Dear Prospective Donor:

Hadith: “There is no envy except in two: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to others.”

In late 2008, a group of concerned Halal activists came together to address the growing unreliability of Halal products and practices spreading throughout America. A fact finding mission, led by Mufti Abdullah Nana, had uncovered that a significant number of Halal slaughter, processing, distribution, and retail businesses did not measure themselves against an acceptable Halal standard or best practice. A few of the issues included: slaughter-men and plant managers were uneducated on the basics of Islamic Slaughter; slaughter methods either did not meet Islamic Requirements altogether or utilized risky/questionable techniques which threatened the integrity of Halal; Processors and Distributors handled Halal and Non-Halal meat at their centers in a manner which posed possible cross-contamination concerns; Halal restaurants and meat stores were not cooperative in disclosing questionable handling and  labeling practices. The question of ethics and accountability was quickly raised as Muslims consumers throughout America became increasingly concerned. As in most cases though, the consumer ended up receiving the short end of the ‘integrity’ stick when they tried to raise issues.

One force worthy of explaining more thoroughly and as a cause of this ‘pandemic’ is the unprecedented increase in demand for Halal over the past decade among Muslims and Non-Muslims in America. National businesses are increasingly expanding their investment reach to include Halal and meet the needs of their population. Though this is great for Halal growth in America, many in the Halal supply chain who wanted to get into the market as quickly as possible did so by way of attaining ‘paper certifications’ and ‘Halal seals’ and without the ethical responsibility of learning about what producing or serving Halal really meant to its people.

This all has led to a dramatic increase in questionable (mass) slaughter practices, loose accountability of Halal standards, lack of audit or governance processes, and a rain-fall effect of poor reliability throughout the Halal Supply Chain and when trying to deliver on the consumer’s demands. Using awareness campaigns, a team of Halal advocates worked tirelessly to inform and inspire other prospective advocates from around the nation to join in the cause of creating a chapter-based Halal Advocacy group that would be able to create better transparency with the Halal supply chains in their areas, educate their public about the importance of inculcating a Halal lifestyle, and finding solutions to the various problems they encounter. Ultimate, the goal was to gradually strengthen the integrity of Halal in America.

With that said, the Halal Advocates firmly believe our future lies in educating our communities about these Halal issues. Taking it a step further, we also hope to make our Halal Supply Chain continually accountable for their actions and be transparent to a regional advocate base about their practices, challenges, and the judgments they apply when serving the consumer. As a potent body of advocates, we are also aware that there are two sides to build and maintain a relationship. How we start and conclude on a relationship with a supplier, producer, or business will either create a pathway for our future communities to be in harmony when it comes to Halal consumption or, on the other hand, become a means for them to lose their bodies and hearts to the lowest standards of Halal.

Please donate generously from your income for this noble cause and let others know. It is our hope, that with your help, the Halal Advocates will be able to begin its noble efforts soon from community to community. To date, due to our proactive and strategic decisions, our growing list of Halal Advocates throughout America is on its way to being doubled and our planned portfolio of breakthrough initiatives is quickly taking shape and readying itself to serve nearly six million Muslims in America. The initiatives we are currently embarking on include: an online Halal portal, Knowledge Share with Industry Experts, Halal Awareness Programs and Seminars, Supplier / Business Continuous Improvement Training Programs, Research Literature, and more. The Halal Advocates are slowly making a difference. By the grace of Allah, you can also be a difference maker and donate generously and establish a united goal of unparalleled Halal integrity in America