Campbell's Soup, halal-certified. (Photo Credit: CC BY-SA/themuslim.ca)
In Arabic, the word halal means “permissible, lawful or recommended.” It applies to the dietary traditions of Muslims in much the same way kosher foods are sought by practitioners of Judaism. In what may be the largest push toward halal-certified food in the North American mass market, Campbell’s Soup will begin publishing the mark of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) on its products to signify that they meet halal standards, reports The Stir. Campbell’s products in Canada will be the first to bear the ISNA insignia.
Campbell’s soup halal has Warhol ‘spinning in his grave’
There is no small amount of controversy surrounding the move toward Campbell Soup halal-certified products. According to The Stir, the ISNA has admitted ties to the fundamentalist organization Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by numerous countries, including the United States. Furthermore, multiple sources indicate that the ISNA is funded by the Sunni Wahhabi sect. Wikipedia states that the group, which was founded by the 18th century scholar Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, advocates “purging Islam of impurities.” A NGO Freedom House study found numerous modern-day Wahhabi publications recommending that Muslims should “always oppose infidels in every way” and “hate them for their religion… for Allah’s sake.” For such reasons, The Stir thinks Andy Warhol – who created America’s iconic Campbell’s Soup can painting – would be spinning in his grave.
Boycott Campbell Soup: The Facebook group
Kosher foods are commonplace in American markets, and the presence of such products generally does not cause unrest. However, what are perceived by some as all-too-apparent links to terrorism have germinated various grassroots movements, like the Facebook group “Boycott Campbell Soup.” When Campbell says that “a Halal mark doesn’t change what’s inside the can — it means only that the ingredients used to make the soup have been reviewed by the largest non-profit, religious, educational, and non-political Islamic organization in North America,” what groups like Boycott Campbell Soup hear is tacit acceptance of terrorist activities in the name of corporate profit. What Campbell Canada calls a “commitment to diversity and extraordinary, authentic nourishment for all,” others call an affront to freedom-loving peoples.
Campbell’s Consumer Response Center, which can be reached at 800-410-7687, is prepared to take calls.
Sources:
Campbell Halal-Certified Products
Facebook: Boycott Campbell’s Soup
Islamic Society of North America
How to prepare a halal meal
