Halal or haram is for scholars to decide, not officials, says Mufti Nasir ul Islam

August 14, 2025 by News Desk

Mufti, Nasir ul Islam, on Thursday said that the authority to determine whether meat is Halal or haram rests solely with Islamic scholars, not government officials.

Reacting to the Food Safety Department’s recent statement that the meat seized in Srinagar was halal but substandard, Mufti Nasir said that such religious classifications “fall strictly within the domain of Islamic jurisprudence.”

“Only qualified Islamic scholars can pronounce whether something is halal or haram. Government officers or departments have no mandate to make such declarations,” he told reporters, adding that official comments on the matter could create confusion among the public.

The Grand Mufti, however, said that ensuring food quality and safety was the government’s responsibility. “They can and should take strict action if food is found to be unsafe, substandard, or harmful. But when it comes to the religious status of food, that decision belongs to the scholars,” he noted.

The remarks come after the Food Safety Department clarified earlier this week that the meat seized in raids across Srinagar, including over 3,000 kilograms of kababs and gushtabas, was halal but violated health regulations due to lack of labeling and the use of artificial colouring.