Analysis of Physicochemical Transformation (Istiḥālah) Issues in Halal Industry according to Shari'ah Perspective

The process of istiḥālah is applied widely in multiple halal industries. However, Muslim jurist have different opinions about the ruling of istiḥālah process. Hence, this paper purports to look into the perspective of Shari'ah about some contemporary istiḥālah issues in the halal industry and its application in Malaysia. Qualitative methodology was adopted by collecting and analyzing the opinions of Islamic jurists relating to the process of istiḥālah and issues related. The study finds that the opinions by Muslim jurists regarding an istiḥālah process that is applied holistically and scientifically can significantly impact the halal status of a product being studied. Keywords: Istiḥālah; Halal Industry; Halal Issues eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6iSI6.303

Penggunaan sutur dalam bidang perubatan: Analisis dari perspektif Sains dan Islam / Nur Farhani Zarmani

Halal certification practices are growing due to the rapid development of the global halal industry. It is no longer confined to food products, but has now encompassed a wide range of products such as consumables, cosmetics, toiletries, and pharmaceutical products. There is a recent demand for halal certification from another healthcare sector which is medical devices, which covers all types of medical equipment used in hospitals from simple equipment such as bandages to complex equipment such as ventilators. This matter has been raised by the industry as halal labeling is not only an added value to products, but is also a requirement to penetrate the market of Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. Nevertheless, the halal certification for medical device products has yet to be implemented due to non-availability of standards or guidelines that can be applied to produce halal medical devices. In reality, not all medical devices need to be labeled as halal, instead only devices that incorporate animal tissues, in contact with or invasive to the body, and produce reaction to body. Therefore, this study will focus on the halal issues related to medical devices through a study on a device that not only meets all four criteria, but is also one of the devices that are widely used to stitch and close the wounds of patients after surgery or injury, namely sutures. In addition, this study also analyzes the content of selected sutures in the local market from the perspective of science, besides clarifying the legal use of sutures from the perspective of Islamic ruling. To achieve these objectives, qualitative research method involving data collection through library research, as well as field studies involving laboratory testing and in-depth interviews with industry players, the authorities of the medical device, the authorities of religion and experts on Islamic ruling and practitioners. The data collected were then analyzed using inductive, deductive, comparatives and content analyses. The results show that halal issues in the supply chain of sutures exist in the selection of raw materials, followed by the manufacturing, distribution and the use of sutures in hospitals. In addition, the laboratory analysis shows that there was no prohibited source such as porcine elements in the content of sutures, but there exists elements of vertebrates. With regard to the status of resources, processes, reactions and the effects on the use of sutures in the medical field, this study found that there is a diversity of Islamic ruling, and there is room for the application of methods such as al-istihlak, al-darurah and al-hajah. Therefore, the study also recommends a number of components in the development of halal medical device guidelines that combine aspects of halal and safety

Limitations of ICT Support in Post-Pandemic E-Learning among Students of Islamic Studies, UiTM Shah Alam

ICT is an important factor in supporting e-learning, especially in the post-pandemic period. However, ICT has also been found to have limitations in supporting e-learning. This study focuses on identifying the limitations of ICT support in pursuing e-learning and methods to address it at the higher education level. The final year student of Islamic studies at the Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam was involved as a respondent (n=87) after screening. The online questionnaire is used as an instrument of data collection as e-learning is still applied. The data is analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics computer software. Friedman’s test results found a significant difference in the variable “Unsatisfactory internet access and coverage” (mean rank: 2.75) with χ2(3)=12.507, ρ=.006, and on the variable “Working in part-time jobs to accommodate the needs” (mean rank: 2.83) with χ2(3)=24.788, ρ=.000. This study suggests unsatisfactory internet access and coverage as a major factor in ICT limitations that is common in pursuing online learning among higher education students in UiTM Shah Alam. The students also had to work part-time jobs to accommodate this need. A qualitative approach, especially ethnography is recommended to be adapted to deepen the real situation based on the current reality of higher education students for future studies