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A National Executive member of the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) has defended its organisation's actions.

His comments came after it was revealed the HMC were distributing leaflets to members of the public telling them that there were only a number of selected certified HMC outlets in the region.

Maulana Hanif Dudhwala said the HMC was forced to print the leaflet because it had been claimed by some businesses that they were HMC approved when they were not.

"Only four food shops and butchers in the town of Blackburn are HMC approved. No other outlet should claim that it is HMC approved. At present there are no HMC certified takeaways or restaurants in Blackburn."

"We cannot take responsibility for other outlets. Only those that are HMC approved."

The leaflet states that the following are approved, KQF, (George St West); Seedat Bro's International, (Fort St); Little Harwood Halal Butchers and Marhaba Cash and Carry. Three outlets in Bolton are certified.

The three Bolton outlets are: Bolton Fish Bazaar and Fresh Lamb (Both on St Helens Road) and Bar. B. Q. Base (Derby Street) And no other outlets in the North West are approved by the HMC. Organisations that bought from HMC approved agents were not certified as HMC approved.

He went on to explain how the HMC worked. "The Islamic criteria universally states the animal should not be stunned before the recitation of the Kalima. There may well be different schools of thought on the matter but the HMC method does not condone abattoirs using mechanical slaughter methods and fatal stunning techniques unabated."

On it's website HMC states the following factors it has adopted. That manual slaughter be by a Muslim (non-mechanical), verbal recitation of Allah's name (no blessed blades ot pre-recorded bismillah) and ensuring the muinimum amount of of vessels are severed.

"Across the UK there are are now approximately 100 outlets HMC approved and we employ 63 people as inspectors. This is increasing all the time.

"The inspectors job is to be there at the time of the slaughter. We charge the slaughterhouse a nominal fee for this. In addition to this - monitors go into to inspect supermarkets and butchers selling meat.

"They can be charged up to £30 a month for this service. Each outlet then has a new certificate every month.

"The public can then be safe in the knowledge that standards are being met and adhered to.

"We are not there to make money - this is a simple yet effiicient service so the member of the public can be assured that the food is halal."

"What I must point out is that the HMC is a non-profit making organisation and we have a set of volunteers working for us."

However, the organisation has recently come in for criticism with local busineses saying they are being pressurised' into joining up.

Maullana Hanif again stressed it was the public who were helping to make the changes.

"There are essentially three reasons why some businesses are not HMC approved "First of all there are different Halal monitoring groups and outlets can be approved by them if they wish. Secondly, some outlets feel we are questioning their integrity by even proposing the HMC method should be used.

"And thirdly, it does boil down to quality and cost sometimes. There are only a certain number of HMC approved slaughterhouses from where the meat can be bought.

"And businesses are not always going to be happy if they are getting a better price elsewhere."

Mr Hanif was quick to stress that HMC did not want to label any outlets as haram.

"We are are not here to judge anyone. We do not want to label anyone as haram. All we are saying with this leafet is that the following are approved by us.

"In essence what people should understand is that the Islamic ruling on eating Halal meat is based on trust. If you trust your local supplier or butcher - then that is good enough.

"If however some information is disclosed to you that the meat may not be halal then it is your responsibility to take action."

"We as an organisation are not in the business of naming and shaming anyone."

10:40am Monday 22nd October 2007

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