KOTA KINABALU: A visiting Islamic scholar from the United States has labelled the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) ‘ignorant’ for refusing to grant halal status to Auntie Anne’s ‘pretzel dogs’.
Prominent Islamic scholar Azhar Haneef was quoted by a local daily as saying it is “ridiculous and small-minded to think that by changing a name, something becomes lawful (or) unlawful.
“The object is exactly the same. If I stand on the border of two nations, does it make half of me a believer and the other half an infidel?” he said.
He stressed that such ignorance could create “a destructive effect on peace-loving and tolerant societies” and warned it would breed intolerance.
Haneef, who has been an imam and missionary for 26 years, was in Sabah to give a talk at the Promoting Peace and Tolerance in a Multiracial Society forum held at the Palace Hotel here yesterday.
The forum was organised by the Labuan and Sabah Humanitarian Welfare Association, in collaboration with the International Human Rights Committee, United Kingdom.
Jakim’s ban on the word “dog” in Auntie Anne’s menu has not only received criticism across the nation, but also drawn worldwide ridicule as foreign media highlighted the news.
The word was banned as Jakim feels it would cause confusion among Muslims who would be led to think they are eating dog meat, which is deemed haram.
However, Jakim’s halal division director Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee had said that his statement announcing the ban was taken out of context by the media, explaining that Auntie Anne’s application for halal certification failed not because of the word “dog” but due to incomplete paperwork.
He said his previous comment, during which he said “In Islam, dogs are considered unclean and the name cannot be related to halal certification” was a general statement and not specific to Auntie Anne’s.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, who is in charge of Islamic affairs, had also recently said Jakim merely focused on the content of food and not their names.
Jamil had said Jakim is willing to discuss the matter with Auntie Anne’s over the pretzel chain’s halal certification.