Indonesia, as the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, has enormous halal market potential. However, field reality shows a significant gap between halal awareness and consumption practices that comply with Islamic law. Many Indonesian Muslims consume food at restaurants or stalls that only display “No Pork No Lard” labels without understanding that this does not guarantee complete product halal status.

This phenomenon becomes a serious challenge in the context of contemporary Islamic dakwah in Indonesia. Misunderstanding about the halal concept can impact the quality of faith and devotion of Muslims. Therefore, comprehensive education is needed to increase halal literacy among Indonesian Muslims.

The Problem of “No Pork No Lard” in Halal Perspective

Misconception of Halal Concept

The “No Pork No Lard” label commonly found in various restaurants and food products has created a false perception among Muslim consumers. Many assume that the absence of pork and pork fat is sufficient to guarantee a product’s halal status. However, the concept of halal in Islam is far more comprehensive than simply avoiding pork.

Research shows that halal awareness and halal certified awareness are two different variables, where understanding of halal does not always correlate with understanding of halal certification. This creates gaps in Indonesian Muslim consumption behavior.

Real Cases in the Field

Several cases commonly encountered in Indonesia include:

• Sushi Restaurants Using Sake and Mirin: Many sushi restaurants in Indonesia use sake and mirin in cooking processes but still display “No Pork No Lard” labels. Both ingredients are alcohol, which is clearly prohibited in Islam, but often escape the attention of Muslim consumers.
• Street Vendors Using Angciu Oil: Not few street vendors use angciu oil (cooking wine) in their cooking processes. Although it doesn’t contain pork, the use of alcohol in any form is still not permitted in the halal concept.
• Lack of Education from Muslim Workers: More concerning is the many Muslim workers in these restaurants who do not inform Muslim consumers about the use of non-halal ingredients in products they sell.

Theoretical and Empirical Foundation

The Concept of Halalan Tayyiban

From an Islamic perspective, the halal concept is not limited to pork prohibition but encompasses all aspects related to cleanliness, health, and blessings. The halalan-tayyibah concept in Islamic teachings includes integration between halal status with product safety and quality.

Factors Affecting Halal Consumption Behavior

Research shows that three main factors determining Muslim purchasing decisions for halal food are halal awareness, religiosity, and halal food safety & quality. However, other studies found that halal awareness does not have significant influence on consumer purchasing behavior, indicating a gap between awareness and practice.

The Role of Religiosity in Halal Consumption

There is a correlation between religiosity and consumption behavior, where halal product consumption increases with increased religious understanding. This shows the importance of dakwah approaches that emphasize comprehensive religious understanding improvement.

Contemporary Dakwah Challenges in Indonesia

Complexity of Halal Supply Chain

Indonesia faces challenges in ensuring product halal status from upstream to downstream. Halal assurance in Indonesia is regulated by the Government through legislation, where product halal status can be determined by conducting halal certification through product examination from raw material selection, production processes, to final products.

Educational and Implementation Gaps

Although Indonesia has strong regulations regarding halal certification, there are still gaps between regulations and field implementation. Increasing halal awareness among Muslim consumers can increase culinary product purchase intentions, but this requires systematic and continuous educational efforts.

Globalization and Modernization Challenges

The flow of globalization and modernization has brought various foreign products and culinary cultures to Indonesia. This creates new challenges in ensuring the halal status of products consumed by Indonesian Muslims. For the Indonesian community, halal product issues are critical, requiring adaptive approaches while adhering to Islamic law principles.

Solutions and Recommendations

Strengthening Comprehensive Halal Education

A comprehensive halal education program is needed that includes:

• Halalan Tayyiban Concept Education: Understanding that halal is not just about avoiding pork, but encompasses all aspects of cleanliness, health, and blessings.
• Halal Certification Literacy: Increasing public understanding about the importance of official halal certification from authorized institutions.
• Awareness of Non-Halal Ingredients: Educating the public about various non-halal ingredients that may not be clearly visible, such as alcohol in cooking spices.

The Role of Dakwah in Halal Education

Contemporary Islamic dakwah must adapt more practical and applicable approaches in halal education. This can be done through:

• Digital Dakwah: Utilizing digital platforms to spread halal information widely and accessibly.
• Cooperation with Industry Players: Building partnerships with restaurants and food producers to increase halal awareness.
• Training for Muslim Workers: Providing training to Muslim workers in the food industry to become halal education agents.

Strengthening Regulations and Supervision

The government needs to strengthen regulations and supervision regarding:

• Halal Label Standardization: Ensuring that only halal-certified products may use halal labels.
• Sanctions for Violators: Providing strict sanctions for business actors who mislead consumers with inappropriate labels.
• Public Education: Conducting periodic public education programs about the importance of halal certification.

Conclusion

The phenomenon of “No Pork No Lard” being considered a halal guarantee reflects a serious halal education gap among Indonesian Muslims. The halal concept in Islam is far more comprehensive than simply avoiding pork. This challenge requires a holistic approach involving contemporary Islamic dakwah, regulatory strengthening, and increased public awareness.

Islamic dakwah in the modern era must be able to adapt more practical and applicable approaches in halal education. This is not only the responsibility of religious scholars and preachers, but also of all Muslim community components, including Muslim workers in the food industry.

The urgency of halal education in Indonesia is not only related to consumption aspects, but also to the quality of faith and devotion of Muslims. Therefore, joint commitment is needed to create a comprehensive and sustainable halal ecosystem in Indonesia.

This comprehensive approach to halal education represents a crucial step in ensuring that Indonesian Muslims can make informed decisions about their consumption choices while maintaining their religious obligations and spiritual well-being.

References

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