Perspective of Hadith in Halal Industry

Abstract

Halal industry is a unique industry such that it is directly tied to shariah, rendering all regulations, procedures, and conduct must clearly be based on the Islamic sources of knowledge namely the Qur’an and Hadith. While many discourses on halal focused on the Qur’anic teachings, less were discussed from the point of view of the Hadith. This is regrettable as hadith provides solutions and best practices in various scenarios in life.  Thus, this study aims to collate and provide a discourse of hadith surrounding the halal industry. It also aims to identify the elements of Maqasid framework within these collated hadith and finally develop formative theories and principles. The study employs a narrative literature review combined with Maqasid methodology.  A selection of hadith related to halal industry with brief discourse is presented based on the Global Islamic Index - seven sectors of halal industry. Finally, through the collated hadith, the relationship between halal industry and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) was critically evaluated. It was found that many of these values are already embedded within Islamic teachings. Embracing ESG principles in the halal industry can bring about substantial benefits towards promoting ethical and sustainable behavior.  However, it is imperative that these principles go beyond mere rhetoric and are put into practice through tangible actions.