MJCHT Significant Milestones

• Prior to 1945 – The Western Cape ‘ulamā (spiritual leaders) were involved in ḥalal slaughtering throughout the Western Cape. During this time, the late Imāms Suleiman Harris and Abubakr Saban slaughtered chicken for a small Jewish chicken business in Somerset Road, Sea Point (Cape Town) for Muslim consumption. Therefore, the MJC certified the Jewish chicken business as ḥalal, which was denoted as the MJC’s first ḥalal certification.

• The late Imam Suleiman Harris was the first ḥalal slaughterer at the Maitland Abattoirs in Cape Town.

• 1953 – The MJCHT issued the first official non-meat ḥalal certificate to Maypole Margarine.

• 1958 – The MJCHT entered into an alliance with the Muslim Butchers Association, particularly to administer the slaughtering of Halal animals at the Maitland abbatoirs.

• 1958 – The Maitland abbatoir was the first of its kind in a Muslim minority country.

• 1958 – The first supervisor at the Maitland abbatoir was the late Shaykh Nazeem Mohamed, who served until 1961, the second was the late Shaykh Abubakr Najaar who served from 1961 to 1983 and was succeeded by the late Imaam Yasin Harris.

• 1985 – The contractual agreement between the MJCHT and the Muslim Butchers Association (MBA) came to an end on the 30 September 1985.

• 1986 – MJCHT was registered as a trust with the South African government (Registration No. T.975/92)

• 1986 – The first members to serve on the MJCHT were the late Imam Yasin Harris (Supervisor), the late Shaykh Ebrahim Majiet and the late Shaykh Amien Manuel (Inspectors).

• 2010 – The MJC Halaal Trust attended the Malaysian Halal Expo 2010 in June and was represented by Sh Achmat Sedick and Imam Omar Slamang. The Expo presented the 5th World Halal Forum Conference, 3rd World Halal Research Summit, Jakim – (Finalization of Global Halal Standards) and MIHAS (The Halal EXPO at the MATRADE CENTRE).

• 2015 – The MJCHT was given official international recognition as the first and oldest Halal Certifying Body in the world by the International Trade Centre, World Trade Organization and the United Nations’ publication titled “From niche to mainstream – Halal goes Global” (2015).

• 2018 – MJC Halaal Trust received certification of recognition by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) Department of Islamic Development Malaysia.