A Critical Evaluation of Halal Food and Halal Tourism Sectors

Abstract

This article aims to make a critical evaluation of the concept of "halal food certificate", which is the basic instrument of the halal food sector, and ontological analysis of the halal tourism sector from an Islamic perspective. In the first part of this study, through a conceptual analysis of halal food rather than its practical aspects, it is discussed how the use of the concept of "halal" for food can lead to commodification. In addition, the consequences of standardization that will be created through certificates in the capitalist market system are discussed. In the second part of the study, it is argued that the halal tourism sector, as another halal sector, consists of Islamizing the tourism sector, which is currently operating in the capitalist system, through filtering out the elements that are not compatible with Islam, rather than presenting an alternative experience in terms of reasons and consequences. If we analyze the concept of tourism from an ontological point of view, we can claim that this concept owes its emergence to the capitalist system. For this reason, we can argue that any attempt to Islamize the concept of tourism actually serves the capitalist system to function more inclusively. As analyzed in this article, seeing the "halalization" process of concepts such as tourism as the ultimate goal will be insufficient to build a society based on Islamic principles. Instead, it should be seen that these attempts are a superficial solution allowed by the current system, and an effort should be made to establish relationships and institutions built on Islamic principles.

Keywords

• Halal Food
• Certificate
• Halal Tourism
• Commodification
• Islamic Economics

Helal Gıda ve Helal Turizm Sektörlerinin Eleştirel Bir Değerlendirmesi

Öz

Bu makalenin amacı, helal gıda sektörünün temel enstrümanı olan “helal gıda sertifikası” kavramının eleştirel bir değerlendirmesini ve helal turizm sektörünün İslami açıdan ontolojik bir analizini yapmaktır. Bu çalışmanın ilk kısmında helal gıdanın pratiğe bakan yönlerinden ziyade kavramsal bir analizi yapılarak “helal” kavramının gıda için kullanılmaya başlamasının nasıl bir metalaşmaya yol açabileceği ele alınacaktır. Ayrıca, kapitalist piyasa sistemi içerisinde sertifikalar aracılığıyla oluşturulacak bir standartlaşmanın nasıl sonuçlar doğurabileceğine değinilecektir. Çalışmanın ikinci kısmında ise diğer bir helal sektör olan helal turizm sektörü analiz edilerek -sebep ve sonuçları itibariyle- alternatif bir tecrübe sunmaktan ziyade, hali hazırda kapitalist sistem içerisinde faaliyet gösteren turizm sektörünün İslamileştirilerek İslam’a uygun olmayan öğelerinin çıkartılmasından ibaret olduğu savunulacaktır. Eğer turizm kavramını ontolojik açıdan analiz edecek olursak, bu kavramın ortaya çıkışını kapitalist sisteme borçlu olduğunu iddia edebiliriz. Bu sebeple, turizm kavramına dair her türlü İslamileştirme girişimi aslında kapitalist sistemin daha kapsayıcı şekilde işlemesine yaradığını öne sürebiliriz. Bu makalede analiz edildiği üzere, turizm gibi kavramları “helalleştirme” sürecini nihai hedef olarak görmek İslami prensipler üzerine kurulu bir toplum inşa etmekte yetersiz kalacaktır. Bunun yerine, bu girişimlerin mevcut sistem tarafından izin verilen yüzeysel bir çözüm olduğunun görülmesi ve İslami prensiplere göre inşa edilen ilişkiler ve kurumlar oluşturulmasına gayret edilmelidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Helal Gıda
• Sertifika
• Helal Turizm
• Metalaşma
• İslam Ekonomisi

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