On The Halal Frontier

Halal is an Arabic word that literally means “permissible” or “lawful.” Conventionally, halal signifies “pure food” with regard to meat in particular by proper Islamic practice such as ritual slaughter and pork avoidance. In the modern world halal is no longer an expression of esoteric forms of production, trade, and consumption, but part of a huge and expanding globalized market. In my recent publication modern forms of halal understanding and practice among Malay Muslims in London are explored, that is, the halal consumption of middle-class Malays in the diaspora. The connection between London, Malaysia, and Malays is no accident.