1- What is the meaning of Halal Food ?
– Halal is one of the most important foundations of Muslim life. From the day of birth until death, a Muslim’s target must be living in that circle and complying with the halal food. For this reason, Halal life, Halal food, Halal drinking, briefly Halal slice is the necessity thing for Muslims, and this is his belief point.
The meaning of this Arabic word, “permitted” or “lawful,” is very clear. The permission of the lord of all existence. Allah (S.W.T) command Muslims and all people to consume Halal products in the Quran. There are many ayahs in the Quran, but some of them are like that; “O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and wholesome in the earth, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you.” (2/168)
“O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He Whom ye worship.” (2/172)
“Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed on you as food lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah in Whom ye are believers.” (5 /88)
Haram which Allah and the Prophet have completely and specifically forbidden. Engaging in an act that is Haram (i.e. eating food like pork, drinking alcohol) would lead to punishment in the Next Life(Akhirah), and maybe even in this Life. Things or actions forbidden by Shariah the following:
- Meat and by-products from swine;
- Dogs
- Carrion or dead animals
- Slaughtered animals over which the name of anything other than Allah S.W.T. has been pronounced
- Insects with the exception of grass hoper
- Blood with the exception of spleen and liver of Halal Sources
- Wine, ethenol and aqua vitae
These mentioned above are haram and all Muslims must avoid.
“O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and wholesome in the earth, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you.” (Baqara 168)
When we consider this ayah, we easily can understand that Allah (S.W.T.) addresses not only Muslims but whole mankind. Additionally, Allah (SWT) orders in the Maidah Surah third ayah;
“Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swineflesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other that Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin:(for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful..”
There is favor, beauty, cleanliness and healthy in the Halal. However, there is ugliness, dirtiness, malignancy and ill in the Haram.
A Muslim will be judged for every bite he took, and for every sip he enjoyed, and he has to make sure all of them will comply with Halal.
Halal Food will be the biggest step to ensure the heart (spirit) and body to live healthy and prosperity to emerge. The first human being and Prophet Adam (pbuh) and his beloved wife / our mother Eve was taken a bite of a fruit from a forbidden tree by Satan’s tricks and lost the test which resulted of them to be taken out of the heaven. If we re-consider this event and think about it thoroughly, we may comprehend the importance of Halal Food for humanity.
2- What is the benefit of getting Halal certificate for a company?
When the company gets Halal certificate from an authority foundation, it shows the customers that the relating company produce in a high quality level product, because the Halal Certificate contains the most ultimate level quality standards. So, it is a very significant tool for the company and take advantage than other competitors.
GIMDES is a well-known Halal Certification body which is located in Turkey. For this reason, GIMDES Halal certified companies’ products easily export the whole world which are requested. This also gives advantage for companies due to no problem.
3- When food companies get Halal Certificate, does this help to increase their export?
It is highly obvious that when a company gets their Halal Certificate from GIMDES, their export rates are getting more. When we check the datas we can see that;
Around 260 companies get Halal certificate for their products, and they export their products to 67 countries.
GIMDES has started to give Halal certificate since 2009. According to obtained information, GIMDES Halal Certified products export rates around 10 billion dollars up to at the end of 2011. The estimated rate for 2012 is 16-17 billion dollars export for GIMDES Halal Certified products.
4- How does certification process ongoing? ?
GIMDES Halal certification conditions
1. Halal Certification application by an application form (you would download from www.gimdes.org website)
2. Once the completed application is received; the GIMDES Board review the information details and then contact the company to arrange for an initial audit inspection. If there is necessity, some kind of complementary document can request.
3. Signing the contract by both parties for audit.
4.Audit process on the company’s facilities.
5. initial inspection of the plant will be carried out by the GİMDES representatives
6. The establish for all requirements which is mentioned during the audit by auditors.
7. GIMDES Technical committees report upon audits.
8.Halal Certification.
9.Halal Assurance Systems follow ups ( uninformative audits, questioning for updated documents, Camera system for slaughterhouses, product analyses.)
Prerequisites
1. The company must give a statement about willing to manufacture Halal products.
2. Halal Manual must write out by internal Halal Coordinator who must be Muslim.
3. Halal Manual must be prepared other quality systems.
4. Halal Assurance system is prerequisites in the Halal Certification.
5. Halal Certified company has to establish Halal Assurance system for maintain of Halal manufacturing.
GIMDES requirements for ensuring Halal for raw materials:
- Halal Certificate which is issued by confidential Halal Certification foundation for Animal/animal additives raw material and critical materials.
- Analysis and production workflow for fermented products
- Original sources of substances (Initial materials)
- Workflow for additional raw materials in the production
- Conformity with label information of the products’ raw materials.
- Laboratory analysis (if necessary).
When we mention about general application requirement, the company must be willing ensure Halal production with continuity and traceability. This is also the necessity to be honest to the consumers as a universal principle.
5- What is the Halal certificate validity? Is GIMDES certificate approved by all over the world?
When the company gets their Halal Certificate in the first time, the validity of the certificate is one year. In the second time, the certificate duration is two years. After 2 years after the audit, if the company deserves, it will be again for two years.
6- Which do industry sectors request Halal certificate?
Prominence sectors of requesting Halal Certificate such as Red and white meat products, Flour products, dairy products, halvah and sweeties products, Macaroni, Fat products and cosmetic sectors.
7- Is there any company from abroad to apply GIMDES Halal Certificate for using in the Turkish Market?
Yes, there are many applications to GIMDES for export their products to Turkish and other Muslim countries. GIMDES has certified three companies from abroad up to now.
8- What kind of activity does you carry out for universalize Halal Certificate?
All world communities understand problematic aspects of modernity, which was served to all mankind by European during the century. In fact, Halal certificate provides healthy, hygienic, quality products to all mankind.
Halal certificate will be widespread in our country and abroad by the conscious consumers. These consumers are going to request Halal products. So, the fundamental point of issue is getting awareness.
GIMDES gives seminars, conferences, exhibitions, visual and written media, article, interviews for increasing Halal life awareness.
9- Does the Halal Certificate request mostly from Islamic countries?
The Halal certificate serves to all people who want to consume Halal and healthy, hygenic, quality, clean products not only in Islamic countries but whole world. For this reason, it is requested all over the world.
The Market is so big for Halal Certificate. It covers around 2 billion people, and it covers millions of Halal certified products. It is estimated that Halal product market around 2 billion dollars.
10- Does Kosher Certificate equal to Halal Certificate?
We have to make a separation between Kosher and Halal Certificate. Muslims have consumed kosher certified products as if Halal for years.
“Kosher” means prepared under and maintained in strict compliance with the laws and customs of the Jewish religion and includes foods prepared for the festival of Passover and represented to be “kosher for Passover.”
“Halal” means prepared under and maintained in strict compliance with the laws and customs of the Islamic religion
. Kosher dietary predominantly deal with food products. But instead of kosher, Halal is in the whole stage of life. In the food concept, it can seem similar to Halal; however, we can’t accept kosher all of a piece as Halal. For example, Kosher labeled a product can contain alcohol. Gelatin, glycerin and other animal raw materials can contain in kosher products. Jewish teacher or scholar supervision during slaughter but they don’t make tasmiyya. For this reason, kosher products are at least suspicious for Muslim dietary.
