Programme > Abstracts > Fischer Johan

Halal production, trade, and certification have become essential to state-regulated Islam and to companies in contemporary Singapore, but also globally. In the rapidly expanding global market for halal products this country holds a special position, that is, it is one of the few countries in the world where a state body certifies halal products as well as spaces (shops, factories and restaurants) and work processes. In shops around the world, consumers can find state halal-certified products from Singapore. Building on ethnographic material from Singapore, this paper provides an exploration of the role of halal production, trade and regulation between Islam, states and markets. More specifically, I explore the workings of Islamic bureaucracies with particular focus on halal training arranged by Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) or in English the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. This training is mandatory for companies and it plays an important role in the context of changing landscapes of halal legality and regulation.