STUDY OF HALAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN IRAN

A. BACKGROUND

Halal, which means permissible or allowed in Arabic, is essentially a way of

life and is not solely confined to the types of product that a Muslim is allowed to consume.

The bottom line is that Halal product is not just about what the product is but how it is

prepared. Golnaz etc (2009) said that the Halal concept emphasizes safety, hygiene and

wholesomeness of product. It also provides an excellent platform for healthy product.

Consideration of the place and process of the animals being slaughtered and most

importantly, the condition of these animals would not endanger the health of consumens,

are a prime focus of what Halal is all about.

Halal has now become a universal concept. Halal product is no longer a mere

religious obligation or observance, but is considered as the standard of choice for Muslims

as well as non-Muslims worldwide. Halal covers all spectrums of Muslim life, not limited to

foods and drinks only, but also for safety, animal welfare, social justice and sustainable

environment. Halal and Toyyiban which means clean and wholesome portray the symbol of

criteria to hygiene, safety and quality of food that Muslims consumed (Baharudin etc,

2015).

Verbeke (2006) expressed that in recent years consumers have attached

increasing importance to food safety, health, naturalness, pleasure, convenience,

information and ethical issues like sustainability, animal or environmental friendliness in

the food they consumed. On the other hand, the wholesomeness concept of Halal, which

covers not only the Shariah requirement, but also the sustainability concept of hygiene,
sanitation and safety aspect, makes Halal food readily acceptable by consumers who are

concerned about food safety and healthy life style. Muslims have to follow a set of dietary

laws intended to advance their well being. However, not only religious motives determine

Halal consumption, but also health, hygiene, friendliness to environment, respect for

animal welfare and social issues, such as religious identity and degree of acculturation.

To ensure that the product is halal, it required an institution that is able to verify

halal products. They need a system called halal management system that provide

regulation of halal products. The Halal management system is a complete system that

integrates religious requirements, demands for nutritional value, the environment and

animal welfare with food safety and quality systems. The Halal management system covers

organisational structure, responsibilities, procedures, activities and resources which

combined, aim to ensure that products, processes and services comply with the Halal

regulations.

One of the country with the largest Muslim population is Iran (IROST, 2017). The

population of Iran is 77.45 million which over 95 percent are Muslims. This provides a

reasonably large critical mass for halal products. For that, Iran provide strong leadership as

a halal hub for manufacturers, traders and consumers alike. In Iran, there are center for

halal including market, research, and tourism.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim community in the world. Over three decades, halal

food markets have dramatically increased, especially in the major Muslim countries. As an

Islamic Institution, Walisongo State Islamic University formed an organization that has

mission on halal research. This nonproft organization named Walisongo Halal Research
Center (WHRC). WHRC is a newborn organization. So, as a development step, WHRC has

initiation to study about halal management system in Iran.

PROBLEM

1. What is the halal management system in Iran?

2. What is the part of halal management system in Iran that can be adopted in Indonesia?

OBJECTIVE

1. To study and analyze the halal management system in Iran.

2. To know the part of halal management system in Iran that can be adopted in Indonesia

REFERENCES

Baharuddin, K., Kassim, N.A., Nordin, S.K., & Buyong, S.Z. 2015. Understanding the Halal

Concept and the Importance of Information on Halal Food Business Needed by

Potential Malaysian Entrepreneurs. International Journal Academic Research in

Business and Social Sciences, 5(2): 170-180.

Golnaz, R., Zainalaabidin, M., Mad Nasir, S., & Eddie Chiew, F.C. 2010. Non-Muslims

awareness of Halal Principles and Related Food Products in Malaysia. International

Food Research Journal, 17(1): 667-674.

Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST). 2017. National and

Regional Iranian Halal Research Center. http://www2.irost.org/. Acces on 2nd

March 2017.

Verbeke, V. W. 2006. Impact of Values, Involvement and Perceptions on Consumer Attitudes

and Intentions towards Sustainable Consumption. Journal of Agricultural and

Environmental Ethics, 19(1): 169-194.