additives has to be checked. Genetically manipulated organs which can cause hazard for humans have to be avoided as any material where pork DNA can be detected have to be excluded. Special importance has to be given to the traceability both physically and administratively in the registers. Storing, transport has to be followed up till the good arrives to the table.

 

The Hadith of our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) says:

لا ضرر ولا ضرار

No harm to you or to the others.

 

Halal has two main aspects:

  • Ritual
  • Updated issues following demands of the basic principal: food hygiene and security.

 

The ritual regulation is clear and is detailed in the previous chapters.

At the time of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) row materials, waters, soils were all free of pollution so we can consider them as organic. Food regulations therefore were limited only to the finishing. Today however we have to pay more attention to the contaminations which can enter during processing as well. How can we state about a chicken as Halal if the meat contains hormones, antibiotics and other residuals harming human health, no matter it was slaughtered according to the Islamic regulations?

The same happens with finance. In case production of Halal goods were financed by sharia compliant way Halal policy would reach to a higher rank.

The existing standards issued by the countries of markets can be completed with the standard of the production side. With combining the existing Halal standards with the European standards on production we shall get a comprehensive HALAL standard.

Our Holy Quran gives comprehensive prescription for us. We follow at the moment only 20-30% of the ayas which are related to our consumption. However according to the ayas we have to reach TAYYEB and not HALAL status because TAYYEB is HALAL but HALAL alone is not always TAYYEB:


QURAN IS SPEAKING ABOUT A COMPPREHENSIVE SYSTEM

IN QURAN TAYYEB IS PRESCRIBED AS HALAL

(Tayyeb means good what doesn’t harm. Tayyeb is Halal and not Halal is Tayyeb)

 

BAD AND GOOD: 5:100

DON’T GO FOR PRAYER IN „SUKARA” STATUS: 4:43

EATING UP OTHER PEOPLE’S PROPERTY IS HARAM: 2:188

COMMANDING THE LAWFUL: 7:157

FOR HALAL FOOD: 5:3

INTOXICANTS, GAMBLING ARE HARAM: 5:90

LAWFUL FOOD: 5:88

USURY IS HARAM: 2:275

WHAT IS HALAL (LAWFUL) MARRIAGE? 5:5

 

 

 

European Fatwa Council for Halal TransactionsEUROPEAN FATWA COUNCIL FOR HALAL TRANSACTIONS

دار الافتاء الأوروبي لمعاملات الحلال

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

GENERAL INFORMATIONS ON ISSUING HALAL CERTIFICATE

EU HALAL FATWA has developed two European Halal Standards together with its partner WESSLING Hungary Kft.

  1. OIC-GFSI 2016 Halal Standard which is based on OIC and Global Food Safety Initiative recognized schemes.
  2. EHF-GFSI 2016 Halal Standard which can be implemented solely for European market or can be combined with other local standards which are in force in the Islamic countries.

Halal certificates are issued after a successful auditing process what is carried out together with GEBER Consulting GmbH Vienna, Austria. This company is the link between our accredited laboratory network the WESSLING Group and EU HALAL FATWA as Islamic authority and the relevant companies. Audits and certificates concern the producer or factory itself together with the product list at the time of audit. We have 11 different kind of audits worked out for the following sectors of economy:

  • Agricultural and horticultural products
  • Bakery-, pastry products
  • Beverages and waters
  • Cosmetics and beauty industry
  • Edible oils and fats
  • Hotel, catering, tourism
  • Meat industry
  • Milk and egg products
  • Pharmaceutical industry
  • Transportation
  • Vinegars, dried products, spices, ready meals, soups, souses, etc.

Each sector has different checking lists. The questions of questionnaires are specific to the objected sector however the groups of questions are similar in the checking lists:

  1. Requirements on the system of Halal management
    1. System of Halal management
    2. Halal team
    3. Documentation
    4. System of traceability and recall of Halal products
  2. Cleaning
  3. Recipes, raw materials, processing methods
  4. Isolation and marking
  5. Packing labeling
  6. Transport of Halal products
  7. Audit instructions

Sector specific requirements (e.g. meat industry)

Control on fulfillment of regulations on animal welfare in transporting and animal welfare in slaughtering:

A.1 Supplier

A.2. Unloading

B. Slaughter

D. Processing

E. Content

Slaughtering certificate enters to item B. While audit certificates are valid for one year the slaughter certificate is issued case by case. Slaughtering certificate is valid together with the annual certificate of the company.

Item E. (content) opens a new questionnaire issued by the lab. These questions can differ time to time in regard of tested parameters, hazard factors of site and update test methods. Only accredited labs can issue report what EU HALAL FATWA takes into consideration.