We Muslims should be appalled by the sale of halal meat by stealth

From Taj Hargey in the Daily Mail:

When I walk into a restaurant, I’m usually a hungry customer. It shouldn’t be important to the waiter what my religion is. I could be a Muslim, a Christian or a Jedi warrior. Whatever my beliefs, I have a right to enjoy my meal without any hidden agendas. 

Pizza Express, one of Britain’s favourite food institutions, admitted this week that all the chicken it serves has been killed according to traditional halal methods. The blood was drained from the bird and prayers were recited during the slaughter. 

Now it turns out that the meat in many supermarkets is also halal — though there is no recognisable label to indicate this fact to consumers. 

This is covert religious extremism and creeping Islamic fundamentalism making its way into Britain by the back door. 

It is completely wrong that the food sensitivities of Britain’s Muslims — who amount to just 4.8 per cent of the population — should take precedence over the other 95 per cent. 

Halal meat should never be forced on customers without their knowing, surreptitiously and using clandestine methods. It’s unfair to everyone, non-Muslims and Muslims alike. 

It’s deception on a grand scale for the former, while it could fuel bitter resentment against the latter. 

Of course I understand that many of my fellow Muslims, who are moderates not militants, will feel strongly that they wish to eat meat that has been killed by customary halal methods — and they have a perfect right to do so. 

But many misconceptions need to be clarified, because I am certain that most people don’t understand where these rules about food came from, and who benefits from them. 

First of all, if you’ve just tucked into a chicken pizza without knowing it was halal meat, it hasn’t done you any physical harm. 

But it hasn’t done you any spiritual good, either. Muslims don’t believe that religious observance can be used as a holy shortcut or a ticket to paradise. 

Furthermore, the idea that Muslims cannot eat non-halal food — food that is suitable for Christians — is completely wrong, and it has no theological basis in the Koran, the supreme text of Islam. 

I’m a dedicated Muslim, a devout religionist, an imam and intellectual scholar of Islam, but I eat whatever food is placed before me, with the obvious exception of pork. If you’re kind enough to invite me to your home, I would eat whatever meat you chose to serve: turkey, lamb, chicken, beef … anything except pork. 

This is perfectly permissible in Islam, and the crucial thing is that it doesn’t have to be halal meat. 

No one wants an imam to be quoting chapter and verse of the Koran over the turkey sandwiches, but it is important that everyone understands how clearcut the teaching is. Chapter five, verse five of the Koran states: 

‘This day all good things are made lawful for you. The food of the People of the Book [meaning the Jews and the Christians] is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them …’ 

There are no ifs and buts about that. The Koran does expect us to be thankful for our food, however. I teach in Oxford, and when I go to dining halls in the university, I eat what is available. I must say, I’m partial to a slice of steak. 

At the point of consumption, before I put the food in my mouth, I give thanks, with a brief prayer that Muslims have been saying for more than 1,400 years. 

I say: ‘In the name of God, the most Merciful, the most Gracious.’ Christian readers will recognise what I’m doing — it’s very similar to the concept of saying grace. 

The Koran says we cannot eat slaughtered meat unless the name of God exclusively has been pronounced over it, not any other deity or idol. So, it does not really matter if, when that cow or lamb was slaughtered, the abattoir workers were saying prayers or playing heavy rock music at full blast on their radios. 

The individual prayer just prior to actual consumption makes the meat fit — halal — to eat. 

But if the Koran does not insist on what have become the customary halal methods, why are they now so prevalent in Britain? 

One reason is that religious zealots and theological ideologues are deliberately promoting confusion about halal to sow discord and resentment. 

Three of the main fundamentalist Muslim sects — the Wahhabi fanatics in Saudi Arabia, the Salafi extremists of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and the Deobandi zealots from India-Pakistan — are foisting their fabricated notions about it down our collective throats. 

Muslim fundamentalist insistence on halal meat does not come from the Koran itself — it derives from a secondary and often suspect source, called the Hadith. 

The Hadith consists of the reputed sayings of the Prophet Mohammad, only compiled some 300 years after his death, and it is replete with gross contradictions and anti-Koranic statements.

GO READ THE WHOLE THING.

Housewife and mother of three believes Halal certification goes against Australian values and is pushing for an investigation into whether the profits fund terrorism

From the Daily Mail:

An Aussie housewife claims to have discovered ‘deception and corruption’ within the food industry, campaigning to uncover the truth about the relationship between Islam and some of Australia's major food companies. 

Kirralie Smith is concerned that Australians are unknowingly funding Islamic bodies every time they do the grocery shopping. 

She is seeking full disclosure from food companies so Aussie shoppers are fully informed so they have a choice on whether or not to buy from companies are allegedly giving funds to Islamic organisations. 

She is also calling for an investigation of these Australian organisations, alleging that the international counterparts of the Islamic bodies were found using the proceeds to fund terrorism. 

Ms Smith is the director and founder of ‘Halal Choices' and has made a shopping guide to inform shoppers about which companies are 'Halal Certified' - meaning their foods are appropriate for Muslims to consume. 

To become Halal-certified, a company must pay an ongoing fee to an Islamic body to gain certification. This certification deems that the product is acceptable to be prepared in accordance with Muslim law. 

She argues that Australians are being ‘deceived’ by food companies who are not open about funding Islamic bodies through ‘Halal certification’. 

‘I believe that as non-Muslims we should have a choice of whether or not we want to practice and fund Islamic religious ritual practices with our everyday grocery purchases,’ said Ms Smith. 

Dr Muhammad Khan, the CEO of Halal Australia, said the fact that the money from Halal certification went to mosques was not an issue. 

'It is absolutely not necessary to talk about this subject matter,' he told The ABC. 'Don't [Kosher certification organisations] fund their own synagogues? Why can't the Islamic certification body give donations to mosque projects?' 

Ms Smith insists that she does not encourage any boycott of the products, clarifying that she is ‘all about choices and giving people information so they can make their own informed decisions.' 

‘As a wife and a mother of three who does the shopping, I thought I should do something to take responsibility for what we bring into the household.’ 

The mother-of-three feels that at present Australia’s culture and core values are at risk. ‘I’m passionate about Australia – our values, our culture and especially our freedoms that have been hard fought for. 

'In Australia, we generally have freedom of speech, equality, democracy and freedom of religion,' she said during a speech at a forum in March this year. 

‘I believe Halal certification is in opposition to these values.’ 

On her website, Ms Smith encourages people to lobby the companies and government, suggesting they send the message: 'I do not wish to support any brand that pays an Islamic religious tax to have their product halal certified. 

'Less than 2% of this population is Muslim and I do not want to fund special religious rituals or political campaigns to increase the presence of Sharia Law in Australia. 

'Please respect consumers and give them/us the necessary information so we can make our own choices.' 

Ms Smith is also concerned about the impact of the extra expense of Halal-certified production on the cost of the final product. 

‘In chicken processing plants at Steggles, six fulltime, Muslim-only slaughtermen are employed,’ claims Ms Smith. 

‘Two of these employees who do not actual slaughter the chickens, but their jobs are to say prayers over them.' 

‘From my point of view, I don’t need people there, paid on a fulltime basis, to pray over the chickens.’ 

Ms Smith is questioning how much these processes cost considering it is a service that she, as a Christian, does not want nor require. 

‘The figures are huge but companies won’t disclose them because they have signed non-disclosure forms.’ 

Ms Smith argues the companies are failing to disclose what fees are being paid, their involvement with Halal Cerification authorities, where the money is going and even frequently failing to label their product as ‘halal-certified’. 

‘I have a problem with funding being imposed upon me. ‘People shouldn’t be paying money towards those causes every time they buy groceries.’ 

Ms Smith is concerned about how the funds are being used Islamic Certification authorities and is advocating for an investigation. 

‘The reality is that overseas it has been proven that the certification fees are going towards funding terrorism,’ said Ms Smith. 

‘I feel so passionate because big companies, like Nestle and Sanitarium, pay big halal certification fees but don’t make it publically known so consumers can’t make a choice of whether or not they want to pay more. 

‘We give information to the consumer because Australians have every right to buy or not to buy the products. She is deeply concerned, alleging that many companies are paying unnecessary fees for food products that are already Halal. 

‘Capilano honey pays certification fees, yet honey is universally considered halal. 

It is the same with white milk and yet Parmalat pays fees for certification,’ said Ms Smith. 

Ms Smith eamiled Capilano regarding the halal certification, and received a response which said that while honey was already considered halal under Islamic law, 'it is our customer's requirement to provide halal certification in order for us to conduct business with them,' reported The Sydney Morning Herald. 

'This sounds like extortion to me. 

Obama waives anti-terror requirements for aid to Pakistan, keeps the jizya flowing

"Pakistan freed of anti-terrorism obligations; U.S. billions flow instead," by Jonathan S. Landay for the McClatchy Newspapers:

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration has refused for the first time to declare that Pakistan is making progress toward ending alleged military support for Islamic militant groups or preventing al Qaida, the Afghan Taliban or other extremists from staging attacks in Afghanistan.

Even so, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has quietly informed Congress that she’s waived the legal restrictions that would have blocked some $2 billion in U.S. economic and military aid to Pakistan. Disbursing the funds, she said in an official notice, is “important to the national security interests of the United States.”

Clinton’s decision illustrates how far the administration apparently has determined that it must go, after a near-breakdown in relations, to ensure Pakistan’s cooperation in the uphill U.S. effort to prevent Afghanistan collapsing into all-out civil war when American-led international combat forces complete a withdraw by the end of 2014....

“The army is going to think that no matter how angry the Americans are at them, they are utterly indispensable and they can violate in any way, shape or form U.S. law and the United States will massage its law to accommodate them,” said assistant professor Christine Fair, an expert at Georgetown University. “That’s how they are going to read this.”...

Go read the whole thing at Jihad Watch. 

Glenn Beck Interviews Andrew McCarthy, Patrick Poole, and Stephen Coughlin on The Muslim Brotherhood

Sikhs, Hindus dread Taliban jizya tax in Pakistan

The reality is Muslims treat Sikhs as badly as they treat everyone else. Islam and Sikh are different religions entirely. 


Muslims consider Sikhs to be monotheistic, so they are not subject to immediate forced conversion or murder, as are Pagans, but they are subject to the Jizya tax levied upon second-class citizens.


The Jizya tax is a protection racket. If you don't pay the Jizya, you are subject to death.


From Islamization Watch:

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) — Sitting on a broken chair outside a Sikh temple in a crowded part of Peshawar, Aman Deep Singh is frantic about his future after losing his business in Pakistan's tribal district of Khyber.

When the Taliban gave Sikhs and Hindus an ultimatum -- leave the land of your forefathers or pay an Islamic tax in protection money -- Singh packed up and left his native Tirah valley for Peshawar.

"We were living under fear. Fear of militants, fear of Lashkar-e-Islam and fear of other armed groups," said Singh, his hair swept up in a turban, a long beard touching his abdomen and thick moustache covering his upper lip.

"No female Muslim or non-Muslim is allowed out without a male relative. All women, even the elderly, have to wear a burka," said Gulab Khan Afridi, a 38-year-old Muslim.

“They’re running a parallel government. Hindu and Sikh families did not feel safe, in Orakzai, in Bara and in Tirah. We preferred to migrate, at least here we can breathe in peace and feel safe,” AN

He swapped a general store in the mountains for unemployment in the northwest capital, where he struggles to feed the nine members of his family. Aman Deep is a fake name. He wants his real name hidden for his security.

As light fades to dusk, Sikhs gather for evening prayers at the Joga Singh gurdwara (temple) in a narrow street of Peshawar's Dabgari bazaar. Each man removes his shoes, washes his feet in a small pool of water and covers his head.

"I am not the only one. About 400 Sikh and 57 Hindu families migrated from (the town of) Bara and Tirah," said Singh.

Sikhs and Hindus are tiny communities in Pakistan. In the last year, hundreds have fled their homes after receiving death threats from the Taliban and other militant groups in an increasingly unstable northwest.

After US troops invaded Afghanistan in 2001, Taliban and Al-Qaeda ideologues fled to Pakistan, where they have increasingly focused their campaign and where 2,000 people have perished in bomb attacks over the past two years.

Pakistan launched a major offensive in the northwest this summer, under pressure from the United States, after Taliban fighters made deep territorial inroads.

Militants need an endless supply of funds for their weapons, communications and training.

Kidnapping, drugs and extortion are typical sources of income. Taxation and protection scams are others, and vulnerable non-Muslims are easy prey.

Local Sikhs mostly trade in cloth, and also run grocer, garment and herbal medicine shops. They are people who can afford the 1,000 rupees (12 dollars) per man, per year "jizya" tax.

In the region of Orakzai, the Taliban demanded the tax of adult male Sikhs, forcibly occupying Sikh-owned shops and houses. After two months, the tax spread to Khyber, the legendary tribal region on the main supply line to Afghanistan.

It was there that Lashkar-e-Islam, a Pakistani Islamist group headed by Mangal Bagh, announced Sikhs and Hindus would be free to live anywhere -- as long as they paid jizya.

But threats made the situation increasing tense. Hundreds of Sikh and Hindu families fled to nearby areas, especially Peshawar.

"Minorities in Orakzai and Khyber were warned by some militant groups to become Muslims or leave the area. This was a real threat," Singh said.

"They're running a parallel government. Hindu and Sikh families did not feel safe, in Orakzai, in Bara and in Tirah. We preferred to migrate, at least here we can breathe in peace and feel safe," he said.

The same sentiment was echoed by other shopkeepers from Bara.

"No female Muslim or non-Muslim is allowed out without a male relative. All women, even the elderly, have to wear a burka," said Gulab Khan Afridi, a 38-year-old Muslim.

Gulab Khan said growing a beard and wearing a cap had become compulsory, otherwise Lashkar extremists would dole out beatings or a 200 to 500-rupee fine.

"Can you believe it? A man cannot wear a ring in Bara," he added.

Much like the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Islam acts like police, enforces prayers five times a day and punishes people accused of prostitution and other vices.

Sardar Sahib Singh, a Sikh leader in the district assembly in Peshawar, said his community paid 150,000 rupees (1,825 dollars) a year to Lashkar-e-Islam in protection money.

"Our community is better off. We only pay tax, while Muslims have to work, like being guards in Lashkar trenches," he said. But families are dwindling.

"At first there were 500 Sikh families in Bara, now only 150," he said.

Scholars say only a true Islamic government, no one else, can collect jizya and on condition that those who pay feel safe, but Lashkar-e-Islam insisted the tax was proper payment for services rendered.

"Women, children and the handicapped have been exempted," Misri Gul, a spokesman for the group, told AFP.

"Jizya is according to Islamic sharia. We will provide them protection in exchange for this," he said.

______

Hindus and Sikhs threatened by the Taliban and Sharia

Islamabad (AsiaNews) – The Taliban in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) have issued an ultimatum against local Hindus and Sikhs: either you pay “jizya”, an Islamic poll tax for religious minorities that is akin to protection money, or you leave. Many Hindu and Sikh families have already left for Peshawar and neighbouring provinces.

Threats against Sikhs and Hindus are but the latest in a series of warnings against religious minorities in the NWFP, including Christians who have had to pay jizya and submit to Sharia.

“We were living under fear: fear of the Taliban, fear of Lashkar-e-Islam and fear of other armed groups,” a Sikh man told the Daily Times.

Some 400 Sikh and 57 Hindu families have already left the towns of Bara and Tirah. Local Sikhs are employed mostly in trade in cloth, but also run grocer, garment and herbal medicine shops.

“Minorities in Orakzai agency and Khyber were warned by some militant groups to convert or leave the area. This was a real threat,” said the Sikh man, whose name is Singh.

“They’re running a parallel government. Hindu and Sikh families did not feel safe, in Orakzai, in Bara and in Tirah. We preferred to migrate, at least here we can breathe in peace and feel safe,” he added.

In the region of Orakzai, the Taliban have imposed the tax on adult male Sikhs as well as forcibly occupied Sikh-owned shops and houses.

After two months, the tax spread to Khyber Agency, the legendary tribal region on the main supply route to Afghanistan.

Here Lashkar-e-Islam, a group headed by Mangal Bagh, announced that Sikhs and Hindus could be free to live anywhere —as long as they paid jizya.

But threats have made the situation very tense. Hundreds of Sikh and Hindu families have fled to neighbouring areas, especially Peshawar.

Much like the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Islam acts like a morality police, enforcing prayers five times a day and punishing people accused of prostitution and other vices.

Muslim and non-Muslim women are not allowed outside the home without a male relative. In fact all women, even the elderly, have to wear a burqa.

For their part, men have to grow a beard and wear a cap; otherwise Lashkar extremists will beat them or fine them 200 to 500 rupees.

As a result of an agreement between the Taliban and the provincial government (backed by the central government), Sharia was imposed on most parts of the NWFP earlier this year, in Malacan division for instance.

But Pakistani authorities eventually went back on the deal, and launched an offensive against the Taliban.

The NWFP government however still supports enforcing Sharia on the entire population.

On several occasions the Catholic Church has come out against forcing non-Muslims to submit to Sharia because it is a form of violence against minority groups whose rights and liberties are guaranteed by the constitution of Pakistan.