In such a mould of understanding science , halal science would easily be a contradictory notion since the Quran is ‘ fixed ’, rendering the pointless effort of doing science .

Some argued halal science was not fit to be an independent scientific discipline . They pointed out it did not contribute to the generation of new knowledge since it is tied to the fundamentals of the Qur ’ an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ( pbuh ).

But there is Islamic science , Qur ’ anic science … why not halal science ?

Computer science , political science , biomedical science , and more recently , open science ; to name a few , use the term ‘ science ’ to indicate the discipline of study or the body of knowledge .

Even more , the terms Islamic science and Qur ’ anic science are also being used , of which , similar to halal science must be tied to the fundamentals of the Qur ’ an and the Sunnah .

Then , perhaps the root cause for misunderstanding halal science is interpreting science itself or seeing science from different worldviews other than the Islamic worldview . Science ( Latin scientia , “ knowledge ”), is obtained through systematic observations on nature .

From the Islamic ( thus tawhidic ) worldview , the objective of doing science is not mere testing of hypotheses , but rather an exercise in understanding nature and God , The Creator . It would then guide mankind to properly take the responsibilities as the khalifah ( vicegerent ) and the servitude duties to God , leading towards attainment of life ’ s aim , mardhatillah ( the pleasure of God ).

He is the One Who has laid out the earth for all of you , and set in it pathways for you , and sends down rain from the sky , causing various types of plants to grow , so eat and graze your cattle . Surely in this , are signs for people of sound judgment .

[ Qur ’ an 20 : 53-54 ]

According to Said and Hanapi ( 2019 ), halal science is a branch of Islamic science . The authors indicated that the philosophy of Islamic science also influences the fundamentals of halal science research . It differentiates halal science from conventional science that relies solely on scientific facts and empirical data .

In this paradigm , empirical evidence and research itself cannot override God ’ s wellpreserved divine revelation , and science is only a tool to solve the problem and to facilitate human activities .

Said and Hanapi ( 2019 ) further described the elements of the philosophy of halal science based on the Qur ’ an as : i ) the absolute oneness of God ( tawhid ) as the main pillar Your god is only One God . There is no deity worthy of worship except Him — the Most Compassionate , Most Merciful .

[ Qur ’ an 2 : 163 ]

BY YUMI ZUHANIS HAS-YUN HASHIM

AND

NURHUSNA SAMSUDIN

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HALAL TRAINING AND RESEARCH ( INHART ) INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

ii ) divine revelation ( wahy ) as a core source of reference O believers ! Obey God and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you . Should you disagree on anything , then refer it to God and His Messenger , if you truly believe in God and the Last Day . This is the best and fairest resolution .

[ Qur ’ an 4 : 59 ] iii ) the role of humankind as trustee ( khalifah ) of God on Earth ; its resources have been made subservient to mankind - not only must mankind use natural resources in a responsible way , but also as the trustee of God , he is responsible for their maintenance and improvement of their condition . He is the One Who has placed you as successors on earth and elevated some of you in rank over others , so He may test you with what He has given you . Surely your Lord is swift in punishment , but He is certainly All-Forgiving , Most Merciful .

[ Qur ’ an 6 : 165 ]

Several definitions of halal science

The term ‘ halal science ’ has been generally accepted and used in the halal vicinity to loosely refer to the applied science and technology elements of halal practices and research and innovation ; contributing to the progress in the halal industry .

However , there is very little scholarly work or discussion on the term halal science and its applications . It is alarming because an ambiguous concept equates to an unstable platform for the discipline to develop and progress , and vice versa .

Without such clarity , however , the term

halal science is gaining popularity . It has been used as part of the nomenclature of academic programmes , journal titles and names of halal-related institutions . Perhaps the earliest definition of halal science was from the group of researchers at the Halal Products Research Institute ( HPRI ), the first halal research institute established in Malaysia . The group has defined halal science as

‘ An area of study where a scientific approach is used to support matters that are defined by the shari ’ ah and the principles of Islam ’

Mat Hashim et al ., n . d . Another author defined halal science as ‘ Scientific knowledge with multidisciplinary programmes which is based on the halal concept of halal framework .’

Ahmad et al . ( 2011 ) Halal science is also defined as ‘ Halal knowledge attained systematically through observation and experimentation study and practice to describe and explain natural phenomena that relate to halal practices ’

Academy of Sciences Malaysia ( 2019 ), and Azman and Ben ( 2017 )

To this end , it is essential to highlight that more discourses are needed to clearly understand halal science and correctly position it as a discipline and body of knowledge that would benefit humankind .

Halal science as a component of halal ecosystem

A sustainable halal industry is supported by a comprehensive halal ecosystem that combines multi-elements of the shari ’ ah , management , social science , humanities and science and technology . Halal science is an essential element that supports the integrity of halal