Halal conspiracy theories

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Halal certificate stamp on a German salami package. Halal-zertifikat salami.jpg
Halal certificate stamp on a German salami package.

Halal conspiracy theories revolve around a series of Islamophobic conspiracy theories and hoaxes regarding halal certification in products such as food, beverages and cosmetics. [1] [2] The claims usually made include that the sale of halal-certified goods in stores is a precursor to the terrorization or institution of Sharia law in a non-Muslim country, [3] [4] that the fees paid by companies for halal certification fund Islamic terrorism, [5] [6] [7] that halal slaughter for meat is cruel, unhygienic or constitutes as animal sacrifice, [1] [7] [8] among others. The spread of these claims has resulted in boycotts and harassment campaigns against businesses who sell halal-certified products, most notably in Australia and India, [5] [7] [9] although anti-halal boycott movements also exist in Denmark, France, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. [1] [10]

Contents

Background

Halal, an Arabic word which translates to "permissible" in English, contrasted with haram ("forbidden"), designates things – including but not limited to food – that are lawful for Muslims to practice or consume, in accordance with the Quran. Islamic dietary laws dictate that food items must not contain pork or alcohol, and that halal animals must be slaughtered by a Muslim with the butcher uttering "In the name of Allah" before quickly slashing the animal's throat with a sharp knife, letting all blood drain out. [11] [12] Certification for halal products is given by legal authorities in most Muslim-majority countries, while in other countries it is voluntarily acquired by companies and issued by non-governmental organizations for an annual fee. [7] [8]

Claims

The sale of products with halal certification or the establishment of halal shops and businesses is perceived by anti-halal conspiracy theorists as a precursor to the Islamization of their countries or as an Islamist effort to force another religion on consumers, [2] [3] [9] and some claim that fees paid by companies for halal certification fund Islamic terrorism, the implementation of Sharia law or cause consumers to subsidize another religious belief; makers and endorsers of such claims include politicians such as Pauline Hanson [13] and George Christensen [14] in Australia and Jörg Meuthen in Germany, [15] [16] counter-jihad organizations such as Sharia Watch UK, [17] the Q Society of Australia [18] and Britain First, [2] and Indian Hindutva supporters and figures. [8] [9] [19] A fact-check by ABC News of Australia concluded that while the proceeds of halal certification do occasionally fund Islamic organizations, there is no evidence that any of those funds have ever flowed to terrorist groups. The report also consulted several food companies that are halal-certified, including Nestlé, and they disclosed that the yearly fees for halal certification are negligible and do not influence the final price of their products. [20] A Cadbury spokesperson told the Herald Sun that the fees did not affect pricing and were more than offset by access to broader markets. [21]

Others claim that halal slaughter is cruel and inhumane, [1] an accusation also made towards kosher slaughter and mostly based on the assumption that animals are not stunned prior to religious slaughters. The Food Standards Agency in the United Kingdom asserts that 88% of halal-slaughtered animals in Britain are stunned first, [12] though there is debate among Islamic (as well as Jewish) scholars on what manners of stunning are more acceptable or whether stunning itself is humane at all. [22]

In India, claims made by right-wing Hindutva activists include that halal-certified goods contain meat extracts and are thus unlawful for Hindus to consume, that uttering the name of Allah during halal slaughter means that the meat is an offering to another deity, that halal-certified companies only employ Muslims, and that spitting on food is part of the halal process. [8] [9] [23] Indian fact-checking agencies have labeled these claims as "misleading," "ludicrous" and "certifiably false." [9] [24]

Incidents

The spread of conspiracy theories and rumors regarding halal and halal certification has led to boycotts and harassment campaigns against companies and businesses. [1] In November 2014, South Australian dairy company Fleurieu Milk and Yoghurt was forced to drop a $50,000 contract with airline Emirates due to public pressure, as the contract required the products to be halal-certified. [25] In January 2015, a Malaysian-owned café in Western Australia was subject to online harassment and calls for boycott after the owners made a Facebook post explaining what halal means in response to a negative review. [4] [26]

Himalaya Drug Company has been targeted in social media for its halal certification in several occasions in 2021 and 2022, accused of using beef extracts in products and of having a pro-Muslim and anti-Hindu bias among executives and employees as a result. [27] An Alt News fact-check on the former claim concluded that Himalaya does not use animal-based gelatin in the accused products (tablets), but vegetarian hypromellose, and that, by comparison, 98% of Indian pharmaceutical companies make use of animal-based capsules. [28] Campaigns against state-owned companies such as Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation and Air India for offering halal-certified products have also been proposed in 2022. [23] [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

Kashrut is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the term that in Sephardi or Modern Hebrew is pronounced kashér, meaning "fit". Food that may not be consumed, however, is deemed treif, also spelled treyf. In case of objects the opposite of kosher is pasúl

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic dietary laws</span> Islamic jurisprudence positions on food

Islamic dietary laws are laws that Muslims follow in their diet. Islamic jurisprudence specifies which foods are halal and which are haram. The dietary laws are found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as well as in collections of traditions attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halal</span> Islamic term for "permissible" things

Halal is an Arabic word that translates to 'permissible' in English. In the Quran, the term halal is contrasted with the term haram. It is used to refer to actions, behaviors, or items that are allowed under the teachings of Islam. Halal applies not only to food but also to various aspects of life, including finance, clothing, and behavior. Its opposite is haram, which means "forbidden" or "unlawful". The concept of halal is central to Islamic practices and is derived from the Quran and the Sunnah. The guidelines for what is considered halal or haram are laid out in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), and scholars interpret these guidelines to ensure compliance with Islamic principles.

<i>Shechita</i> Ritual slaughter of an animal in Jewish law

In Judaism, shechita is ritual slaughtering of certain mammals and birds for food according to kashrut. One who practices this, a kosher butcher is called a shochet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islam in Australia</span>

Islam is the second-largest religion in Australia. According to the 2021 Census in Australia, the combined number of people who self-identified as Australian Muslims, from all forms of Islam, constituted 813,392 people, or 3.2% of the total Australian population. That total Muslim population makes Islam, in all its denominations and sects, the second largest religious grouping in Australia, after all denominations of Christianity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious restrictions on the consumption of pork</span> Restrictions on the consumption of pork for religious reasons

Pork is a food taboo among Jews, Muslims, and some Christian denominations. Swine were prohibited in ancient Syria and Phoenicia, and the pig and its flesh represented a taboo observed, Strabo noted, at Comana in Pontus. A lost poem of Hermesianax, reported centuries later by the traveller Pausanias, reported an etiological myth of Attis destroyed by a supernatural boar to account for the fact that "in consequence of these events the Galatians who inhabit Pessinous do not touch pork". In Abrahamic religions, eating pig flesh is clearly forbidden by Jewish (kashrut), Islamic (halal) and Christian Adventist dietary laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhabihah</span> Animal slaughter in Islamic law

In Islamic law, dhabihah, also spelled zabiha, is the prescribed method of slaughter for halal animals. It consists of a swift, deep incision to the throat with a very sharp knife, cutting the wind pipe, jugular veins and carotid arteries on both sides but leaving the spinal cord intact. The butcher is also required to call upon the name of Allah individually for each animal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comparison of Islamic and Jewish dietary laws</span> Comparison between halal and kosher dietary laws

The Islamic dietary laws (halal) and the Jewish dietary laws are both quite detailed, and contain both points of similarity and discord. Both are the dietary laws and described in distinct religious texts: an explanation of the Islamic code of law found in the Quran and Sunnah and the Jewish code of laws found in the Torah, Talmud and Shulchan Aruch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legal aspects of ritual slaughter</span>

The legal aspects of ritual slaughter include the regulation of slaughterhouses, butchers, and religious personnel involved with traditional shechita (Jewish) and dhabiha (Islamic). Regulations also may extend to butchery products sold in accordance with kashrut and halal religious law. Governments regulate ritual slaughter, primarily through legislation and administrative law. In addition, compliance with oversight of ritual slaughter is monitored by governmental agencies and, on occasion, contested in litigation.

Jhatka is the meat from an animal killed by a single strike of a sword or axe to sever the head within the Dharmic Sikh religion, which kills the animal almost instantly as opposed to other forms of slaughter. This type of slaughter is preferred by most meat-consuming Sikhs. Also within this method of butchering the animal must not be scared or shaken before the slaughter but given a dignified, painless death.

Ritual slaughter is the practice of slaughtering livestock for meat in the context of a ritual. Ritual slaughter involves a prescribed practice of slaughtering an animal for food production purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfathi</span> Brand name used on halal meat

Alfathi is a brand name used by Nortura on its halal meat distributed in Norway. The meat is approved by the Islamic Council Norway. There has traditionally been a disharmony between the Norwegian food traditions and availability of halal meat, the latter often only being provided for Middle Eastern cuisine. Alfathi was created by Gilde Norsk Kjøtt in 2001 to produce typical Norwegian foods which could meet the strict slaughter restrictions within Islam. Among the products available are pizza, hamburger, meat slices and wieners. Products are of course not made from prohibited species, such as pigs and carnivores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodu Bala Sena</span> Buddhist extremist organization in Sri Lanka

Bodu Bala Sena, also abbreviated as BBS is a far-right anti-liberalist, and ultranationalist Sinhalese Buddhist organization, and a break-away faction from the right-wing nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya party. The BBS generally opposes pluralist and democratic ideologies, and criticizes non-extremist Buddhist monks for not taking action against the rise of other religions within Sri Lanka.

The Q Society of Australia Inc. was a far-right, anti-Islam and homophobic organisation that opposed Muslim immigration and the presence of Muslims in Australian society. Q Society described itself as "Australia's leading Islam-critical organisation" and stated that its purpose was to fight against the "Islamisation of Australia". The Q Society was so named because it was founded at a meeting in the Melbourne suburb of Kew in 2010.

The "Kosher tax" is the idea that food companies and unwitting consumers are forced to pay money to support Judaism or Zionist causes and Israel through the costs of kosher certification. The claim is a conspiracy theory, antisemitic canard, or urban legend.

Islamophobia in Australia is highly speculative and affective distrust and hostility towards Muslims, Islam, and those perceived as following the religion. This social aversion and bias is often facilitated and perpetuated in the media through the stereotyping of Muslims as violent and uncivilised. Various Australian politicians and political commentators have capitalised on these negative stereotypes and this has contributed to the marginalisation, discrimination and exclusion of the Muslim community.

Halal literally means "permissible" in Arabic and refers to food items that are permissible to consume under Sharia law, whereas haram refers to any substance not permitted to consume. According to the Australian Food and Grocery Council, halal foods must be "free from any substance taken or extracted from a haram animal or ingredient ; [be] made, processed, manufactured and/or stored by using utensils, equipment and/or machinery that has been cleaned according to Islamic law ; and [be] free from contact with, or being close to, a haram substance during preparation, manufacture, processing and storage ."

Halal meat is meat of animal slaughtered according to Quran and Sunnah and thus permitted for consumption by Muslims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halal certification in the Philippines</span> Islamic product certification in the Philippines

Halal literally means "permissible" in Arabic and refers to goods, including food items and services, that are permissible to consume or use under Sharia law. In contrast, haram refers to goods that are forbidden to consume or use. Despite being a Christian-majority country, the Philippines has a state-sanctioned program to facilitate halal certification of goods under the Halal Act of 2016.

Criticism of kashrut is criticism of or opposition to the laws of kashrut and/or dislike of kosher foods. Criticism of kashrut can either come from non-Jews or it can come from Jews who don't keep kosher, and it may or may not be motivated by antisemitism. In some European countries, kosher slaughter is either banned or restricted by law, often because nationalists or animal rights activists object to the practice. Certain aspects of kashrut have been alleged to promote sectarianism or racism, a claim that is rejected by Jews who keep kosher. Right-wing extremists sometimes criticize kashrut due to their belief in antisemitic canards and antisemitic conspiracy theories. In Classical Reform Judaism, the keeping of kosher has been discouraged, based on its belief that the keeping of Kosher is an unhelpful vestige of the past. In the Soviet Union, the keeping of Kosher was discouraged, due to the anti-religious and antisemitic policies of the Soviet government, and the anti-religious views of secular Jewish Communists.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hirschman, Elizabeth C.; Touzani, Mourad (June 2016). "Contesting Religious Identity in the Marketplace: Consumption Ideology and the Boycott Halal Movement". Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture. 4 (1). doi: 10.15640/jisc.v4n1a3 (inactive 28 July 2024). eISSN   2333-5912. ISSN   2333-5904.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2024 (link)
  2. 1 2 3 Hussein, Shakira (2015). "Not Eating the Muslim Other: Halal Certification, Scaremongering, and the Racialisation of Muslim Identity". International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. 4 (3): 85–96. doi: 10.5204/ijcjsd.v4i3.250 . hdl: 11343/55776 . ISSN   2202-8005. S2CID   142996610.
  3. 1 2 Hussein, Shakira (15 April 2015). "Why 'Halal Tax' Conspiracy Theories are So Hard to Stomach". ABC Religion & Ethics . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 Emery, Ryan (21 January 2015). "Online anti-halal campaign targets WA cafe". SBS News . Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  5. 1 2 Ma, Wenlei (11 November 2014). "Halal conspiracy theorists bullying Australian businesses". News.com.au . Australian Associated Press . Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Sinclair, Corey (12 May 2015). "Facebook conspiracy theorists – halal, mind control and the New World Order". NT News . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Syfret, Wendy (24 November 2014). "Trolls Are Boycotting Australian Companies Because They Don't Understand What Halal Is". Vice . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Ganeshan, Balakrishna; John, Haritha (5 April 2022). "What exactly is halal certification for meat and non-meat products? Explained". The News Minute . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Fact-check: Himalaya Drug Co targeted for misleading claims on Halal certification". Deccan Herald . Alt News. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  10. ↑ Ruiz-Bejarano, Barbara (October 2017). "Islamophobia as a Deterrent to Halal Global Trade". Islamophobia Studies Journal. 4 (1): 129–146. doi:10.13169/islastudj.4.1.0129. ISSN   2325-8381.
  11. ↑ "Fact file: What is halal food?". ABC News . 13 April 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  12. 1 2 Meikle, James (8 May 2014). "What exactly does the halal method of animal slaughter involve?". The Guardian . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  13. ↑ Zielinski, Caroline (5 April 2015). "Pauline Hanson links halal certification to terrorist organisations a day after nationwide, anti-Islam protests". News.com.au . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  14. ↑ Powell, Rose (20 November 2014). "George Christensen uses Vegemite to suggest halal products are funding terrorism and sharia". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  15. ↑ Picheta, Rob; John, Tara (19 December 2018). "Toblerone's halal certification outrages the far right". CNN . Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  16. ↑ Meyer, Zlati (24 December 2018). "Mondelēz's Toblerone boycotted by European far-right because of halal certification". USA TODAY . Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  17. ↑ Aked, H.; Jones, M.; Miller, D. (2019). "Islamophobia in Europe: How governments are enabling the far-right 'counter-jihad' movement" (PDF). Public Interest Investigations: 24.
  18. ↑ Johnston, Chris (23 December 2014). "Why halal certification is in turmoil". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  19. ↑ Kuntamalla, Vidheesha; Kumar, Ashwine (23 April 2022). "'To support halal is to contribute to terrorism': Meet Ravi Ranjan Singh, crusader for 'jhatka' meat". Newslaundry . Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Fact check: Does halal certification fund terrorism?". ABC News . 14 April 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  21. ↑ Masanauskas, John (18 July 2014). "Halal food outrage from anti-Islam critics". Herald Sun . Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  22. ↑ Zraick, Karen (9 January 2019). "Is Stunning an Animal Before Slaughter More Humane? Some Religious Leaders Say No". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  23. 1 2 "Seeking ban on halal certification, Hindutva groups target IRCTC and Air India". Scroll.in . 9 April 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  24. ↑ Varma, Aishwarya (16 December 2021). "Muslim Groups Didn't Say 'Halal Means Spitting on Food', Claim is Misleading". The Quint . Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  25. ↑ "Call to resist anti-Islamic bullying after company drops halal certification". The Guardian . Australian Associated Press. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  26. ↑ "WA cafe's halal Facebook post prompts online backlash". ABC News . 20 January 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  27. ↑ "Himalaya Group faces boycott on Twitter over Halal products". The Siasat Daily . 31 March 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  28. ↑ Mehta, Archit (20 July 2021). "Fact-Check: Does Himalaya's neem, tulasi, lasuna supplements contain bovine extract?". Alt News . Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  29. ↑ "Right Wing Groups Now Target Multiple Brands Including IRCTC & Air India for Halal Certification". News18 . PTI. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
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