MUI: Avoid Buying US Products with Unclear Halal Status

Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Fatwa Division Chairman Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh has called on the public not to purchase products from the United States that lack clear halal status. “Avoid food products that are not halal or whose halal status is unclear, including US products that do not comply with halal regulations,” Ni’am said in a written statement cited on Sunday, 22 February 2026.

Ni’am stated that all countries have an obligation to obtain halal certification for every product that enters, circulates, or is traded in Indonesia. This requirement, he said, is non-negotiable, including by the United States government.

“Our legislation governs halal product guarantees. Among other things, it stipulates that every product entering, circulating, and/or traded within Indonesian territory must be halal-certified,” he said.

Furthermore, he conveyed that the current halal product regulations also constitute an implementation of human rights protections, particularly the right to religious freedom, which is already constitutionally guaranteed.

Ni’am emphasised that the principle of trade in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh muamalah) does not depend on who the trading partner is, but rather on the rules of engagement. According to him, Indonesia needs to conduct trade transactions with an approach based on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and free from political pressure with any country, including the United States.

In the context of halal, Ni’am noted, the majority of Indonesia’s population is Muslim, and every Muslim is bound by product halal requirements. “Law Number 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Guarantees states that all products entering and circulating in Indonesia must possess halal certification,” he said.

He further explained that this regulation is a form of state protection over public consumption and is guaranteed within the framework of human rights.

Ni’am stated that he had visited various US states as part of cooperation processes with halal bodies. During his visits, he observed that the halal certification system is also recognised in the United States. “If America talks about human rights, then halal certification is part of implementing respect and appreciation for the most fundamental human right, namely the right to religious freedom,” he said.

Moreover, Ni’am stressed that halal consumption is a religious obligation. “It cannot be negotiated, let alone bartered for price. For example, we might buy goods at a cheap price, but they are not halal. Even if given for free, if it is not halal, it must not be consumed,” he said.