However, Singapore and Malaysia have been cashing-in on the Halal market because of our multicultural background. For instant we had integrate together with our Muslim friends the halal concept and sensitivity is already had been more a less a way of life in Singapore. We would not offered food, sweet that contain traced of Gelatine or alcohol content to my Muslim bro considered Haram and food that contain all this items cannot be certified as halal.
In Philippine some might have a misconception that halal is associate with a high food hygiene standard, It is more than that, in Singapore we have different races and culture, all have have different food requirements. Muslims need halal food. Hindus don't eat beef. Buddhists sometimes are vegetarian.
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Therefore, in our food court establishment, there will be halal food on one side, vegetarian food for those who need it, no beef for those who don't eat beef. I still remembered when we decided to convert our catering kitchen into halal certification it was not just simple as " as long we don't cook pork in this wok is halal" .It is not permissible since the food were be considered impure "najis' because most of the equipment had come into contact of the impure meat. We not only had to look into hygiene and also ceremonial purification. In Singapore the Islam body MUIS had take an very proactive approach to educate, create an awareness and also assist the non Muslim in attain the standard of getting Halal certification. Spiritual purification in Islam takes precedence over physical cleanliness to purified the kitchen.
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The whole ritual last a day nothing was spared, everything from the wall, floor, wok, spoon are wash with brown earth and water concurrently with prayer. The MUIS also brief us about the slaughtering (Zabiha) Method according to Shariah.
The correct method of slaughtering involves the simultaneous cutting of the gullet, windpipe, carotid artery and jugular vein of the animal with a sharp knife. The conditions for the slaughtering are as below:
The one who carries out the slaughtering must be a Muslim.
If possible, the instrument used to slaughter should be made of iron.
The creature to be slaughtered must be made to face the Holy Ka'aba.
The person performing the slaughter must mention the name of Allah as he slaughters the animal. Here must be a normal emission of blood from the animal after the slaughter. The animal must show some sign of movement after being slaughtered, especially if there was some doubt whether the animal was alive before being slaughtered.
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On the other hand in the Philippines, because the Muslim community is small and also lack of activity from the Halal body. sometimes insensitivity of hotels to carter the needs of Muslims, has yet to really gain from the influx of Middle East visitors to visit Philippine and negative publicity of the media. In Cebu there are many mosques and Muslim eatery my net friend Eid Mubarakah always willingly to help and anybody Muslim visiting Cebu. The Cebu Green Mosque is located in sikatuna street and Cebu Dawah Islamic Center is a place where the Cebu Muslim community meet on every Saturday in Chua Bldg. second floor fronting the Cebu Coliseum. So if you decided to go Cebu for Holiday be business or leisure, just drop by their centre.
