Halalan tayyiban concept from the perspective of Qur’anic thematic exegesis: identifying the main themes

The consistent use of the “halalan tayyiban” phrase, which appears four times in different chapters with four different backgrounds of revelations, indicates a serious conceptual idea revealed in the Qur’an. Therefore, the halalan tayyiban concept requires holistic and interconnected data to be analysed. Otherwise, the outcome will overlook some pertinent elements, ultimately affecting the concept’s overall structure. This article used the Qur’anic Thematic Exegesis in developing a holistic halalan tayyiban concept, in which all related verses were analysed to identify the essential divine themes revealed, they are: al-Baqarah (verse 168), al-Ma’idah (verse 88), al-Anfal (verse 69), and al-Nahl (verse 114). These related verses were systematically analysed to examine the contextual circumstances of revelation, identify thematic connections between related verses, and investigate exegetical interpretations relevant to the study. This study adopts a qualitative research design based on document analysis of authoritative Qur’anic exegetical works, ranging from the third century Hijri to contemporary twenty-first-century commentaries. The result reveals four main divine-based themes that are critical in the present halal industry requirements. They are; securing the belief system of Islam, emphasis on role of the divine law, the role of Islamic: social, economic and political injunction, and the role of prophet hood. These main themes have reflected most of the existing halal standard requirement within all processes, activities and practices of halal governance in Malaysia.