The development of halal products and services is
now becoming a promising and profitable business. Certification bodies
authorised to endorse halal products and services should be capable of
looking into what compliance issues conforms to the status. The issue of
non-compliance prior to, during and post certification is still
monitored throughout. This has the potential to bring down the confident
levels of consumers especially those who are strictly concerned with
products being either halal or haram. Apparently the halal status does
not refer only to the products but is most critical during the process
and manner in which products are handled. In most cases, the product and
service provider fails to properly conduct monitoring resulting in
non-compliance. Regrettably, some are issued halal certificates in spite
of the product being banned.
The problem of enforcement is a critical aspect in dealing with such
certification. It is not only a problem with capacity i.e knowledge,
technical skills, and information but also with regard to the ratio of
enforcement to products and service providers.
Hence, there is a
need for all manufacturers from the provider or supplier to the end user
to comply with requirements as suggested in the Islamic Manufacturing
Practice (IMP) framework . The IMP is an index based on the principle of
"Halalan Tayyiban" (permissible and good). From the perspective of
quality , if one is certified by the IMP, one would not worry about many
things since the certification body is assumed to have the capacity to
look into those matters. From the business aspect, we should not
encourage others to participate in the so called 'halal' industry to the
extent that they are able to manipulate the Muslim consumer to their
benefit. The IMP assures that there is mutual interest satisfied by way
of the established mechanisms and tools.
In an effort to enoble and enrich the quality of civilization, one
should make reference to what has been mentioned in the Qur'an on
matters concerning consumerism. In other words emphasis should be on
both the halal aspect and the tayyiban aspect. If certification imposed
by the authorities is simply to differentiate between halal and
non-halal alone, the quality of the products and services can be called
into questioned. Many assume that the Muslims are unable to be primary
producers as reasons to consider the participation of non Muslims in
production.
There is certainly a great deal of truth in this assumption. The fact
is that most producers of halal products for the global market are non
Muslims. For the Muslims, being the certifying body alone is
insufficient if coordination is left to the producers. In addition, if
certification standards differ from one Muslim country to the next, one
cannot claim that the Muslims are in control. Monies made from the
certification alone will not be utilized by the Muslim ummah, rather it
will once again benefit the producer and individual certifiers. The
victim in all this will be the Muslim consumer.
Hence, all manufacturers should be IMP certified in order that both the halal and the tayyiban aspects are adderessed.
The argument from some Muslims who allege that Muslims themselves are
not capable and have no capacity to control the halal industry may not
hold water. Malaysia has been emphasising 'halal' products and yet we
still consume non-halal products. For example, product made from pig
such as gelatin powder-a colourless, odourless mixture of proteins
extracted from the skin, bones and cartilage of pigs. It is used to
thicken and stabilize various jellies, desserts etc. In Finland,
gelatine is usually available in granulated/ powdered form or pressed in
thin, translucent sheets, called sheet or leaf gelatine used in
cosmetics, the film, indusry and phamaceutical capsules.
Another example of non-halal products in the market is Insulin-like
Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is a hormone which occurs naturally in
humans and cows. IGF-1 in cows is chemically identical with IGF-1 in
humans. IGF-1 regulates cell growth, which causes cells to divide,
particularly in children. This is important because a cancer is defined
as an uncontrollable cell growth. The question then arises, will an
increase of IGF-1 in genetically engineered milk cause inappropriate
cell division in humans, which in turn could accelerate tumor growth?
Published research shows that recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone
(rBGH) injected into dairy cows substantially increases the
concentration of IGF-1 in cow's milk. In an article in Science magazine
in 1990, the FDA admitted that rBGH-tainted milk has higher levels of
IGF-1. Other scientists have confirmed this conclusion. A recent report
by another manufacturer of rBGH, Eli Lilly & Co., reveals a ten-fold
increase in IGF-1 levels. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that
IGF-1 in rBGH milk affects the human body differently than non-hormonal
milk. Can this type of product be considered tayyiban?
IMP is supposed to be a more conclusive approach in determining whether something labeled halal is really halal.
