Posted by: theMajlis

THE HARAAM ‘HALAAL’ LICENSE

THE DISCOVERY

According to the press report, SANHA’s ‘theological adviser’ said that the certificate had been withdrawn after "serious irregularities" had been discovered. It should be borne in mind that the withdrawal of the certificate was not simultaneous with the initiation of the serious irregularities prevailing at the abattoir nor was the withdrawal simultaneous with the discovery. The questions to be asked and which this self-appointed ‘halaal authority’ has to answer are:

(1) When did the serious irregularities commence, and when was the discovery made?

(2) What time period lapsed between the commencement of the serious irregularities and its notification to the top brass in the ‘halaal’ authority’s office?

(3) Who notified the ‘halaal authority’ of the serious irregularities taking place at the abattoir? Was it Sanha’s supervisor or someone else? How long did it take for Sanha to act o­n the discovery of the serious irregularities? At what stage did Sanha inform the Muslim community of the prevalence of serious irregularities? At the time of the discovery or after withdrawal of the haraam certificate? In which way did Sanha notify the Muslim public? What precise steps were instituted to notify the Muslim community of the newly established haraam status of the abattoir’s meat in Sanha’s opinion?

According to the press report:

"Sanha has provided the abattoir with Muslim employees to "slaughter and cut carcasses". Also a Muslim supervisor was employed at the abattoir to monitor the proceedings. Inspite of the presence of the Muslim employees and the permanent supervisor, Sanha’s outside inspector made the discovery of the serious irregularities. Thus Sanha’s "theological adviser" said: "We had a supervisor o­n site…….We inspected the place and found that the abattoir was also dealing with non-halaal meats. The supervisor found a fridge full of non-halaal carcasses."

The questions now are: How did haraam carcasses fill the fridge despite the permanent presence of the supervisor o­n site? At what stage after the filling of the fridge with haraam carcasses did the supervisor make the discovery? Was the supervisor not o­n site when the haraam meat was delivered, off-loaded and stored in the fridge? If he was, what steps did he take? From the report, it appears that the sleeping supervisor had made the discovery after the fridge was filled with haraam meat. It is clear that the supervisor was unaware of the delivery, unloading and packing of the haraam meat in the fridge. He made this discovery at a later stage. Then presumably he informed his superiors or the roving inspector of Sanha learnt of the breach when he visited the abattoir.

Muslims should understand that in Shar’i terms the whole confounded ‘halaal’ certificate business is a sordid mess. It has opened up a vast avenue for consumption of haraam. It has broken down Muslim resistance to eating haraam meat. It has accustomed weak Muslims to buy meat from non-Muslims. In the process of this mess, weak Muslims have become totally desensitized o­n the issue of halaal and haraam food. Swine flesh sold under a ‘halaal’ certificate forged by any non-Muslim will be readily consumed by Muslims whose Imaani resistance to haraam meat has been broken down and neutralized. The criterion for halaal food for weak Muslims is a scrap of paper with the word ‘halaal certificate’ printed o­n it or a confounded ‘halaal’ mark or just a moon and star emblem o­n a packet, be it a packet of pork. The plethora of haraam certificate issuers are responsible for the large-scale consumption of haraam meat by Muslims of weak Imaan.

Regardless of the holy assertions of these certificate- issuers, it is impossible to correctly and adequately supervise non-Muslim business enterprises to ensure 100% compliance with the conditions initially laid down by those who are in the game of selling ‘halaal’ certificates. We are speaking from years of experience in this field. Not a single non-Muslim meat processing plant was adequately supervised to ensure that the products are 100% halaal. The ‘halaal’ certificate trade is a miserable story which has destroyed the resistance of Muslims to haraam meats.

Just recently, Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb of Durban echoed what we had said and screamed about decades ago.

The need for all the questions which we have asked is to convey to Muslims the Imaani damage which they are suffering as a direct consequence of consuming haraam meat and chickens marketed o­n the ‘authority’ of haraam ‘halaal’ certificates. Leave alone these worldly ‘halaal’ authorities. They are of no significance and their actions and activities stand condemned from beginning to end. Consider an organization of sincere, but short-sighted, Muslims, be it an Ulama body which issues a ‘halaal’ certificate to a non-Muslim meat/chicken processing plant.

Initially everything apparently is above board and the conditions are complied with. Later, for whatever reason expedient to the non-Muslim owners of the plant, the conditions are violated and the products are haraam. By the time the irregularities are discovered, discussed, attempts made with the management to rectify the position and finally making inaudible and inconspicuous announcement declaring the cancellation of the ‘halaal’ certificate, thousands of haraam carcasses and millions of haraam chickens have meanwhile been marketed as halaal. The thousands of Muslims in the interim period continue to consume haraam and ruin their Imaan in this satanic process.

After the certificate has been withdrawn, it takes a millennium for the news to filter through to all levels of the Muslim community, far and wide, throughout the length and breadth of the country. Meanwhile, all those who have not heard the news continue to consume haraam. A good example is the very recent withdrawal of the haraam ‘halaal’ certificate by Sanha. There was most certainly a lengthy time lapse between the discovery and publication or dissemination of the information of the cancellation of the certificate. Furthermore, there was a time lapse, perhaps days, perhaps weeks or even months, between the introduction of haraam carcasses at the abattoir and its discovery in the fridges by the incompetent supervisor o­n site. During these time lapses, thousands of haraam carcasses were being sold as ‘halaal’.

Then there was a further time lapse, the duration of which Sanha can enlighten us, in the negotiations between Sanha and the abattoir’s management in a bid to sort out matters. Sanha had to inspect the premises and do whatever else is necessary in their opinion to rectify the operation or in the last resort to withdraw the certificate. While all this nonsense is continuing, haraam meat is being sold as halaal, and Muslims whose palates have become accustomed to haraam, continue to consume the haraam.

While the main culprits in this evil fiasco are the fabricators of these haraam certificates, the Muslim people who devour the haraam meat cannot be exculpated. Muslims are equally to be blamed for this evil set-up. They no longer care about halaal and haraam matters. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that a time will dawn when Muslims will not be concerned with halaal and haraam. As long as there is material and nafsaani benefit and pleasure in something, they will appropriate it, use it, devour it and destroy their Imaan.

After the discovery of the serious irregularities and the processing of the information, etc., it appears from the press report that Sanha had ‘notified’ the Muslim public of its decision in a way which is no notification. The ‘theological adviser’ of Sanha said: "We have notified the Muslim community about our decision o­n our website’s noticeboard."

This report appeared in the Sunday Times o­n 8th February 2004. To this day innumerable Muslims are not aware of the decision despite the appearance of the report in even the Sunday Times. The website is no noticeboard which could adequately cater for the Muslim community. It should be understood that even if the irregularity was nipped in the bud and an immediate announcement made regarding the withdrawal of the certificate, and such notices be pinned o­n all the Musaajid boards throughout the country, and thousands of pamphlets distributed and full page advertisements inserted in all the main newspapers of the country, then too such widespread notification will not be adequate compensation for the damage which haraam consumption has wrought to the Imaan of Muslims. Even such extensive and intensive advertising cannot put an immediate stop to the haraam consumption. The printing, advertising, distribution and delivery of the information to every member of the community are a timeconsuming process. Meanwhile people, innumerable members of the community, will continue to consume the haraam meat.

According to the Sunday Times report, an officer of Sanha Made the following preposterous claim:

The claim is highly presumptuous, baseless and False. Sanha does not represent the Muslim community of South Africa o­n all matters of halaal. There is no single organization which represents the Muslim community of South Africa. The sooner this arrogant officer divests himself of this fallacy, the better for him.

Sanha, its rival the bid’ati conglomerate, and all other bodies which issue haraam ‘halaal’ certificates to kuffaar establishments have treacherously betrayed Islam and the community. All of them collectively cannot adequately and correctly supervise the numerous kuffaar business establishments whom these miscreant organizations have ‘halalized’ thereby jeopardizing the already weak Imaan of weak Muslims who are not really cautious about halaal and haraam issues. They cannot always detect and discover the discrepancies which develop from time to time. Then when they do discover irregularities, the general attitude is to cover-up the malpractices to safeguard their miserable image, and no o­ne need care about the spiritual damage inflicted o­n the Imaan of Muslims.

There is o­nly o­ne solution for this problem — and that is to end this haraam ‘halaal’ certificate trade. Muslims should understand that purchasing meat from kuffaar establishments is fraught with grave perils for their Imaan. It is ludicrous and disgusting for a Muslim to buy meat from kuffaar o­n the basis of a scrap of paper called ‘halaal’ certificate. Their Imaan has reached a stage of advanced desensitization to haraam. They now fail to perceive the evil effects of the poisonous haraam meat and chickens they are consuming by the ton.

Allah Ta’ala states in the Qur’aan Majeed: "O People! Eat from the earth what is halaal and wholesome, and do not follow in the footsteps of shaitaan. Verily, he o­nly commands you with evil and shameless deeds, and that you say such things about Allah of which you are unaware."

Instructing the Ambiyaa (alayhimus salaam), the Qur’aan Majeed says: "O Rusul (Messengers)! Eat from the earth what is Halaal and Tayyib (halaal and wholesome food) and practice righteous deeds."

Without halaal and tayyib food, it is impossible to achieve any measure of Taqwa whatsoever. A morsel of haraam and even mushtabah (doubtful) food can ruin the wondrous spiritual benefits of Ibaadat. Haraam and Mushtabah are poisons for Muslims. These filthy ‘foods’-the carrion meat and chickens— sold under the banner of ‘halaal’ certificates vitiate the spiritual fibre of the Mu’mineen. All taufeeq for A’maal-e-Saalihah is eliminated by the ingestion of the haraam carrion which is today being devoured by the ton by Muslims. Abstention is imperative. It is Waajib to refrain from purchasing any meat or chickens from non- Muslim establishments. Allah Ta’ala has provided a thousand kinds of halaal foods. There is a need to exercise some Sabr and not degenerate to the level of dogs which consume just any rot and carrion fed to them.

Amr Bil Ma’roof Nahy anil Munkar (Commanding righteousness and forbidding evil) is the primary duty of the Ulama. Allah Ta’ala has created the Institution of Ulama to safeguard the Deen and to preserve the Immutable Shariah in its original state of pristine purity.

The function of the Ulama is not to debase their Ilm and rank by acting as slaughterers of animals, supervising abattoirs and acting as ‘halaal’ inspectors. Those men who are Ulama in name, but mercenaries at heart, undertake such appointments.

Issuing and supervising ‘halaal’ certificates are contemptible occupations for the Ulama. It is highly improper for Ulama to act as rubber stamps for certifying the products of the kuffaar. Allah Ta’ala did not bestow Ilm-e-Deen to people to enable them to act as advertising agents of kuffaar traders.

The Majlis Vol 15 No 11