Halal, Islamic, Muslim-Friendly: Do the Three Still Represent the Same Sharia Values?

Abstract

The growth of the global halal industry has transformed the position of Islamic values in contemporary economic and marketing activities. This development has encouraged the use of terms such as halal, Islamic, and Muslim-friendly to describe products, brands, services, and consumption experiences targeting Muslim consumers. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they have different conceptual scopes, orientations, and normative implications. This article critically examines the relationships and distinctions among halal, Islamic, and Muslim-friendly and explores whether they represent the same Sharia values. The study employs a qualitative approach through a critical literature review of research on the halal industry, Islamic marketing, Islamic branding, Muslim consumer behavior, Muslim-friendly services, Islamic business ethics, maqashid al-shariah, and value creation. The findings indicate that halal primarily refers to the normative permissibility of products, activities, or transactions, while Islamic encompasses broader Islamic values, ethics, principles, and orientations. In contrast, Muslim-friendly focuses on accommodating Muslim consumers' needs and preferences without necessarily implying comprehensive Sharia compliance. The article argues that equating these concepts may reduce Islamic values to marketing attributes. Therefore, distinguishing between sharia compliance, value orientation, consumer experience, and sharia impact is essential. The maqashid al-shariah perspective can help ensure that Islamic market claims generate maslahah, justice, trust, and social benefit.