Pronto Restaurant in central Nairobi, Kenya, serves halal foods.
Nairobi, Kenya (IINA) : In a country where 82 percent are Christians, halal, the dietary standard in Islamic law, is finding greater acceptance.
Halal, which means “lawful” or “permitted” in Arabic, requires that meat such as beef, lamb, goat, and poultry be raised and killed humanely and that a blessing be said at the time of slaughter. Nonhalal foods include carnivorous animals and birds of prey, as well as pork and products derived from pork such as gelatine. Fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains are permitted.
Earlier this month, Nairobi hosted the East Africa Islamic Economic Summit to allow business and government leaders opportunities to explore how to boost the halal market economy.
According to Kheir, most people find the food less risky since there are strict guidelines governing its slaughter, Crux News reported. “They are sure that the meat is not from forbidden animals such as dogs or donkeys or even pork, ” said the scholar, who teaches Shariah and Islamic studies.
Father Wilybard Lagho, a Roman Catholic priest in the Mombasa Archdiocese, said care needed to be taken such that they are used in an inclusive way. “At a time when there is Islamophobia, such symbols can be easily misinterpreted,” said Lagho.
Halal also applies to other sectors such as cosmetics and beauty. Globally, the sector is believed to be worth $2.3 trillion. Kenya has developed a certification and regulatory frame to meet the standards. Cosmetics shops are applying the principles, for example, refuse to sell human hair.