NU Taufik Damas: Muslim Majority Country Needs Haram Label More Than Halal Label

JAKARTADAILY.ID - Nahdlatul Ulama notable person Taufik Damas responded to the recently approved halal label changes by the Indonesia Ministry of Religion. He thinks the change does not need to spark an uproar because what a Muslim majority country population truly needs is a haram label, not halal.

“If we are seriously following madzhab Imam Syafi’i, the halal label does not need to exist. Because everything is halal except for those with a dalil stating their haram-ness,” Taufik tweeted as quoted by Pikiran-Rakyat.com on Monday, March 14, 2022.

“In a Muslim majority country, what is needed is a haram label, not a halal label. Why is it so hard to understand,” he continued.

He also said there is nothing special to the halal label changes approved by the Religion Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.

“The Minister of Religion only changes the halal logo. Nothing special. If the Minister is brave enough to change on what is truly needed is a haram label and not halal, now that is extraordinary,” he said.

The Ministry of Religion through the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) previously issued a new halal label for all parts of Indonesia.

This regulation is stated in the Decree of the Head of BPJPH Number 40 of 2022 concerning the Determination of the Halal Label. Issued on February 10, 2022, the decree will take effect as of March 1, 2022.

According to Head of BPJPH Muhammad Aqil Irham, the approval of the halal label is to implement Article 37 of Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Guarantee (JPH), is also part of the implementation of the mandate of Government Regulation (PP) Number 39 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of the JPH Sector.

"Implementing the mandate of the legislation, especially Article 37 of Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning Guaranteed Halal Products, BPJPH stipulates a halal label in the form of a logo as we have officially included in the Decree of the Head of BPJPH," said Aqil Irham, Saturday, March 12, 2022.

The new label philosophically combined values of Indonesia. The form and pattern used in it are cultural artifacts with unique characteristics, personalities, and it also represents Halal Indonesia.

"The form of the Indonesian Halal Label consists of two objects, namely the Gunungan shape and the Surjan or Lurik Gunungan motif on the shadow puppets in the shape of a pyramid, pointing upwards. This symbolizes human life," said Aqil Irham.

“The 'gunungan' is drawn in a certain way as a calligraphy of the Arabic letter Ha, Lam Alif, and Lam in one sequence to form the word Halal,” he said.

This form illustrates the higher the knowledge and the older the age, humans must be more conical, or 'golong gilig', to merge soul, taste, creation, intention, and work in life.

The pattern surjan, also called a piety outfit, contains deep philosophical meanings. Among them, the neck of Surjan's shirt has 3 pairs of buttons, or 6 buttons in total, all of which describe the pillars of faith.