The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is not over yet. Even so, it does not dampen the enthusiasm of the community to continue to innovate to open business opportunities. One of them that is currently mushrooming is the contemporary beverage business. They range from a variety of milk-based drinks to coffee, from those that cause memories to give promises.
The innovation of adding rhum is one of the many flavors that turned out to captivate many people’s tongues. However, is it true that drinks with the addition of rhum can be certified halal?
Departing from MUI Fatwa Number 4 of 2003 concerning Standardization of Halal Fatwas. There are four points in the fatwa that specifically explain the use of names and materials. First, the product must not use food/beverage names and/or symbols that lead to confusion and confusion.
Second, the product must not use the names and/or symbols of food/drinks that point to the names of objects/animals that are forbidden, especially pigs and khamr, except those that have directed (‘urf) and are ensured that they do not contain forbidden elements such as the names of meatballs, noodles, bakwan, bakpia and buns.
Third, products should not use mixed ingredients for food/beverage components that flavor forbidden objects or animals, such as pork-flavored instant noodles, bacon flavors, rhum-flavored iced coffee, and so on. Fourth, products should not consume foods/drinks that use the names of forbidden foods/drinks such as whisky, brandy, beer, etc.
The Indonesian Ulema Council in this case took a firm stance. Chairman of the Mui Fatwa Commission (KF) for the 2015-2020 period, Prof. Dr.. H. Hasanuddin AF, MA., emphasized that his party will not process halal certification for tasyabbuh products or resemble products that are forbidden in Islam. That is, the aforementioned liquor, although it is claimed to be without alcohol.
The attitude of the Fatwa Commission, previously also emphasized when in 2015, discussed the submission of halal certification from beverage producing companies. However, because the products he produced were tasyabbuh with beer products that had been agreed upon by the scholars at MUI, the application was rejected.
“There is one product that in terms of materials and production processes used there is no problem in the halal aspect. However, in the study of KF MUI, the product resembles a beer drink that has been agreed to be forbidden in Islam, both in color, taste, aroma, and even the packaging of the bottle. We do not process the halal certification submitted by the company, although we also do not declare the product to be illegitimate. Because it does not use illicit materials,” he said.
The rules regarding this matter are also stated in the Decree of the Director of the Halal Inspection Agency of the Food, Medicines, and Cosmetics Assessment Institute of the Indonesian Ulema Council (LPH LPPOM MUI) Number 46 of 2014 concerning Provisions for Writing Product Names and Product Forms.
The Decree of the Director of LPH LPPOM MUI explained in detail that product names that cannot be certified include product names that contain liquor names. In this group, non-alcoholic wines, champagne, rootbeer, rhum raisin-flavored ice cream, and 0% alcohol beer, definitely cannot pass halal certification.
In addition, product names that contain the term forbidden animals (pigs and dogs) and contain the names of demons also cannot be certified halal. In addition, there are also Halal Assurance System Criteria (SJH) which are a guide for all LPPOM MUI halal auditors in serving halal certification. In the SJH Criteria in the “Products” section, it is emphasized that the sensory characteristics/profiles of the product must not have a tendency to smell or taste that leads to illegitimate products or that have been declared illegitimate based on MUI fatwas.
“The provision has exceptions, so it does not apply to products that have become traditions, or are widely known and are certain not to contain forbidden elements. For example, pletok beer, meatballs, noodles, bakwan, bakpia and bakpao. Product forms or packaging labels that are erotic, vulgar and or pornographic in nature should also not be submitted for halal certification,” explained Executive Director of LPPOM MUI, Ir. Muti Arintawati, M.Si.
LPPOM MUI, as one of the first LPH in Indonesia determined by the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH), will not pass products made from /having a rhum sensory profile. That way, it can be concluded that contemporary drinks that use rhum or rhum flavoring cannot be taken care of by a halal certificate to BPJPH. Likewise with products that use rhum naming, even if they don’t use it, they still cannot be certified halal.
As a Muslim, it would be nice for us to be more careful by always checking the halalness of the products to be consumed. One of the easiest efforts is to choose products labeled halal. You can check halal products through the www.halalmui.org website or the HalalMUI application which can be downloaded on the Playstore. (YN)
