A,The Labor Exploitation in the Halal Industry

A Study of Islamic Law and Human Rights Perspectives

Abstrak

The rapid expansion of the global halal industry, spanning food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and finance, has been accompanied by critical challenges concerning labor rights. This study examines labor exploitation within the halal industry through the dual frameworks of Islamic law and human rights (HR). Using a normative and empirical approach, the research analyzes regulator weaknesses, supply chain practices, and case studies from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Middle East, and Brazil. The findings reveal that exploitative practices such as excessive working hours, unfair wages, forced labor, and inadequate legal protection for migrant workers stand in stark contrast to the ethical principles of Islam, which emphasize justice (a’dl), fairness in wages, and the protection of human dignity, as well as international HR standards established by the ILO and UDHR. The study highlights how the current halal certification system largely neglects labor welfare, focusing primarily on material inputs and production processes. From the Islamic perspective, exploitation violates the maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah, particularly the protection of life (ḥifẓ al-nafs) and wealth (ḥifẓ al-māl), while from the HR perspective, it breaches international conventions on decent work and freedom from forced labor. This research argues for an integrative reform of halal certification and labor regulation by embedding an Islamic ethical, sustainable, and socially just system that upholds both religious integrity and the fundamental rights of workers