Trading Halal: Halal Certification and Intra-Muslim Trade in South Africa

Abstract

Abstract Halal certification introduces a new discursive and material basis for the regulation of Muslim consumption in a world of global trade and complex food technology. Through chemical tests and state of the art supply chain management the halal certification industry aims to replace the necessity of intra-Muslim trade for the practice of halal. This paper presents the approach of two competing halal certification organizations in South Africa in interaction with Muslim businesses. It argues that the aim of the halal certification industry to standardize, trace and trade in halal is limited by the communal practice of halal that emphasizes intra-Muslim trade and exchange. Halal certification is an incomplete recalibration of halal. Attention to Muslim business practices illuminates the limitation of audit cultures to the practice of halal, offering a view of the complexity of halal in practice.