A lot has been said and will be said with regards the Orion saga and the subsequent 3rd Degree program. I would like to focus on one or two angles that perhaps require some focus and attention.
For me the discussion on how they reacted to Debora Patta is a side issue. I’m not trivialising it,but for me the crux of the matter is, how was it possible for Orion to get away with what they allegedly did?
Further, there seems to be no focus on the role of the Muslim consumer and the Muslim trader. Certifying bodies carry the bulk of the responsibility,but surely the Muslim trader needs to make more informed choices as to where they buy their stock from? No one seems to be asking as to whether their was any negligence on part of the traders? Who was purchasing and is still purchasing product from Orion?
Is it not a little hypocritical when many of us on one hand are comfortable eating and purchasing wherever there is a halaal label or a Muslim owner claiming that we shouldn’t doubt a Muslim,but then cry foul when we feel let down?
We wouldn’t invest our money with any Muslim, entrust our family to any Muslim ,marry our child to any Muslim yet are satisfied with a mere label when it comes to Halaal simply because it is issued by a Muslim or the store run by a Muslim? The certifying bodies carry responsibility on behalf of the Ummah,but that does not absolve us of asking questions,investigating,querying and making informed decisions as to whose certification we can trust.
The reason I bring this is up is because I strongly believe that the solution is contained within what is mentioned above.
If consumers do not purchase product or support outlets that carry certification of a body whose standards are inadequate,this will place pressure on both the certifying body and the suppliers to up the standards which will diminish the possibility of a repeat of a saga similar to the Orion one.
And Allah Ta’aala knows best!
sulaimaanravat 
Mashallah, I couldnt agree with you more. If I may so humbly share some views with you on the matter and perhaps a way forward inshallah for muslims as a whole.
Its not the fact they have made a fatal error in the way in which they conduct themselves as a well known organization that represents all muslims and as respected leaders in the community. The fact that they have turned Islam and its teachings and principles into nothing more than a PR Stunt gone wrong is what makes my blood boil!
Working in the main stream media industry, I’ve learned enough to know that PR is nothing but a matter of fabricating a more believable story out of one that is’nt entirely believable! In my humble opinion, the fact that we as muslims are referring to our beautiful religion as a marketing tool to prove we are right instead of accepting the fact that we have made serious errors in judgement proves how off course the ummah as a whole really are.
Islam should and always has relied on facts, transparency and truth, Ullema are nothing but “well learned” muslims in Kurts’s and Fez’s… under that they ARE nomal people, who are liable to make errors in judgement like everyone else. Yet they still maintain their innocence when the facts so clearly speak for themselves. What makes me even more angry is the fact they don’t expet us to question anything they do, but blindly follow and accept whatever they say like cattle. I think whats so overwhelming is the fact that Muslims no longer follow like cattle, we question what people say, we want to be involved in making decisions that affect us and our loved ones as an ummah. The minute you start losing respect for someone is when you realize they have no respect for you. Muslims everywhere follow one sunnah, One creator, yet we have so many differing views on things due to one thing Allah granted us… that is FREE WILL. The freedom to decide what is wrong and what is right for ourselves based on shariah and the Quraan and Sunnah of the Prophet saw. It is clearly stated that we should follow what is right and shun that which is wrong/ doubtful or steers us away from our beliefs. The biggest mistake the MJC has made in my opinion is proving to everyone, including us as muslims what a farce they really are by continually making Islam and its principles a PR stunt which they have admitted to. The fact that they constantly have admitted that they have no expertise in managing PR proves that they have strayed from the principles they so readily preach about. Islam does not need PR experts, Islam needs people who will admit their mistakes, gracefully and try to rectify the situation instead of playing these stupid PR games with the ummah and public at large.
Please MJC, please for the love of our religion , STOP disgracing us as muslims and just admit your fatal errors in judgement! It doesnt matter anymore who’s more right and who’s more wrong, The fact that it has been shown that we have massive gaps in our “checks and balances” shows that we need an overhaul, not just with you, but with all muslim organizations. The muslims want and need transparency, we need to know, we are in charge of what we consume, and are not going to leave it up to other people to decide for us any longer. The time for change is now, if you so badly want to make things right for everyone including yourselves, the best thing you can do is bow out gracefully and assist us with ensuring and improving the systems and checks we have so that it involves everyone and not just a handful of people deciding for everyone else. Please I beg of you… Help us Help the Ummah…!!!!
Sincerely Zeenat Shaikjee (concerned muslim)
?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????? ?????????????. I have been listening to this whole halaal n haraam saga for many years. Ever since the 1st debacle. With rainbow chicken, and MlPatel’s rahmatullahialai letter to them,I haven’t trusted anyone with my food stuff. Before this episode I had given up eating commercialised chicken. Or even anything that contained gelatine n emulsifyers. I’m an avid reader of the Majlis and even if I dnthave his Imaan ,I have. Been following his suggestions were food n immunisations. Are concerned. So far he has always been proven correct in some way or the other. I live in Durban and its disappointing to note the number of muslim families that frequent haraam establishments to eat. This saga is our lanat from ??????? ??????????? ??????????. We,as the ummati are gone gluttinous in our eating habits. We are so greedy for food that we have stopped worrying about its origin. Responsibility lies on our heads,each and every individual. Therefore I hang my head in shame because He chose to disgrace us because of our greed. (His kuffar that. He used to propel us into shock was truly ??????? ??????????? ?????????? plan. We have to stop blaming n name calling! Blame n namecall ourselves because we truly deserved this. May He open our eyes to the reality of our Deen ???? ????? ??????