<Special Feature: Accountability in Islamic Economy: Transforming Religiosity and Religious Experience in Muslim Societies> Whose Accountability? :Reflections on Halal Food Production and Consumption in the Recent Global Islamization

Abstract

“Whose accountability” discussed in this paper re-examines accountability in the Islamic economy from three perspectives: Muslim individuals, the central government, and non-Muslims. This paper focuses on Malaysia's halal industry and examines the hisbah (ḥisba) concept of accountability, which underpins the traditional Islamic market, making the following three points. (1) In traditional societies, it was vital for individual Muslims to observe Islamic law, both in manufacturing and consumption. This reflects the principle of self-determination inherent in Islam's foundation as a “religion of self-responsibility.” (2) The Islamic Revival considerably transformed the economic market structure of traditional Islamic societies. (3) The emergence of the halal industry created a new economic system for the Islamic market that transcended religious boundaries, involving Muslims and non-Muslims. Moreover, these successes represent major political achievements. Some halal industry studies have examined the practice of business ethics in traditional Islamic markets on the subject of halal and linked shariah compliance to the practice of hisbah, specifically how the halal industry and its governing institutions interpret and implement this concept. This paper discusses the contemporary aspects of the Islamic economy and demonstrates that the rules and regulations of the halal industry in the Islamic economy are now being applied to non-Muslim stakeholders as well.