Practices of Halalan Thayyiban Aspect in Japanese Restaurants in Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

The halalan thayyiban concept has been mentioned in al-Quran and sunnah. The popularisation of Japanese cuisine is a global phenomenon and Brunei Darussalam is not an exception. With the growing number of non-Islamic food products dominating the halal food industry, the status of halal food has become uncertain and controversial. The Brunei Government has emphasised the importance of Brunei restaurants complying with the requirements of halal eligibility and shariah law. Therefore, the need for Japanese restaurant management to comply with the halal norm is inevitable. This study has been conducted in an attempt to explore halalan thayyiban practices that are being implemented in Japanese Restaurants in Brunei Darussalam. Data was collected from six participants who were involved in semi-structured interviews. The major findings have shown that respondents were excellent in practising halālan thayyiban in terms of healthy food, food safety, and hygiene in Japanese restaurants. These findings are very important and hopefully can be used as a guide to restaurant employees in other ethnic restaurants and also greatly benefit Muslim and non-Muslim readers who consume halal food.