Daily Times

Alibaba is one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies in both wholesale and retail. The company offers a wide range of Islamic products, lifestyle items, and Islamic books.

Are these products made from pure halal materials and certified by a global halal certification organisation? Accurate information and awareness are needed for this to the consumers.

For these crucial issues to be addressed, the Ummah must take steps to form an international body that may work under an international Islamic organisation such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). And if this is already being done, further awareness is needed among Muslims worldwide.

Among these and to raise awareness about non-halal products being sold online as halal products, Muslim media and associates should work closely with Islamic scholars and religious leaders. Muslim journalists and scholars must serve as watchdogs over online sites run by Muslim and non-Muslim traders and businesses.

Global electronic media, online media, and social media have virtually destroyed territorial boundaries between people of different backgrounds and faiths. Our children and the young generation can access their content. While we cannot force them not to watch them, we can provide them with competitive, interesting and informative Islamic material.

Muslim millennials are becoming increasingly attracted to the Turkish tourism industry.

The Islamic multimedia and film production industry can provide opportunities for our young generation to develop competitive Islamic content for global audiences and viewers through the involvement of Muslim media associates, academics, researchers, scholars, content writers, and Muslim multimedia production companies.

Another global industry for Muslims is Halal travel and tourism. Promoting tourist destinations where Muslim millennials can freely spend their time and enjoy the halal aspects of those destinations is important.

In Indonesia, Lombok, an island with a large Muslim population, is a prominent example. The development of halal destinations in Indonesia has been centred on Lombok. The World’s Best Halal Honeymoon Destination and World’s Best Halal Tourism Destination were awarded to Lombok.

Mosques, restaurants serving halal food, hotels, and tourist attractions are easily accessible to Muslim millennials in Thailand.

Malaysia ranks among the top five Muslim-friendly destinations worldwide for Muslim millennials.

Muslim millennials are becoming increasingly attracted to the Turkish tourism industry. Centuries-old Islamic historical sites, mosques, and delicious halal Turkish food make Turkey a popular Muslim tourist destination.

Central Asian states are still hidden territories for Muslim millennials. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are among the top five halal tourist destinations in Central Asia, where Muslim millennials can visit monuments, shrines, mosques, universities, historical Muslim cemeteries, and tombs of Islamic leaders, Sufis centuries-old Islamic Archaeology sites.

Pakistan is home to some of the world’s finest tourist destinations with the highest mountains, landscapes, and beaches. In Pakistan, all amenities, food, and hotels are halal. Pakistan possesses a wealth of Muslim culture, history, and values.

There are also Arab Muslim states where Islam was born and spread around the world. The Muslim Ummah’s most sacred and religious sites are in Arab countries. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are ranked among the top three Muslim-friendly tourist destinations.

Again, Muslim media and its associates have a huge responsibility to educate, create awareness, and promote these facets of halal products & services, and lifestyle.

Organising conferences, seminars, workshops, and research is essential to the success of the developing global halal industry.

Modern-day Muslims, especially those living outside of Islamic countries, are influenced by traditional and cultural days in terms of entertainment and celebration. Since they live in a non-Islamic state, this may be accepted as long as their activities do not violate Islamic principles.

Our Generation Alpha is uncertain about whether to celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Halloween Day, and other European and Asian cultural events. Similarly, the younger Muslim female generation also has a growing number of activities, especially in western societies, such as the women’s fashion parade and the Islamic beauty contest.

Muslim leaders must engage themselves in these issues as future challenges. Despite the challenges and complexity of setting up a common agreement through international Islamic organisations, they should create a majority consensus up to an extreme extent.

Dear brothers and sisters, these are complex issues, especially for our younger Muslim generation. The Muslim Ummah needs to reach a common understanding at the highest level on these issues of Ummah.

Islamic scholars, muftis, journalists, writers, anchors, and presenters must have an absolute consensus on these issues. Muslims, especially Alpha GEN, need more awareness and clear understanding about halal, prohibited, and haram.

In this regard, consistent and challenging efforts are needed to bring different international Islamic bodies, governments, Islamic scholars of various schools of thought, Imams & muftis, Islamic researchers, manufacturers, Islamic multimedia production companies, and multinational business stakeholders together on a single agenda to promote Halal Products and Services and Halal Lifestyle and deal with potential future challenges.

Promoting Islamic codes of practice is vital to developing the global halal industry. By contributing to the development of the halal industry globally, Muslim journalists and writers can play effective roles. Muslim media houses can raise consumer awareness about online halal product authenticity, supply chain practices, and safe halal practices. This can be done by sharing facts and figures and organizing educational programs, conferences, and seminars. In this regard, I acknowledge and admire the extraordinary contribution of Thai Muslim scholars, researchers, scientists, and community leaders. They are highly committed to providing their services to the Halal Products & Services Thai and international halal markets. Thailand is not a Muslim country, yet it is one of the leading countries in promoting Halal Products and Services.

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The writer is a Sydney-based journalist and columnist and can be reached at shassan@tribune-intl.com.