In May 2023, a video of an employee spitting on food being served in a Muslim-owned restaurant in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh went viral. The perpetrator was arrested for “a malignant act likely to cause infection disease.”[1] A social activist of the Muslim community, Zakir Ali Tyagi, was quick to come to his defense by denying that it was a case of spitting. “There are some people in the Shia community who blow after reciting a prayer so that the food remains blessed,” he said.

However, there has been a spate of such incidents over the past several years. In March 2021, police in India’s capital, Delhi, arrested two persons after a video emerged of them spitting on food at Chand Hotel, again a Muslim establishment. In the video, one of the two men was seen spitting on rotis (Indian flatbread) before placing them in a clay oven. The video was secretly shot by a customer who later uploaded it on the internet. [2]

In yet another case, the police in Uttar Pradesh arrested a Muslim man, Mohammad Mohsin, after a video of him making rotis while spitting on them at an engagement ceremony appeared on the social media site X (formerly Twitter). According to reports, the incident happened during the engagement ceremony of a Hindu family. [3] During his police interrogation, Mohsin confessed to committing such acts for the last five years. His most shocking revelation was that he spat on the dough only in events organized by non-Muslims. He never once spat on food at Muslim festivals.

And then we have celebrity barber Jawed Habib, who, to the cheers of his audience, spits on women’s heads. In a video, the famous hairstylist-businessman was seen spitting in a woman’s hair while doing her hair and boasting, “There’s life in this spit.” Naturally, the woman refused to continue with the haircut and said she would never visit any of the Jawed Habib outlets. “If Jawed Habib had tried this in any Western country, his entire chain would have been shut down, and he would have been sued,” said Pune-based author Shefali Vaidya. [4]

While nearly all incidents of spitting were aimed at contaminating non-Muslims, there was also a case of Bohra Muslim men licking dinner plates in which members of their own community had dined. When shown the clip, Maulana Asadi, a cleric of the Bohra community, claimed that the Bohras respect their elders and religious figures so much that they happily eat the elders’ leftover food. Regarding another video of a Muslim fruit seller applying his spit on fruit, Asadi claimed the vendor was merely cleaning the fruit. [5]

In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of clerics of the Tablighi Jamaat – a proselytizing Islamic sect – quarantined at a railway facility in Delhi spat at doctors and healthcare personnel attending to them. While being transported for testing, they were found spitting on the roads, purportedly to spread the infection. According to an official monitoring the transportation of the Tablighi group, the bus windows had to be shut to stop the clerics from spitting on the roads. [6]

To put it simply, every item certified as “Halal” will have been subject to spitting at some point in the certification process.

Spitting – A Halal Offshoot

There is an irrational belief among the Islamic clergy that spitting on food in the name of Allah makes it halal (permissible). Although there is apparently no direct Koranic requirement for Muslims to spit in food, it is a fact that Muhammad, their prophet, used to spit on food to invoke Allah. No less an authority than Sahih al-Bukhari has corroborated this. [7]

Once, when Muhammad and a large group of followers visited Jabir bin Abdullah, a companion of the prophet, he was told not to remove his earthenware meat pot from the fireplace or bake his dough until Muhammad arrived. Abdullah narrates: “My wife then presented the dough to him, and he spat in it, invoking Allah’s blessings. He proceeded to our earthenware meat pot, spat in it, and invoked Allah’s blessings again. He turned to my wife and instructed her, “Call a lady-baker to assist you. Continue to scoop servings from your earthenware meat pot, and do not remove it from the fireplace.”

“There were a thousand people who partook in the meal, and amazingly, they all ate their fill. Even after they had finished and left, our earthenware pot was still simmering, brimming with meat, as if it had not diminished. Our dough continued to bake, seemingly untouched, as if nothing had been taken from it.”

Al-Miswar bin Makhrama, a companion of the prophet, narrates a similar incident: Whenever Allah’s Apostle spat, the spittle would fall in the hand of one of them (i.e., the Prophet’s companions) who would rub it on his face and skin; if he ordered them, they would carry his orders immediately; if he performed ablution, they would struggle to take the remaining water. [8]

In the backdrop of these incidents, former civil servant and lawyer Krishen Kak comments: “It is crystal clear – and undeniable – that depending on the context, this spitting is an Islamic act of blessing, of purification by and for the momin (believer), and it is an act of humiliation of the kaffir, who, Koran 7:27 declares, is protected by the devil or is an ally of the devil.” [9]

Kak concludes that spitting works both ways. “Spitting on a momin or on food for a momin blesses and purifies, and not just spitting but even the dirty ablutionary (wudu) water of a holy person does so.” On the other hand, “Spitting on a kaffir or on food for a kaffir keeps satanic forces at bay and, by extension, spitting on an idol worshipper, is a sure means of reminding us of our ranking as among “the worst of created beings.” [10]

To put it simply, every item certified as “Halal” will have been subject to spitting at some point in the certification process.

Market Monopoly

There are other serious issues with halal. In addition to meat, it has extended to other areas such as pharmaceutical products, personal care products, cosmetics, and even flour. According to Pune-based writer Amit Kelkar, “With its ever-growing scope, it is creating the grounds for restricting the job prospects in these sectors to people from only one religion. Further, this parallel system of certification runs without any checks and balances from the government.” [11]

It has become such a headache for businesses that most have started serving only halal meat now to save the cost of maintaining two supply chains, for halal and non-halal meat. “People who may not be comfortable with halal meat, or for people with religions where only jhatka meat is allowed, no longer have any choice in the matter. If they are ordering meat at a restaurant, they get halal only by default,” adds Kelkar.

Certification, Money, and Terror

Another problem with halal is that it drives large amounts of money – we are talking hundreds of millions of dollars – into the pockets of so-called “halal certification authorities,” and these organizations are invariably owned and run by Muslims. The vast quantities of money flowing into these organizations can potentially end up in the hands of terrorists.

The leading halal certification body in the world has been funding Islamic radical groups since 2012. The Middle East Forum has revealed in a report that the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) has handed out huge amounts of money to prominent Islamist organizations that are linked to terror groups such as the Jamaat-e-Islamia, Hamas, and Al-Qaeda. In 2019, IFANCA reported an income of over $25 million and almost $70 million in assets, making it a powerful tool of Islamic radicalization. [12]

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, one of the oldest halal certifying trusts in India, is constantly in the news for their legal support to the accused in terror-related cases. They even extended legal support to the Muslim murderers of a Hindu activist. “A large part of these funds come from the fees they charge for halal certification,” says Kelkar. “So unknowingly, everyone in India ends up funding the legal fees of terrorists and criminals by consuming halal products even though there is no religious requirement for them to do so.”

Zakat, Halal and Terror

Islamic law requires a 2.5 percent tax called zakat, which is imposed on the income or accumulated wealth of all devout Muslims. Halal certification is done on a fee-for-service basis, with the fees varying with the scope and scale of the services. Certification is provided by Islamic organizations, who hire only Muslim staff in the halal industry – imams, slaughtermen, workers, business and shop owners, and others in the chain.

There are eight classes of zakat recipients, and according to the Koran, each gets a 1/8 share of the gross. These include the poor, beggars, debtors, slaves, travelers, new converts to Islam, zakat administrators, and finally, the eighth and most dangerous category – the Fisabilillah or mujahideen who are fighting for the cause of Allah. They are to be given enough so they can successfully conduct their military operations against non-Muslims.

What are the Implications?

Clearly, an eighth of the funds collected by Muslim organizations is routed into jehad. Until each group is given its due, the money collected by these outfits will not be blessed by Allah and is not considered halal. Simply put, by default, a part of the money given by large corporations ends up with radicalized outfits or terrorist groups.

While most Muslims may consider the Muslim Brotherhood or the Jamaat-e-Islamia to be Islamic charitable organizations – or organizations working in the cause of Allah – from the perspective of most non-Muslims, these are nothing less than terrorist groups. So, when you purchase a product that is certified halal, you are indirectly contributing to terrorism.

For the skeptics among us, it is worth noting that the World Trade Center attacks were financed through money coming from the AI-Kifah Refugee Center in Brooklyn, NY. The Center had secret links to terrorist groups fighting in Afghanistan from 1985, but the US closed its eyes as they were fighting the Soviet Union. Funds raised by AI-Kifah in the US were covertly sent from to Maktab al-Khidamat, an organization Osama bin Laden is said to have later transformed into al Qaeda. Al-Kifah members were openly distributing videos showing Islamic terrorists beheading Serb prisoners captured in the Bosnian War. Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani doctor currently serving an 86-year sentence in the US for her role as an al-Qaeda terrorist, made large donations to AI-Kifah. [13] The system of funneling money to terrorists through charities has improved greatly since then.

One of the myths about Osama bin Laden was that he funded al-Qaeda through a personal fortune and a network of businesses in Sudan. Instead, al-Qaeda relied primarily on a fund-raising network developed over time. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, the CIA estimates that it cost al-Qaeda about $30 million per year to sustain its activities before 9/11 and that this money was almost entirely raised through donations. [14]

The report explains how Islamic terrorists relied on a core group of financial institutions that raised money from a variety of donors and other fundraisers. “Al-Qaeda and its friends took advantage of Islam’s strong calls for charitable giving, zakat. These financial facilitators also appeared to rely heavily on certain imams at mosques who were willing to divert zakat donations to al-Qaeda’s cause.” 

“Charities were a source of money and also provided significant cover, which enabled operatives to travel undetected under the guise of working for a humanitarian organization.” [15]

The report adds that it cost al-Qaeda just $400,000–500,000 to launch the September 11 attacks that brought the US to its knees. This means Islamic charities such as IFANCA that collect millions of dollars each year can easily divert a small percentage of these donations to terrorist groups without setting off alarm bells at law enforcement agencies.

Threat to the Free World

Islamists present their demands as part of their religious obligation not to consume products that are not considered halal. But rather than just avoid ham, bacon, and alcohol, Islamists go to great lengths to make sure that others can’t enjoy them either. They start boycotting en masse places that serve or sell non-halal products. This has nothing to do with religious obligation but is just another expression of the Islamist agenda. 

While many Islamists wear the cloak of victimhood to deflect attention from their ulterior agenda, others are more brazen. In 2010, while visiting Pakistan, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia Herzegovina, Mustafa Ceric, urged the Muslim Ummah to conquer the world through the halal movement as the non-Muslim world has no hesitation in accepting it. Addressing a reception hosted by the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Islamabad, Ceric said the halal movement has the strength to lead Muslims to rule the global economy as food and other services are the basic needs of every human being. [16]

Ceric is tied to the global Muslim Brotherhood and sees himself as a possible future leader of a “European Islam.”

Endgame

Most people are understandably wary about sharia coming closer to their homes as it evokes images of beheadings, whippings, and amputations. But they ignore the dietary discrimination that is sneaking into their lives. This is a big mistake because halal is more than just a label – it is the thin edge of the sharia wedge. By accepting it, non-Muslim societies are funding their own demise.

Unlike democratic societies that cannot think beyond the next election cycle, Islamists are prepared to wait it out for the next hundred years. Let’s conclude with the ominous words of the very first Islamic missionaries who arrived in America in the 1920s. “Our plan is that we are going to conquer America.” [17]

Citations

1. https://www.bhaskar.com/local/uttar-pradesh/ghaziabad/news/allegations-of-hindu-yuva-vahini-in-ghaziabad-food-was-being-packed-by-spitting-in-polythene-131328865.html
2. https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/delhi-cooks-spit-rotis-dhaba-khayala-watch-video-691939
3. https://www.opindia.com/2021/04/4-incidents-cooks-arrested-video-spitting-on-food-went-viral/
4. https://x.com/ShefVaidya/status/1478960570636267520?s=20
5. https://www.opindia.com/2021/11/news18-india-removes-video-of-debate-on-spitting-on-food/
6. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/nizamuddin-markaz-attendees-misbehave-with-staffers-spit-at-doctors-at-delhi-quarantine-units/videoshow/74936665.cms?from=mdr
7. https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4102
8. https://amrayn.com/bukhari/50/891
9. https://mquran.org/content/view/981/4/
10. https://www.manushi.in/thook-jihad-an-essential-part-of-islam/
11. https://www.opindia.com/2022/04/why-halal-economy-has-to-be-resisted-5-things-you-must-know/?fbclid=IwAR3R3N9NVdcN2JB_BjqmYd_RLkaiWpAIJ6E39P3gQ-aQglDaWkceHyZylVg
12. https://thedailyguardian.com/why-top-halal-certification-body-is-funding-islamist-outfits-with-terror-links/
13. https://www.vogue.com/article/read-it-now-wanted-women-faith-lies-and-the-war-on-terror-the-lives-of-ayaan-hirsi-ali-and-aafia-siddiqui
14. The 9/11 Commission Report, page 170, https://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf
15. ibid, page 171
16. https://www.globalmbwatch.com/2010/12/12/pakistani-newspaper-says-bosnian-grand-mufti-urges-muslims-to-rule-world-through-halal-food/
17. http://thoughts-everything.com/jihadOnePage.htm

(The article was published on hindudvesha.org on September 26, 2023 and has been reproduced here)