What is a halal lab? Islamic technoscience in Malaysia

In Arabic, halal literally means “permissible” or “lawful”. This chapter explores how Islamic science conditions and is conditioned by halal in Malaysia and some broader tendencies this reflects. Even if halal is no longer an expression of esoteric forms of production, trade, and consumption but part of a huge and expanding globalized market, the scientific aspects of halal have not been subjected to much anthropological attention. I argue that modern halal in Malaysia should be explored in the interfaces between Islamic science and localized forms of secularism. This tension is a driving force behind the proliferation of halal. Important questions explored are the roles of technology and techniques in halal research and funding for this research within a framework of Islamic science in Malaysia.