From Permissible to Wholesome: Situating halal organic farms within the sustainability discourse​

The discourse on sustainability, with its trilateral emphases on economy, environment, and social equity, is playing a major role in the growing awareness of contemporary food production methods. The importance of eating local organically produced food has gained mainstream and global recognition. Within communities adhering to religious dietary restrictions, becoming aware of the environmental impact of food production adds another layer to 'eating mindfully.' By discursively decentering materialism, the breadth and depth of motivations for practices encompassed within the sustainability discourse widens, providing space for multiple faith-based 'green' initiatives to develop. The impetus for developing sustainable practices is often found within these communities' own traditions, meshing sustainability awareness with religious conceptions of the world. This essay will focus on the emergence of halal organic farms to explore contemporary intersections of the Islamic tradition and the sustainability movement.

Keywords: Organic farms; halal, food production; Islam and the environment; sustainability; tayyib

Journal of Islamic Sciences, Vol. 13 (Summer 2015) No. 1

Noor Fatima Kareema Iqbal

Noor F. K. Iqbal has a B.A. in History and German Literature from the University of Alberta and a B.Ed. in Outdoor and Experiential Education at Queen's University