What is Halal and Tayyib food issue? Where is its place for a Muslim in his life?
Halal and Tayyib food issue is a very important matter for a Muslim. Because it is, a Muslim’s indispensible and devotion.Unfortunately, it is deeply saddening for us that it is not paid enough attention to such an important issue.
But considering one Turkish Proverb; “where we stop the loss, it is profit”, we are trying to explain our society, our nation. Thus, we think that we could manage to compansate the time that we have wasted.
We have not discovered anything new about Halal and Tayyib. Since our book, Quran was sent down (onzila), along with the hadiths of our Prophet (sav), it is come to light that we must be fed with Halal and Tayyib foods. It has been said that if we do not eat halal, our prayers won’t be accepted. Although we have addressed such important informations, instructions and orders; now we are bringing the issue back to the agenda and trying to explain it to people: “Why?”
Because for at least 100 years, we are not in charge of what we have been eating and/ or drinking, others are. Why let others control ourselves?
Because, (as one Turkish idiom refers) they held the head of the water. They produce, they formulate. And meanwhile we look at them and think they are doing something good” and begin to produce like them by imitating them and trying to feed our people. But, the food system they created does not contain the proper food system within the limits allowed by Allah. E.g; the pork is absolutely both dirty (najis) and haram for us! We are not allowed to use any part if it, or substance. But unfortunately, the west, which has acquired this system for 100 years, does not have such a limitation. Hence the pig is the most precious product and material for them. By producing a number of substances from every particle of it, it has become useful in the production and nutrition of people and even animal. This is a terrible situation and unfortunately we have been feeding and raising our children for over 100 years by this way. Now we realize that, we have repent and we have to bring our way into the line that Allah wants. How this transformation should be? We’re talking about a matter that related to every fields of one’s life?
If we want Helal; with products, productions, factories, tools, devices, machines, we need to be same in everyway. It means, we have to be able to produce according to our request. We need to do serious work for this. Therefore GIMDES emerged due to this need. Will GIMDES build a factory? No. Will GIMDES produce the machine? No. Will GIMDES produce food? No. They will coordinate, control and work for those who want to do so. We have no other choice. Because lots of money are needed, lots of staff are needed. But if institutions such as GIMDES form this work as staff, they will be able to find a solution by bringing firms with consumer groups, Muslim people. Eventually, we did this. We were established in 2005. In accordance with the provisions of the state law on associations; it was established as “GIMDES, Food and Drug Supplements and Certification Association (GIMDES)” and as affiliate commercial enterprise we also establish GIMDES Halal Products Research Institution. Therefore, with this institution, that is affiliated with the association, it has emerged a “credited corporate identity” in today’s world, elhâmdülillâh. We were founded in 2005 but in 2009, GIMDES became an associaton that has the right to comment in international arena. Today, it does control 14 thousand different kinds of products and certification work for 450-500 companies. Every day new companies continue to be involved into this period. This is a plesent situation for us, but it is not enough. As the consumers become conscious, companies will have to have this control via associations like GIMDES and so if we have more than 50 thousand kinds of products in the market today, 50 thousand varieties will be controlled by GIMDES and then will be presented to the consumers.
Do you issue halal certificates only for food or other fields?With our masters (hodjas), fiqih teachers and teachers from technical science committee, we have created a standard system about six subjects that concern the society. We have food standards. We have standards in cosmetic products. We have standards in health products. We have standards in textile products. Also, for example, individuals in the community make various trips, right? They have to have the sensitivity to find Islamic hotels and restaurants, organize an Islamic travel programme. For this, we set a standard called Halal Tourism Standard. Both hotels, as well as restaurants, and even the conditions of the trip, are included in this standard.
Dr.Hüseyin Kâmi BÜYÜKÖZER,
