Malaysian Sharia-compliant Rayani Air grounded for failing to follow aviation rules.

Malaysian Sharia-compliant Rayani Air grounded for failing to follow aviation rules. (AN).

Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) suspended the country’s first Sharia-compliant airline company.

"Rayani Air has been suspended for three months," said DCA director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman because "They contravened civil aviation regulations.

Launched in December 2015, the company requires Muslim flight crewmembers to wear the hijab whilst non-Muslim crew are forbidden from wearing revealing clothing.

In-flight meals are completely halal and alcohol consumption is strictly banned.



In recent weeks, however, the carrier, which operates two Boeing 737-400s, has drawn increasing criticism from passengers and the government due to last-minute delays and cancellations. Its pilots have also gone on strike, further damaging its image.

The company on Monday said in a Facebook post that it was working hard to "to solve our internal matters and get Rayani back on track".

Malaysia’s Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai tweeted on Saturday that the DCA would conduct a safety audit before allowing the airline to fly again.

The "DCA will undertake a full administration and safety audit to determine if Rayani is 'fit' for AOC (aviation operating certificate) after serving provisional suspension," he wrote.

Liow also expressed disappointment at Rayani's conduct despite previous warnings over "poor procedures and service level".

Video - Tunisian Scholar Mohamed Talbi: The Quran Does Not Prohibit Alcohol, Prostitution, or Homosexuality

Tunisian Islamic scholar Mohamed Talbi recently expounded upon his views of Islam in an interview on Tunisia's TV Channel 1. Talbi said that there are no Quranic verses prohibiting alcohol consumption, prostitution, or homosexuality, noting that "prevention is not prohibition." Talbi, who called himself a "Quranic Muslim," said that the claim that the Prophet Muhammad was illiterate was "the greatest farce of all." The interview aired on April 15, 2015.

Spain: 250 call shops, 'Halal' butchers and grocery shops identified, which would finance ISIL and Al Qaeda.

Spain: 250 call shops, 'Halal' butchers and grocery shops identified, which would finance ISIL and Al Qaeda. HT: DreuzeInfo.

Madrid: A Report of the Spanish special services, indicts a network of businesses and businesses owned by members of the Muslim community are financing Daesh and Jabat Al Nusra in Syria.

Indeed, the Spanish special services reported that more than 250 phone shops of Halal Meat and Halal grocery Muslims living properties in Spain, would be involved in financing and Daesh Jabhat Al Nusra in Syria, and through a uncontrollable network of international transfer of funds, named 'Hawala'.

According to a report on the subject, published by the Spanish newspaper El Pais and the Italian news agency Ansamed, the Spanish security services have identified about 300 terminals and 'office' secret network 'Hawala' in the cities of Barcelona, Tarragona, Lleida, Bilbao, Santander, Valencia and Madrid.

This network is used to fund jihadist activities as it would be used by Syrian immigrants, Tunisia, Algeria and Pakistan to send outside of Spain, funds which the vesting conditions are not always blameless.

The sources added that the Spanish intelligence services believe that the network 'Hawala' is also the means by which the 100 Spanish fighters in Syria are young Moroccan origin for most of them, are transferred parts of their payroll to their families.

NETWORK 'HAWALA'

The Hawala system in Spain would be controlled by Pakistani groups established in Catalonia. They would provide as Spanish services, transaction estimated at € 300 million per year, serving 150,000 customers.

In the world, 'Hawala', which was inspired by a native Chinese model, would be responsible for transport to more than $ 200 billion fund, per year, escaping all controls. Hmmmm.....Halal 'Butchers' sticking together. My guess Illegal 'immigrant Jihadist' probably use the same network to integrate in Europe as a fifth column.

Source: http://www.lemag.ma/Espagne-250-teleboutiques-boucheries-et-epiceries-Halal-qui-financeraient-Daech-et-Al-Qaida_a88241.html

Malaysian Grand Imam wants stern action against Cadbury.

Malaysian Grand Imam wants stern action against Cadbury. (Borneopost)

KUALA TERENGGANU: Grand Imam of the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Syaikh Ismail Muhammad, wants stern action to be taken against Cadbury Confectionery (M) Sdn Bhd following the detection of pig DNA in two of its chocolate products.

He proposed a heavy fine or closure of the factory to serve as a lesson to other food producers to ensure that their products met the stipulated halal standard.

However, he would support any decision made by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department against the company so long as the incident did not recur, he told reporters after presenting gifts to patients at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital here yestesrday.

Last Saturday, the Health Ministry confirmed the presence of pig DNA in two Cadbury chocolate samples, namely Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond.

Syaikh Ismail advised Muslims to exercise caution and to check on the halal status of food before consuming them.
“At the same time, we also hope the authorities will continue to monitor other food-producing companies to avert a similar incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Consumer Protection and Welfare Board (LPKPM) chairman Prof Datuk Seri Dr Saharuddin Awang Yahya said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) should take legal against the producer of the Cadbury chocolates.

He said the company should also apologise openly to Muslims and withdraw all its chocolate products from the market for fear they were produced using the same machine as the chocolates which were tainted with the pig DNA.

“Merely giving the company advice and warning is not enough, it should be taken to court so that it can be a lesson to others,” he told a media conference here yesterday.

The Health Ministry will conduct thorough analysis on all Cadbury Confectionery Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Cadbury) products soon to ensure that they are not contaminated by pig DNA (porcine).

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said the results of the analysis, however, would only be known in the next several months because they would have to undergo several processes and procedures before the results could be finalised.

“At present, the ministry is investigating Cadbury under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 to ascertain whether Cadbury had with or without intention put the pig DNA in their dairy milk chocolate products,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Subramaniam also did not dismiss the possibility that the pig DNA found in the two samples was due to contamination along the production chain.

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism (KPDNKK) enforcement director Mohd Roslan Mahayuddin said operators of premises found to be persistent on selling the two Cadbury products which had been recalled two days ago, would face a fine of up to RM100,000 or
three years’ jail, or both, if convicted.

He said the sentences were provided under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 and the operators of the premises could also be the retailers, distributors or manufacturers.“For a corporation, they could face a maximum fine of RM250,000,” he told reporters here.

The official decision on the halal status of Cadbury chocolates following the recent detection of pig DNA (porcine) in two of its samples will be made and announced within the next seven days pending results of the analysis by the Chemistry Department.

Marks and Spencer apologizes over Muslim staff policy.

Marks and Spencer apologizes over Muslim staff policy.(Telegraph).

Marks and Spencer says shoppers won't be refused alcohol by staff as it claims a failure to follow internal policy led to a shopper being told to queue elsewhere because a Muslim worker couldn't serve them alcohol.

Customers at Marks and Spencer will not be refused alcohol or pork by Muslim staff after the store reacted to a massive backlash by customers.

Thousands of shoppers threatened to boycott the retailer after Marks and Spencer said it would allow Muslim staff to refuse to sell pork and alcohol because it was against their religious beliefs.

But now Marks and Spencer has apologised and said that Muslim staff who did not want to handle these products would not man tills and would work in other roles such as in clothing or in the bakery.

The issue was revealed after customers at a London branch of Marks and Spencer were told they would have to use another till because the assistant would not be able to serve them pork or alcohol.

At the time Marks and Spencer said staff could refuse to sell these items, based on their religious beliefs. This led to a huge backlash by thousands of customers who threatened to boycott the store.

Marks and Spencer last night apologised and said it had made a mistake and was not following its internal policies.

In a statement, Marks and Spencer said: “Where we have an employee whose religious beliefs restrict food or drink they can handle, we work closely with our member of staff to place them in suitable role, such as in our clothing department or bakery in foods.

“We regret that in the case highlighted today we were not following our own internal policy.”

Angry customers created a Facebook page, calling on others to boycott the retailer. Some claimed it was creating “division” in communities while others said if this policy was followed they would have to allow Christians who opposed homosexuality to refuse to serve gay customers.

Video - Understanding Halal Certification Schemes (Part 1 - 12 complete)

Understanding Halal Certification Schemes (Part 1 - 12 complete).HT: Q Society's of Australia.

Please note this is not about halal food. Q Society's spokesman Andrew Horwood points out: "Halal food itself is not of concern. Nearly all our food is naturally permissible to Muslims and observant Muslims can make food of unknown origin halal by proclaiming 'bismillah' over the food before eating.* 

What is of concern are the recently invented certification schemes, designed to permeate the supply chain from feeding trough to super market shelves and restaurant kitchens; including many non-food goods and services.

According to meat industry groups and research, two thirds of chicken and lamb meat and over half the beef sold in Australia now comes from Halal-certified suppliers. Most dairy products as well as other food and many non-food items are certified to sharia standards, but not always labelled.

Islamic organizations have estimated the value of the global halal certification market at USD 2.3 trillion in 2013, growing by 20% per year. No other religious group has imposed a similar tax-like scheme on the general public.

Investigative researchers in France, Canada and the USA have found links between halal certifying organisations and shop fronts for terrorist groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Similar research in Australia is yet to be undertaken.

Grand Mufti Dr Mustafa Ceric has suggested at an international conference in 2010, that Islam can conquer the world through the Halal (certification) movement.

We politely but firmly object. Q Society has three simple and fair policy proposals:

1. Apply the 'User Pays' principle 
If observant Muslims insist on special rituals and halal certification for their food, then Islamic community organisations should provide these services and cover the fees and extra expenses for the suppliers. Religion is always a contentious issue and should never be imposed onto others.

2. Insist on clear labelling 
All products and services from halal-certified suppliers should be clearly labelled by one standard symbol. This way the consumer can recognise when meat, meat-based products or other products and services come from halal-certified sources. Then consumers can make an informed decision 

3. No more discrimination 
In most Australian abattoirs Muslim males only are employed as slaughterers. Non-Muslims and women are not halal. This is discrimination on religious and gender grounds. We understand that halal-slaughtered meat is important to observant Muslims. We propose if abattoirs require exemption from our non-discrimination laws, that they be owned and operated by a religious organisation. This is similar to religious schools, for which Australia allows certain exemptions from non-discrimination laws.


* Nowhere in Islamic scripture does it say Muslims should eat only halal-certified food. Most observant Muslims know perfectly well that nearly all our food is by default halal:

Koran Sura 2:173 (Al-Baqarah) reads: "He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swine flesh, and that which hath been immolated to any other than God. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! God is Forgiving, Merciful."

Koran Sura 5.5 (Al Ma'idah) prescribes: "The food of the People of the Book (that is Jewish and Christian people) is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them."

And from the hadith narrated by Aisha (Bukhari Volume 3, Book 34, Number 273) Muslims know: "Some people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Meat is brought to us by some people and we are not sure whether the name of Allah has been mentioned on it or not." Allah's Apostle said, "Mention the name of Allah and eat it." 


Action Points:

Watch our halal certification information video. Share it with your family and connections.

Read, download and distribute our Q on: Halal Food and Halal Certification paper and our petition form from our website qsociety dot org dot au

Pick up a stack of our "Why Swallow This?" fliers at the next Q meeting and do an hour of letter boxing each week in your neighbourhood.

Talk and write to your local state and federal MP and Senators. Ask them to consider our three policy proposals

When shopping ask for non-halal certified options. You are not a bad person if you do not want to support Islamic organisations with your shopping dollar.

Please note this video is also available on our YouTube channel as individual chapters 1 to 12.

Canada - Former MAC president Wael Haddara was senior advisor to former Egyptian Pres Morsi and member of the Egyptian delegation at the UN

Canada - Former MAC president Wael Haddara was senior advisor to former Egyptian Pres Morsi and member of the Egyptian delegation at the UN.HT: TundraTabloids. Pointdebasculecanada

This shows just how little government officials and the media know about the Muslims who lead major Islamic organizations

On his Twitter account, Wael Haddara introduces himself as an “ICU physician (and other things).” In recent months, one of these “other things” done by Haddara has been advising ousted Muslim Brotherhood-backed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. In an interview to Canadian network Global TV on August 15, 2013, Wael Haddara was introduced as a “former advisor to Mohammed Morsi.” According to his own professional profile, Haddara was born in Egypt.

Haddara’s mandate for Morsi likely started after he resigned for “personal reasons” his position as president of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) on December 12, 2012. Besides his involvement with MAC, Wael Haddara has also been associated with the following Islamist organizations in the past: Muslim World League, CAIR-CAN, London Moslem Mosque, IRFAN-Canada and the Muslim Students Association (National). Appropriate references about Haddara’s leadership roles with these organizations are available in our previous article announcing Haddara’s resignation from MAC’s Board. This may not be a complete list of Islamist organizations with which Haddara has been involved in North America.

So far, the oldest official mention of Wael Haddara’s role as an advisor to President Morsi that we found is dated December 28, 2012. On an official United Nations document, Wael Mahmoud Haddara is listed as a member of the Egyptian delegation at the UN.

Wael Haddara’s older brother, Yaser (also spelled Yasser and Yasir), was likely an advisor to president Morsi also. A person by the name of Yasser Haddara was identified as a “Presidential aide” by the BBC and as “a Communications adviser” to Morsi by Ynetnews at the beginning of July 2013. In this case however, we do not have a picture or other information that could confirm without a doubt that we are dealing with the Yaser Haddara active in Muslim Brotherhood circles in North America. In 2012, Wael Haddara’s brother Yaser was on the Board of directors of Islamic Relief USA and, on the most recent (2011) Islamic Relief Canada’s financial statement available on the Canada Revenue Agency’s website, he is also on the Board of the Canadian branch.
Both branches belong to Islamic Relief Worldwide headquartered in London, one of the main charities controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood. On its British and Canadian websites, Islamic Relief lists eight categories of beneficiaries for the zakat (charity) that it collects. Besides various expected groups of needy people and the zakat collectors themselves, Islamic Relief openly promises to fund “those struggling in the path of Allah”, Muslims involved in jihad.
On August 15, 2013, Global TV identified another “former aide to the government of deposed president Mohammed Morsi … who currently lives in Toronto.” This was Ahmad Eleman. He was introduced by the network as “an adviser to the (Egyptian) Ministry of Investment who consulted the (Morsi’s) presidential team on tourism and aviation matters.”
After the money transfers going from MAC to Hamas’ fund collector, after the money transfers coming from abroad (Saudi WAMY in one specific instance to MAC – Look for Gifts to Qualified Donees), after the invitations to radical leaders from abroad to address MAC’s supporters in Canada (Ekrima Sabri, Salah Sultan/Soltan, Tariq Ramadan, etc.), after the radicalization of young Muslims living in Canada by getting them acquainted with the ideas of Muslim Brotherhood historical leaders like Hassan al-Banna and Youssef Qaradawi, Wael Haddara’s involvement with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is one more indication that the Islamist infrastructure in Canada is completely integrated to an international web.Read the full story here.

Video - Pat Condell - 'Boycott halal'.

Related: - Bill Muehlenberg, an Australian, and author of CultureWatch, discusses halal from a New Testament perspective. 

Idolatry by legal authorities is far more serious that idolatry by individuals. The Bible has very harsh words against those in authority, who encourage or force other people to worship false gods (Deuteronomy 13:6-17). 

Christian concerns have to do with how Halal meats are ritually slaughtered. In this process (which can only be carried out by a Muslim), the Muslim prays to Allah while facing Mecca. Arguments can be made about how humane the process is, and groups like the RSPCA claim it is less humane than traditional slaughter methods.

But what about this ritual, and the prayers to a false God? Several Biblical passages speak to this, including Acts 15:28-29, 1 Cor 8, and 1 Cor 10:14-33. The latter text for example speaks about foods offered to idols. Paul says in vv 19-20, “Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.”

The question is whether eating Halal meats fits into this warning. It may well, and we need to proceed with caution here. If we accept the biblical worldview that there is one God, and that this God is not Allah, then those worshipping Allah are worshipping a false God.
Both Testaments make it clear that false religions are associated with the demonic, and thus this is a genuine matter of concern. But sadly even many Christians are quite confused about all this … 

KFC to go comes to Gaza... by tunnel.

KFC to go comes to Gaza... by tunnel.(HD).

  Junk-food starved Gazans can now order Kentucky Fried Chicken to go thanks to a new smuggling service which brings takeout from Egypt via a network of underground tunnels.

It's not exactly "fast" -- taking several hours to arrive, with the Palestinian delivery company behind it charging hefty prices to cover the cost of fuel and transport."Last chance to order for the Thursday 6:00 pm delivery is Wednesday night," says the Yamama delivery firm on its Facebook page.

Yamama then orders the meals, about 30 on a typical run, from the KFC outlet in the Egyptian city of El-Arish, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) away."We place the order with the restaurant in El-Arish, then drive it in a car to the Egyptian side of Rafah," said Yamama director Khalil al-Ifranji."Someone takes it from there through the tunnels to (Gazan) Rafah. They then drive it to our headquarters (in Gaza City)." Motorbikes then deliver the food, with the entire process taking three to four hours.

Fast food is just the latest trend for smugglers seeking to turn a buck by bringing in hard-to-get products to the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.Tight restrictions on Gazans entering Egypt mean those with a craving for chicken cooked to Colonel's Secret Recipe can't just pop over the border and pick up a bucket.

Instead, some residents seem quite happy to shell out 130 shekels ($35/27 euros) for just 20 pieces of fried chicken -- double what it costs in El-Arish.There are no international fast food chains in Gaza.

"There are many orders," said Ifranji. "People can't travel regularly, and those who've tried this food really miss it. Those who haven't, dream of it." For Iyad Jaber, it's a great idea.

"Whenever a KFC advert's on TV, my wife tells me she wants to go to Egypt and have some," says the 34-year-old civil servant.When his wife heard Yamama advertising its new KFC smuggling service on the radio, she demanded he get some, saying she would wait forever if they saved up for a trip to El-Arish.

Yamama launched the service just three weeks ago after several friends came back from El-Arish with a KFC meal and suggested turning it into a business venture. Since then, the number of bulk orders placed by the firm has been steadily climbing, due to popular demand.Read the full story here.

"From Kraft with Sharia" - Kraft Foods’ Cadbury Easter products submitted to sharia law.

"From Kraft with Sharia" - Kraft Foods’ Cadbury Easter products submitted to sharia law.HT: Creeping Sharia.

Why does Cadbury need Easter and Christmas products to be halal or legally permitted in Islam? Muslims not only don’t celebrate these days but here’s what the leader of a prominent Muslim group in the U.S. says recognizing such holy days is strengthening the pillars of Kufr.”

…a Muslim can’t enjoin in any aspect of Christmas in the disguise that Jesus is our Prophet too, we are just honoring him by celebrating Christmas. We should recognize the bidah of Christmas and the Prophet’s warning that all bidah should be rejected. Therefore, accepting Christmas invitations, attending Christmas parties, buying small plastic Christmas trees to please the kids (some Muslims actually do) should be avoided.
By greeting Christians with ‘merry Christmas’ we are legitimizing Christmas, by driving out on Christmas eve to witness the decoration of houses, we are appreciating bidah with our eyes, by placing our kids on the laps of Santa in the malls we are handing them in the hands of a fiend, by closing our Islamic Schools or shops during Christmas we are giving it our silent approval, by selling Christmas items in our shops, we are strengthening the pillars of Kufr.

The same must be true about Easter. h/t and pic via sheikyermami

Check out the non-sense being spewed by the dhimmi’s at Cadbury, via Vlad Tepes:

One of the main reasons some of our products are halal certified is to ensure that people of Muslim faith, both here in Australia and across our export markets, can identify our products as including ingredients that meet their consumption requirements.

Cadbury products do not contain ingredients from animals with the exception of fresh full cream milk which is present within our Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate recipe. The cows that we source this milk from are not slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law.
Following other consumer inquiries, Kraft Foods has written formally to the AFIC in order to seek clarification on its business activities. In response, the AFIC provided Kraft Foods with verbal and written assurances that it is not engaged in unlawful activities. As such, Kraft Foods has confidence in AFIC as a reputable organisation.
We would also like to make clear that the Halal certification of our products is not intended to offend any other cultural or religious belief; and does not prevent other faiths from being able to purchase and consume our products.

And how does not being halal prevent Muslims from purchasing or consuming these products? If you choose to be Muslim or stay Muslim (because you can be put to death if you choose to leave) then live with your decision. Don’t force others to live by Islam. Shame on Kraft and Cadbury.
Let them know how you feel.

The Bible has very harsh words against those in authority, who encourage or force other people to worship false gods (Deuteronomy 13:6-17).

 Christian concerns have to do with how Halal meats are ritually slaughtered. In this process (which can only be carried out by a Muslim), the Muslim prays to Allah while facing Mecca. Arguments can be made about how humane the process is, and groups like the RSPCA claim it is less humane than traditional slaughter methods.

But what about this ritual, and the prayers to a false God? Several Biblical passages speak to this, including :
Acts 15:28-29,"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell."
 1 Cor 8, 
and 1 Cor 10:14-33. The latter text for example speaks about foods offered to idols. Paul says in vv 19-20, “Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.”

The question is whether eating Halal meats fits into this warning. It may well, and we need to proceed with caution here. If we accept the biblical worldview that there is one God, and that this God is not Allah, then those worshipping Allah are worshipping a false God.

Both Testaments make it clear that false religions are associated with the demonic, and thus this is a genuine matter of concern. But sadly even many Christians are quite confused about all this …

It seems to me there are two main worries here. One is the ever encroaching inroads made by Islam in the West, along with the gradual diminutions of our freedoms. The other is the sloppy and unbiblical thinking found in so many people calling themselves Christians.

South Africa study finds donkey meat sold as beef.

Surprise - South Africa study finds donkey meat sold as beef.(BBC).Donkey, water buffalo and goat meat have been sold as burgers and sausages in South Africa, a study says.

A study published by the local Stellenbosch University found that 99 of 139 samples contained species not declared in the product label.

It found soya and gluten were not labelled in 28% of products tested, undeclared pork in 37% and chicken in 23%.This was mostly in sausages, burger patties and deli meats, it said.

The disclosure comes at a time of a growing scandal in Europe about horsemeat being sold as beef.

On Monday, Swiss company Ikea withdrew meatballs from sale in 14 European countries after tests in the Czech Republic found traces of horsemeat in a batch made in Sweden.

Leading supermarkets in the UK, including Tesco and Sainsbury, have also withdrawn beef products from shelves after they were found to contain horsemeat.

"There's a fair share of fraudulent meat products on the South African market, according to a new study by meat scientists from Stellenbosch University," the university reports on its news blog.

"The study found that anything from soya, donkey, goat and water buffalo were to be found in up to 68% of the 139 minced meats, burger patties, deli meats, sausages and dried meats that were tested. In other cases, even undeclared plant matter was detected."

None of the meat mislabelled in South Africa is harmful to humans if consumed, correspondents say.

Hmmmm........Strange i kept saying that there aren't that many horses around in the first place.Read the full story here.





Looking a bit more into the genetics involved, horses have 32 pairs of chromosomes while donkeys have only 31 pairs. When a male donkey and a female horse mate, they produce a mule (a male horse with a female donkey produces a different creature called a hinny). A mule has 31-paired chromosomes as well as an extra chromosome from its horse mother that is not paired. Hmmmm.....And supposedly the tests for horse DNA might not differentiate from donkey/mule/donkey DNA.

Related:  "Halal or Haram?" We all knew! We knew the horsemeat scandal sweeping through Europe would inevitably come to Turkey.

"Halal or Haram?" We all knew! We knew the horsemeat scandal sweeping through Europe would inevitably come to Turkey.

"Halal or Haram?" We all knew! We knew the horsemeat scandal sweeping through Europe would inevitably come to Turkey. (HD).By Aylin Öney Tan.

Officially, horsemeat is not eaten in Turkey. Not that it is illegal, but it is sort of a taboo, the horse being a very respected animal that is not permissable for consumption by Islamic law. It’s simply not a part of the culinary culture, let’s say...

But who in Turkey can swear to having never eaten horsemeat?I guess nobody! 
It is true that we do not have fancy horse steaks sold in butchers, but anyone who has eaten ever eaten sucuk (Turkish sausages) or pastırma (Turkish cured-dried meat) or lahmacun (Turkish, meat-topped flat bread), or döner (the ubiquitous vertically revolving kebab) or whatever non-vegetarian grub, might well have had a taste of the horse. The recent news is that there has been a series of tests on suspected meat that proved to contain horse. Many are outraged by the fear of having eaten a part of a horse, but nobody seems to be totally surprised. The horsemeat controversy reveals the split personality of Turks: Turkishness vs. Islamic identity.
Horse milk was the source of the first-ever national drink. Kımız or koumiss, fermented mare’s milk, was supposedly the former favorite drink of the Turks long before rakı, the anise-flavored knock-over spirit of distilled grapes.
Horsemeat was the ultimate protein of Turkish warriors back in the steppes, believed to reinforce them with unbeatable strength.
Yes, our mighty ancestors were true horse-eaters! So horsemeat indeed has a forgotten place in our culinary culture.
But then, there was a change. The acceptance of Islam brought Turks to crossroads of a culinary choice: Giving up on eating horses! According to Islamic law, religiously allowed halal meat has to be from animals with four legs, even-toed ruminant mammals – funnily, exactly like the Jewish kosher meat. However, in the Turkish interpretation of Islam, horsemeat was never frowned upon like pig and was sometimes even fondly named as lamb with a horseshoe.
Once the Turkish nationalistic movement’s motto was “We are as Turkish as Mount Tengri (Tien Shan) and as Muslim as Mount Hira.” The obvious question would be which is mightier? Tien Shan, also named as Tanrı Dağı in Turkish (God’s mountain) surpasses the mountain of the Prophet by a great deal. In that respect, Turkishness might overcome Islamic identity, and one can expect some to convert back to eating horses.
Real Istanbulites at least have definitely savored horse in pides and kebabs unknowingly, especially in the old days when horse-carts almost outnumbered cars in Istanbul back in the 1950s or 1960s. Those were the years when the Istanbul city walls were turned into ad-hoc unofficial slaughterhouses for the not-so-efficient-anymore historical companions of Turks – ailing horses.
Oh yes; any meat-eater must surely have eaten lots and lots of horsemeat in Turkey; why should we abstain from eating some more in the future!Read the full story here.

Related: Ikea pulls meatballs from 14 European countries on horse meat tests

Being of a curious nature i 'Google d' a bit for Haram - Halal and HorseMeat:

This is the result 'According To TurnToIslam.

Ruling on eating horse meat.

Praise be to Allaah.

The majority of scholars are of the view that it is permissible to eat horses, because of the sound ahaadeeth that have been narrated concerning that.

It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: On the day of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eating the flesh of domestic donkeys, but he granted a concession with regard to horses. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3982; Muslim, 1941.

It was narrated that Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) we slaughtered a horse and ate it. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5191; Muslim, 1942.

It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: We traveled with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and we used to eat the flesh of horses and drink their milk. Narrated by al-Daaraqutni and al-Bayhaqi. Al-Nawawi said: with a saheeh isnaad.

Other scholars – including Abu Haneefah and his two companions – are of the view that it is makrooh to eat horse meat. They quoted a Qur’aanic verse and a hadeeth as evidence for that.

The verse is as follows (interpretation of the meaning):

“And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment”

[al-Nahl 16:8]

They said: He did not mention eating them, but He mentioned eating an’aam animals (camels, cattle etc) in a previous verse (verse 5).

The scholars responded to that by noting that mention of riding and adornment does not mean that their benefits are limited to that, rather these two are singled out for mention because they are the uses to which horses are put in the majority of cases. This is like the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al‑Maitah (the dead animals — cattle — beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]. Here flesh is mentioned because that is what is usually eaten in most cases. The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the fat, blood and all other parts of the pig are also forbidden, and they said: hence Allaah does not mention carrying load on horses, although He says with regard to an’aam animals (camels etc), “And they carry your loads” [al-Nahl 16:7]. This does not imply that it is haraam to carry loads on horses. End quote from al-Majmoo’.

The hadeeth that they quote is that which was narrated from Khaalid ibn al-Waalid, that he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade the flesh of horses, mules and donkeys, and every wild animal that has fangs.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Nasaa’i and Ibn Maajah.

This hadeeth is da’eef (weak), and was classed as such by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood.

Al-Haafiz Moosa ibn Haroon said: This is a weak hadeeth. Al-Bukhaari said: This hadeeth is subject to further investigation.

Al-Bayhaqi said: This is a mudtarab (faulty) isnaad, and in addition to that it contradicts the ahaadeeth of trustworthy narrators, which say that the meat of horses is permitted. Al-Khattaabi said: There is something wrong with its isnaad. Abu Dawood said: This hadeeth is mansookh (abrogated). Al-Nasaa’i said: The hadeeth which says that it is permissible is more sound. It is more likely, if this is saheeh, that it has been abrogated, because of what it says in the saheeh hadeeth, “Permission was given to eat the flesh of horses,” indicates that.

End quote from al-Majmoo’, 9/7-5

And Allaah knows best.

Sigh Now i'm getting confused, luckily an article in the "Financial Times": 'Horsemeat scandal companies can learn from Halal" telling us WE Should Label ALL Products with 'Halal' certification.

Halal certification means that food has been put through approved processes that guarantee to consumers that nothing in the food has any forbidden components.Offf course 'Forbidden' means WHICH source you 'Follow.'

"Straight from the horse's mouth" - Nestle pulls meals in Italy, Spain as 'horse meat' scandal grows.

"Straight from the horse's mouth" - Nestle pulls meals in Italy, Spain as 'horse meat' scandal grows.(HD).Swiss giant Nestle has become the latest food company hit by Europe's horsemeat scandal, withdrawing two types of pasta meal from supermarket shelves in Italy and Spain due to contamination. The news came Monday as German discount chain Lidl pulled ready-made meals from the shelves of its Finnish, Danish, Swedish and Belgian stores as it also confirmed the presence of horsemeat.
Meanwhile the French firm that sparked the Europe-wide food alert, by allegedly passing off 750 tonnes of horsemeat as beef, was allowed to resume production of minced meat, sausages and ready-to-eat meals.
But Spanghero, whose horsemeat found its way into 4.5 million "beef" products sold across Europe, will no longer be allowed to stock frozen meat, France's Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll told AFP.
Nestle, the world's biggest food company, said in a statement that "our tests have found traces of horse DNA in two products," while assuring that there was no public health risk.
"The mislabeling of products means they fail to meet the very high standards consumers expect from us," it added. Therefore the company is "voluntarily removing" two chilled pasta products, Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini from sale in Italy and Spain immediately.
Lidl said last week it had found traces of horse in beef goulash and a tortellini bolognese product sold by its Austrian subsidiary.
Concerns about horsemeat first emerged in mid-January when Irish authorities found traces of horse in beefburgers made by firms in Ireland and Britain and sold in supermarket chains including Tesco and Aldi.
Horsemeat in "beef" ready-to-eat meals had already been confirmed in products found in Britain, Ireland, France, Austria, Norway, the Netherlands and Germany.
With Italy, Spain and Belgium now also tainted by the horsemeat scandal it appears that most of the continent has been affected.
France's DGCCRF anti-fraud office concluded after an initial inquiry that 500 tonnes of Spanghero horsemeat were sent to Comigel, whose frozen meals were sold to 28 different companies in 13 European states.
The European Union, seeking to reassure nervous consumers that their food is safe and to end the horsemeat scandal, on Friday agreed the immediate launch of tests for horse DNA in meat products.
All parties have stressed that this is a food labelling issue, not a health issue.Read the full story here.

Related: The great horse meat scandal of 1948.

Insanely Cheap: Market Forces Took Horsemeat from Farm to Fork

"Donkey meat is found" at two firms at the centre of horse meat scandal probe

Insanely Cheap: Market Forces Took Horsemeat from Farm to Fork.(Spiegel).By SPIEGEL Staff.The current affair in Europe that has seen unlabeled horsemeat appear in store-bought frozen lasagne shows just how widely the demand for insanely cheap prices and murky supply channels have opened the door for fraud. in Germany last week after inspectors discovered that up to 2.8 million packages of lasagna, cannelloni and moussaka by Luxembourg manufacturer Tavola contained not only beef, as indicated on the label, but also horsemeat. Almost all major German food retailing chains, including Edeka, Rewe, Kaiser's Tengelmann and Real, recalled their products and cleared their freezer shelves after it was discovered that nearly 10 percent of the total 1,596 metric tons, or nearly 144 tons, of the convenience meals made by the Luxembourgian company between November 2012 and January 2013 had found its way to Germany. These figures stem from an internal European Commission list that SPIEGEL has obtained. On Friday evening, it was announced that meat products sold by German discounters Aldi and Lidl were also suspected of containing horsemeat. As a precautionary measure, these companies have withdrawn their corresponding products from the market. If the suspicion is confirmed, German manufacturers would now officially be drawn into the scandal.
Intense price pressure from retailers and discounters is forcing food manufacturers to purchase ingredients from all around the world, including preprocessed foodstuffs. This has resulted in enormous flows of goods, and once these products have passed through the hands of three, four or more middlemen before they reach manufacturers, it becomes extremely difficult to trace their origins. This jungle of cross-border trading gives criminals a golden opportunity to re-label commodities. After all, the authorities have little control over what is stored and transferred in Europe's cold storage warehouses.
A prime example is Werk II, a refrigerated warehouse in the western German town of Neuss, which served as a gateway for a large proportion of the allegedly tainted frozen convenience food to enter the country. In December and January alone, at least 14 shipments were unloaded here, and then sent to supermarket chains. The concrete complex in the district of Norf serves as a transshipment center for goods from across Europe. A sign in German, English, French, Spanish, Polish and Russian directs delivering drivers to the reception office.
This is only one of many such warehouses. Last week, the European Commission warned of 310 deliveries from Tavola since August 2012. This concerns the noodle dishes carried by German food retailers -- but the same product was also supplied to Denmark under the "Budget" brand name, delivered to ICA supermarkets in Norway under the "Delish" name, sold in France by leading grocery stores including Casino and Carrefour, and purchased by other customers under the "Findus" brand.
Until late last week, it was still unclear who was actually to blame for the food fiasco. France's consumer affairs minister, Benoit Hamon, alleged that the Spanghero meat processing company was the first participant in the chain to slap a "beef" label on horsemeat. By contrast, a Spanghero spokesman told SPIEGEL that the firm only ordered, received and sold meat that was "reputed to be beef."
Nevertheless, Spanghero also appears to use dubious sources. For some seven years now, the company has been working with Cypriot-registered Draap Trading Ltd., at least according to its Dutch owner, Jan Fasen. Last year, Fasen was tried on charges of fraud and lost in the first instance: He is accused of selling meat labeled as Dutch and German beef, which in reality came from South American horses. The name of the company, Draap, is the reverse spelling of paard, the Dutch word for horse. Hmmmmm......OK....Now we're talking lots of horses, who has that many horses for sale.....or is it Donkey meat?Read the full story here.

Related:  The Source of Horse: A Shadowy Market Ripe for Exploitation

The 'Origin of species' in a burger? Romanian Donkey Meat In UK "Beef" Burgers.

The 'Origin of species' in a burger? Romanian Donkey Meat In UK "Beef" Burgers.(TI).

A law banning horses from Romanian roads may be responsible for the surge in the fraudulent sale of horsemeat on the European beef market, a French politician said yesterday.

Horse-drawn carts were a common form of transport for centuries in Romania, but hundreds of thousands of the animals are feared to have been sent to the abattoir after the change in road rules.
The law, which was passed six years ago but only enforced recently, also banned carts drawn by donkeys, leading to speculation among food-industry officials in France that some of the “horse meat” which has turned up on supermarket shelves in Britain, France and Sweden may, in fact, turn out to be donkey meat. 
“Horses have been banned from Romanian roads and millions of animals have been sent to the slaughterhouse,” said Jose Bove, a veteran campaigner for small farmers who is now vice-president of the European Parliament agriculture committee.
After a couple of days in which the horse meat affair was seen as a largely British problem, the scandal began to be taken seriously by French politicians and newspapers over the weekend.
...
It came from abattoirs in Romania through a dealer in Cyprus working through another dealer in Holland to a meat plant in the south of France which sold it to a French-owned factory in Luxembourg which made it into frozen meals sold in supermarkets in 16 countries.
Meanwhile, legal action over the horse meat scandal is to be mounted in Europe, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has said as he described the contamination of beef products as a case of fraud against the public.

repeated his rejection of calls for a ban on meat imports, saying that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice was that all products on sale are safe for consumption.
"This is a case of fraud and a conspiracy against the public, this is a criminal action, substituting one material for another," he told BBC Breakfast in answer to questioning about calls for a ban on meat imports.Hmmm.....It wouldn't surprise me if Muslims were involved to make it 'halal' but i don't think we'll read this in the MSM.Read the full story here.

Talking to foreign media is ‘haram:’ Saudi Grand Mufti.

Talking to foreign media is ‘haram:’ Saudi Grand Mufti.(AA).Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti has issued a religious edict prohibiting contact and cooperation with foreign media outlets seeking to “spread chaos and strife in Muslim lands.”
He urged people instead to address their concerns through writing directly to responsible authorities. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh told worshipers during a Friday sermon held in a mosque in the capital Riyadh that people should not contact foreign media outlets to “divulge the country’s secrets or address various matters” because these outlets “are only concerned with dividing people and striking the unity of the nation.” He said doing so was tantamount to “treason and major crime.” The kingdom’s Grand Mufti warned against covering up or sheltering criminals who threaten the country’s security. “It is not permissible and is considered betrayal and assistance to the enemies of Islam.” “A believer has to help keeping security, that of his nation and community, and protecting his religion,” he said, as quoted by the Saudi daily newspaper Okaz. He also said that people working in public institutions should protect the secrets of their professions.Read the full story here.

Online 'Alibaba' discovers hole in the Market: "Halal Pork".

Online 'Alibaba' discovers hole in the Market: "Halal Pork".Alibaba Group is committed to the highest standards of business conduct in our relationships with each of our stakeholders, including our customers and other users, suppliers and other business partners, shareholders and others. This commitment requires that we conduct our business in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations and in accordance with the Alibaba Code of Business Conduct.

Halal pork:404 Products found

Doesn't sound to 'Kosher' to me........"Bon Appetit?"

 

Michigan - Dearborn'istan' pharmacist makes ‘halal’ vitamins for American Muslims.

Michigan - Dearborn'istan' pharmacist makes ‘halal’ vitamins for American Muslims.(AA).As a pharmacist in the Detroit area, Sam Alawieh, was baffled by a question a patient asked him about the vitamins she was about to take. “She asked me, does this have anything that’s not halal in it?,” Alawieh said. “I told her, ‘ honestly, I don’t know’.” Alawieh then began a search into the matter. He discovered that the majority of vitamins in the market were not “halal” as most of them had pork derivatives, such as the gelatin used in capsules or in gummy vitamins. “That threw me way back, so I thought, now what? how do we give patients the option to be healthy and be halal at the same time?” Alawieh said. Through his Michigan based pharmaceutical lab “Rxtra” he set out to create a line of “halal” vitamins that contain no animal by-products and is in the process of obtaining a “halal” certification for them. He currently sells them in an Arab American supermarket in Dearborn and is in the process of setting up a website to take orders. Muslim American organizations, like the Council on American Islamic Relations, CAIR, say there are about seven million Muslims in the united States.

 “Their income is higher than the national average end they have a larger numbers of professionals as heads of households,” CAIR’s Ibrahim Hooper said.

The New York based Center for American Muslims Research estimates that the annual purchasing power of U.S. Muslims is about $12 billion. [So why would Obama's Commerce Department considers labeling Arab Americans a disadvantaged minority?]
Hmmmm........."Unlike medications and prescription drugs, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, does not have to approve or even inspect vitamins sold" Read the full story here.

In June 2007, FDA established dietary supplement "current Good Manufacturing Practice" (cGMP) regulations requiring that manufacturers evaluate their products through testing identity, purity, strength, and composition."http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/vita…

Illinois: No pension reform but guide horses approved…for Muslims?

Illinois: No pension reform but guide horses approved…for Muslims?HT: CreepingSharia.The article doesn’t specify this was for Muslims but Quinn is tight with the Islamists and we know Islam forbids dogs, so blind Muslims use miniature horses.

h/t I Hate the Media with this comment:

As the state slides toward bankruptcy because of out-of-control public pensions, it’s nice that lawmakers found the time to cater to a tiny religious minority stuck in a 7th-century time warp where dogs are considered unclean but horses are welcome inside.

via Legislature Dodges Pension Reform, But Passes Bill On … Miniature Horses

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) – Illinois lawmakers may have gotten stymied on the issue of pension reform, a multi-billion-dollar mess affecting every taxpayer in the state.
But at least they managed to pass a bill involving miniature horses.
You heard that right. Under a measure the House sent to Gov. Quinn Thursday night – the evening members were supposed to consider a cost-saving pension bill – people with disabilities could use miniature horses as service animals in public places, much like guide dogs are used.
The vote was near-unanimous.
“I have no concerns that we’re gonna see any stampede in grocery stores or anything like that,” Chicago’s WBEZ quoted sponsoring Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, as saying. “This is an issue that pertains really to the disabled community, and it’s something that puts us in compliance to the federal law.”
An overhaul of future state pension benefits for retired public employees was the centerpiece of the spring legislative session, but it collapsed late Thursday just before the deadline to adjourn. Illinois government has underfunded pensions by tens of billions of dollars.Hmmmmm...........How come i NEVER saw a 'guide horse in an Islamic country?Read the full story here.

From the Canadian Halal Slaughterhouse to the Hamas bank vaults.

From the Canadian Halal Slaughterhouse to the Hamas bank vaults.(CJR).The accompanying article at Pointe de Bascule is lengthy and rich in detail. Here’s the introductory section:

Muslim Association of Canada: a contributor to Hamas fund collector controls halal certification in Quebec
[…]
Part 1 — Presentation and General Conclusions
In her March 13 report broadcast on Dumont le midi TV show, journalist Caroline Lacroix revealed that Olymel pays thousands of dollars to the “Association des viandes halal that is controlled by Abou-Baker-Assedique mosque” located at 371 Jean-Talon E. in Montreal for the halal certification of its chickens.
During his March 23 TV show that took place after the halal issue was addressed at the Quebec National Assembly, Mario Dumont highlighted that all political parties in Quebec City had been very careful not to bring up the financial aspect of the issue:
Mario Dumont — video 04:19: Nobody discussed the money issue. What does it fund? Where does the money go? Are we financing mosques without knowing it? It seems that this issue is even more taboo. Everybody is very careful not to talk about it.
Point de Bascule spent the last few days at finding an answer to Mario Dumont’s legitimate question. Who is pulling the strings behind this Aboubakerseddik Mosque on Jean-Talon Street that receives commissions from companies like Olymel, that get their chickens halal certified, as we have learned on March 13?
Here are the main conclusions that we can draw at this time:

1.		The mosque is part of a cultural centre. The centre also acts as an organization providing halal certification under a different name. We are dealing with one enterprise involved in two activities: management of recreation and culture and meat inspection.
2.		The certification agency is controlled by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), the main Muslim Brotherhood organization in Canada. MAC owns the building where the certification agency and the cultural centre are based and the administrators of the certification agency are former MAC directors or they have publicly endorsed MAC’s positions in the past.
3.		For the last ten years, MAC has been an important contributor to IRFAN-Canada, the Hamas fund collector in the country. Hamas is involved in a program aiming not only at the elimination of the state of Israel but also at the destruction of Western civilization. In a speech given on October 2011, its leader Mahmoud Al-Zahhar stated that “This (Western) civilization will not be able to withstand the great and glorious Islam.” The Canada Revenue Agency revoked IRFAN-Canada’s charity status in April 2011 after having concluded that it financed the terrorist organization Hamas.
4.		MAC’s halal program is part of a global Muslim Brotherhood’s strategy. In 2010 in Islamabad, a leader of the Islamist organization, the mufti of Bosnia, Mustafa Ceric, urged Muslims “to conquer the world through Halal movement.”

Before having been able to analyse all legal implications related to the halal issue, Point de Bascule would like to make two proposals as a starter:

1.		All products for which commissions are being paid to imams for halal certification should be properly identified.
2.		No public money should be spent to buy products that will be served in schools, in daycare centres, in military bases, in prisons and in other public institutions if these products have been certified by imams who belong to organizations that received money or gave money to terrorist organizations’ fund collectors or if they are involved in a project aiming at destroying Western civilization from within.

It would be beneficial that private certification agencies be set up to guaranty that the products that they approve come from animals who have been desensitized before being slaughtered and that no profit coming from the sale of their certified products will go to the financing of Islamic jihad…Hmmm......Turkey wants to become the World Center for Halal food .Read  the full story here.