A Malaysian deputy minister in charge of Islamic affairs Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has lamented that Muslims care more about the halal status of their food, compared to the status of their source of income.
He said the public perceives Islam as only related to worship, while the issue of halal and haram — what is permissible and forbidden in Islam — is seen as only related to consumption.
“The concern over halal food and halal labels is paramount. But the similar concerns may not be true when it comes to where the money comes from to buy that halal food,” Asyraf said in his keynote address at a seminar on Islamic financial institutions and charity here.
The deputy minister said when it comes to consuming meat, the public are very concerned about ensuring that the slaughter is Shariah compliant, but not as much as the money involved in the purchase.
“The money they received to buy that food, even if coming from usury, interest, corruption, they don’t care.
“This is something very much the reality in our society today,” said the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
