Most Gracious, Most Merciful in the name of Allah
- Halal is a divine necessity based on the teachings of the HolyQur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
- The unique identity and quality of a Muslim depends on the halal guidelines outlined in the sunnah of Our Prophet (pbuh).
- The interpretation, standardization, regulation and implementation of halal is accepted as a form of worship.
- All worship is based on faith and creed.
- The separation of powers of the states and the church is always present in the established legal standards of the Philippines. The Philippines is a secular country where religion and state affairs are separated from each other.
- The Philippine government’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is trying to enact a law that the Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) has authorized the accreditation of halal foods. On the other hand, PAB accredits institutions according to ISO17065, 17011, 19011, UAE S 2055-2, PNHCS 2018 and PNS 2068:2008 regulations.
Therefore: We, as representatives of halal certification institutions and Islamic non-governmental organizations, decelerate that; the religious affairs of a faith group are carried out only by the members of that faith group. In the determination of halal standards, qualified Muslim theologians, who have deep knowledge in Islamic rules and based on the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma and qiyas, are required as well as technical committees. Halal and Haram are Islamic commandments that prevail throughout the entire life of a Muslim and are regulated in accordance with absolute religious pedestals.
The implementation and validation of halal cannot be abstracted from the concept of worship and therefore cannot be reduced to just a matter of technical suitability. Halal certification by non-Muslims is considered invalid according to Islamic rules.
The interference of non-Muslim countries in the religious affairs of the Muslim community through their organizations is a violation of the freedom and consumer rights of all Muslims. We clearly state that any act or certification of non-Muslims aiming at Halal certification will not be considered valid and legitimate. Halal is a purely Islamic term. As we will not accept to pray behind non-Muslims, we also do not accept and reject Halal-related audits, inspections, martyrdom, accreditation, certification, and similar documents published by non-Muslims.
We remind you that we and history will never forget the persons or legal entities that help Non-Muslims to intervene in Islamic issues because of these actions.
The above statement was prepared by the Food and Necessities Inspection and Certification Association (GIMDES) in Istanbul on April 6, 2022 in this form.
