CELLPHONES TELL YOU WHEN TO PRAY
Technology has taken a new twist to provide Muslims with trendy and sophisticated gadgets. The most sought for item would be cellphones packed with features to help Muslims fulfill their daily prayer obligations. Dubai based telecommunication company, Ilkone, lauched its Ilkone i800, a US$400 phone that recites the Islamic call to prayer, provides prayer times for more than 5,000 cities and has a digital compass indicating the direction of Mecca.
Korea, popular for giving consumers the latest products, is also not to be left out. Penman Corp, has come up with a digital version of the Quran in Arabic and English with full recordings of the Holy Book and earphones, and a digital compass indicating the direction of Mecca, complete with alarms for prayer times in 25 cities. For certification of the products, Penman sought approval from the highest body of Islamic teaching including the Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Islamic Research Academy in Cairo. After approval from Al-Azhar, Ilkone ensured its cellphones complied with telecommunication standards in Asia and also met approval of local Islamic authorities.
HALAL MENINGITIS VACCINE FOR PILGRIMS
Hajj pilgrims will soon be able to get a Halal vaccine for meningococcal meningitis, thanks to Malaysian company Finlay-Heber-Bioven Sdn Bhd. The company, a subsidiary of Bioven Holdings Sdn Bhd, worked with the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Cuba to develop the vaccine to treat meningitis. The collaboration will also involve experts from Universiti Sains Malaysia and other local universities. The company hopes to market the vaccine globally, especially to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference countries.
RE-THINKING THE SAUSAGE –HALAL & HEALTHY
Prima Agri-Products are not just breaking ground with their Halal Hub project; they have been busy in the kitchen too. A four-year collaboration with the Malaysian National Palm Oil Board has resulted in the production of Safar, used in the making of sausages and burgers, a speciality animal-fat substitute used to bind the meat in sausages and burgers. It is a wholly vegetable product that is 100% cholesterol free. Under their Prima and Baguz labels, Prima market over 60 varieties of sausages products found Pakistan, Bangladesh the EU.
**This compilation was first published in The Halal Journal Pilot Issue (August 2004).