African Journal of Business Management Vol. 5(31), pp. 12242-12248, 7 December, 2011 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBM DOI: 10.5897/AJBM10.1692 ISSN 1993-8233 ©2011 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper Food quality standards in developing quality human capital: An Islamic perspective Sazelin Arif 1* and Ridzwan Ahmad 2 1Centre for Languages and Human Development, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia. 2Department of Fiqh and Usul, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Accepted 16 May, 2011 Islam outlines two important standards to ensure foods consumed by Muslims are good quality, pleasant and healthy. The first is the most well-known, that is halal or lawful. The second, equally important, is tayyib or good quality. Some foods may be halal , but it may not be good (tayyib ) for consumption. Therefore, food quality standards which based on the concept of halalan tayyiban (lawful and good) should be implemented to offer reassurance to those of the Muslim faith as well as developing good quality human capital. This paper, therefore, aims to offer an instructive understanding of food quality standards in Islamic perspective and to discuss on the significance of the food quality standards which entail the holistic concept of halal and tayyib in developing good quality human capital. The concept of this paper is qualitative in nature. The authors apply a document analysis approach through deep and intense readings of the previous texts and literature related to the topic. The authors thoroughly analyse the pertinent literature and develop the relationship between quality foods and quality human being. This paper reveals that consuming good quality food bounded by Islamic dietary laws has an intense relationship in generating good health which leads to developing good quality human capital. Key words: Food, quality standards, human capital, halal food, Islamic perspective. INTRODUCTION Islam is a systematic way of life which covers all human which will lead to the development of good quality human activities and behaviors. Each and every activity comes capital. with comprehensive standards and guidelines that need Islamic dietary code of laws basically based on the con- to be adhered to by all Muslims. Islam also provides cept of halal (lawful) and haram (unlawful). Muslims must dietary code of laws as the guidelines. Muslims should eat halal food and must prevent themselves from follow the guidelines that have been underlined in the consuming any haram food. On top of that, food that is Islamic dietary code as eating is considered a matter of halal to be consumed must also good ( tayyib ) of nutria- worship of God. Muslims are supposed to make an effort tional quality which are a foundation of good health. Allah to consume good quality food so that their lives will be says in the Quran in Surah al-A‘raf, verse 160 which blessed by Allah. Food is definitely man’s basic need for means: “Eat of the good things We have provided for survival. Therefore, consuming good quality food you….”. The meaning of the verse indicates that the bounded by Islamic dietary laws is vital for good health concept of halal food discussed in the Quran comes toge- ther with the concept of tayyib (good). The importance of combining the concept of halal and tayyib in deter- mination of halal foods is clearly emphasized by Allah as *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: He mentioned it so many times in different verses in the +606-3316954 Quran. Arif and Ahmad 12243 The study cannot deny the fact that today’s technology prepared under and maintained in strict compliance with innovations have developed lot of changes in food indus- the laws and customs of the Islamic religion as expressed tries and have produced more complex foods in the by reliable recognizes Islamic entities and scholars (Riaz market. Hence, Muslims have to adhere on the guideline, and Chaudry, 2004). There are few principles pertaining be more aware as well as be knowledgeable about food to halal and haram which provide guidance to Muslims in products available in the market before consuming them their customary practices that can be summarized as the and are not to be misled by their appetites unchecked by principles of halal and tayyib (al-Qaradhawi, 1984; al- knowledge (Lokman, 2005). Muslims should check and Sayuti, 1998; Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam, 1962). Thus, the judge the permissive and prohibitive nature of all the unification of the concept of halal and tayyib is very vital ingredients of any particular food or drink before con- for Muslims in choosing quality food to consume. This is sumption (Hussaini and Sakr, 1983). All these must be due to the reason that what is permitted by Islam (halal ), put in to practice so that food consumed will safeguard may still be impure ( ghayr tayyib ) and doubtfully tayyib in human beings from spiritual and physical afflictions. the sense that the food has either become stale, Therefore, the objective of this paper is to offer an unhygienic or was improperly prepared, harmful and instructive understanding of food quality standards in intoxicant (Saifuddeen, 2001). Islamic perspective and how it relates in the development A review of previous literature also identifies that there of good quality human capital. are many definition of food quality in the food manufac- turers’ perspective especially on the implementation of food quality practices such as Good Manufacturing Prac- LITERATURE REVIEW tices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) (Nurulhuda et al., 2009; Hayati et al., 2008). In In Islam, food quality standards are based on the concept Malaysia, halal food certification involves certain stan- of halal and tayyib as discussed in the Quran and Hadith. dards of quality (Pahmi, 2005; Shahidan and Nor, 2006; A review of previous literature identifies that the basic Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, 2005; principles of halal and tayyib (good quality) portray the Lokman, 2001). It is the Malaysian Halal Food Standard symbol of intolerance in the hygiene, safety and quality globally recognized MS 1500 which should be read with (Lokman, 2001; Saifuddeen, 2001). A review of evidence MS 1480 (HACCP) and MS 1514 (GMP) (MS 1500, in the Quran and Hadith on the concept of halal (lawful), 2009). These standards provide guidance to manufac- haram (unlawful), makruh (reprehensible) and mandub turers to ensure the food products are complying with (recommendable) is the basic knowledge in better under- Syariah as well as good, safe and fit to consume (Depart- standing of halal and haram parameters (Hashim, 2008) ment of Islamic Development Malaysia, 2005; MS 1500, as well as the concept of tayyib to be bind together with 2009; Lokman, 2001). the concept of halal (al-Qurtubi, 1999; al-Sayuti, 1990; Ibn ‘Asyur, 1984; Ibn Kathir, 1988). Basically, foods are considered to be halal unless they Food quality standards are specified to be haram as mentioned in the Quran or Hadith. Halal food simultaneously refers to food which is In Islam, food quality standards are based on the concept good to consume as halal means good in terms of its of halal and tayyib. Halal requirement as a standard plays process and its ingredients (Jasimah, 2000). Whereas, a very important role in determining the quality of food prohibited food means the food is not good to consume consumed by Muslims. A part of halal as a standard, due to its impurity and harmfulness. A Muslim is not re- Islam clearly outlines the standard of tayyib (good quality) quired to know exactly why or how something is unclean to be bind together with the concept of halal . or harmful in what Allah has prohibited. There might be Halal is an Arabic word which means lawful or allowed, obvious reasons and there might be obscure reason (al- which is permitted, with respect to which no restriction Qaradhawi, 1984; Hussaini and Sakr, 1983). Muslim exists and the doing of which the Law-Giver has allowed. jurists have identified four grounds of haram in foodstuffs. Most diets and foods are considered to be halal unless Those are manifest harm, intoxication, filth/ natural they are specified or mentioned in the Quran and tradition repulsiveness and encroachment on the rights of others (Hadith). Human beings cannot change the unlawful (The Ministry of Pious Endowments and Islamic Affairs, (haram ) into lawful food as Allah is the only One has the 1993; Hashim, 2008). And even between these two right (al-Qaradhawi, 1984; Hussaini and Sakr, 1983). boundaries of lawful and unlawful, there exist the things Based on the Malaysian Halal Food Standard MS which are doubtful ( mushtabihat ), which must be 1500:2009 (2009), halal food must fulfill the following refrained from in order to avoid excesses (al-Ghazzali, conditions: 1993). There are several factors determine the halal or haram status of particular foods. 1. The food or its ingredients that are not filthy ( najs) It is dependent on its nature, how it is processed and according to Syariah law. how it is obtained (el-Mouelhy, 2008). It must be 2. The food does not contain any ingredients that are 12244 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. filthy ( najs) according to Syariah law. 3. Prohibiting the halal and permitting the haram is similar 3. The food that is safe and not harmful. to committing Shirk (ascribing partners to God). 4. The food is not prepared or manufactured using 4. The basic reasons for the prohibitions of things are due equipment that is contaminated with things that are filthy to their impurity and harmfulness. A Muslim is not re- (najs) according to Syariah law. quired to know exactly why or how something is unclean 5.