The US Muslim Bloggers Use Social Media for Halal Food Information
Michigan, MINA – Finding halal food may be a challenge for many Muslims in several regions of the United States.
However, in Dearborn, the city with the largest Arab and Muslim population in Michigan, the halal food options are very diverse and interesting.
Giving Muslims information about the halal industry, Instagram influencer Abe Obeid has a unique way to attract “hungry” followers from across the country to find out more about halal food, according to AboutIslam.
A food lover himself, Abe started the Halal Food Junkie Instagram page in 2017. Now, with 20,000 followers, he refers his success to his being everywhere around town.
“I’m part of the community a lot … events, you see me at the mosque, I’m everywhere. I used to go out three-four times a day and push out content,” he told The Detroit News.
His first spike in success came in 2019 when he started showing videos of his mother’s cooking during Ramadan. The number has increased significantly when Muslims celebrate Ramadan 2020 at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During Ramadan everyone siting there at home. You’re not going out, you’re tired, you’re fasting all day and you don’t eat until 9 p.m. at night,” the alumnus of Fordson High School and Central Michigan University said.
“So right before iftar, I will post a video of my mom making food. I saw my story views go up a thousand, everyone’s online. I just kept doing it,” he added.
After the success, Obeid social media became a full-time job, featuring several restaurants on its page.
Obeid currently works on the Halal Food Junkie app which connects diners and restaurants and offers discounts.
He has big dreams for the future, considering opening a food truck to sell fried chicken sandwiches.
Success stories related to halal food are common across the world.
Last November, two young Muslim teens started a new food pantry to provide all inclusive meals for the neighborhood, in Memphis, Tennessee.
A Muslim couple in Fredericton Canada launched a halal food business in June 2020 called Simply Fresh Halal Meals.
Halal is an Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted. In general, every food is considered halal in Islam unless specifically prohibited by the Al-Qur’an or the Hadith.
This term is commonly used for meat, but also applies to other food products, cosmetics, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals which mustn’t be derived from non-halal sources like pork.
Halal also applies to any other consumed and edible materials which mustn’t be harmful to human health. For example, Islam considers wine, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, e-cigs, hookah and other unhealthy things to be non-halal.
For something to be considered halal, the animal must be well treated, raised in a humane and healthy way, and slaughtered according to the Shari’ah for hygiene reasons. (T/R7/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
