A Critical Evaluation of Halal Food and Halal Tourism Sectors

Abstract

This article aims to make a critical evaluation of the concept of "halal food certificate", which is the basic instrument of the halal food sector, and ontological analysis of the halal tourism sector from an Islamic perspective. In the first part of this study, through a conceptual analysis of halal food rather than its practical aspects, it is discussed how the use of the concept of "halal" for food can lead to commodification. In addition, the consequences of standardization that will be created through certificates in the capitalist market system are discussed. In the second part of the study, it is argued that the halal tourism sector, as another halal sector, consists of Islamizing the tourism sector, which is currently operating in the capitalist system, through filtering out the elements that are not compatible with Islam, rather than presenting an alternative experience in terms of reasons and consequences. If we analyze the concept of tourism from an ontological point of view, we can claim that this concept owes its emergence to the capitalist system. For this reason, we can argue that any attempt to Islamize the concept of tourism actually serves the capitalist system to function more inclusively. As analyzed in this article, seeing the "halalization" process of concepts such as tourism as the ultimate goal will be insufficient to build a society based on Islamic principles. Instead, it should be seen that these attempts are a superficial solution allowed by the current system, and an effort should be made to establish relationships and institutions built on Islamic principles.