With Mandatory Halal Certification Due in October 2026, Indonesia’s MUI Says: Say No to Uncertified Restaurants

Indonesia’s Ulama Council is urging Muslim consumers to reject restaurants that lack halal certification as the country approaches the full implementation of mandatory halal certification on October 17, 2026.

Asrorun Niam Sholeh, chairman of the council’s Fatwa Division, called on Muslims to choose only halal-certified restaurants and products, including food, medicines and cosmetics. He said businesses that must obtain certification but refuse to do so could face administrative sanctions, legal sanctions and moral sanctions.

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That is why I also urge every Muslim consumer to choose only halal restaurants, food, medicines and cosmetics.

Niam said Muslims should avoid not only forbidden products but also items whose status is uncertain. “Say no to restaurants that are not halal-certified,” he said at an event in Jakarta on September 2, 2026.

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Say no to restaurants that are not halal-certified.

He also cautioned consumers against treating “No Pork No Lard” as proof that a restaurant is halal. The label, he said, amounts only to a unilateral declaration by the business. Meat may come from an animal permitted under Islamic law, but the slaughtering process could still fail to meet religious requirements. Seafood could likewise become forbidden if it is cooked with alcohol.

Niam warned that businesses could face criminal penalties for presenting an unverified halal claim. A halal designation, he said, should follow an inspection process rather than rely solely on the restaurant’s own statement.

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It could even lead to criminal prosecution for providing invalid information, because it is merely a unilateral declaration claiming something is halal without an inspection process.