Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more CAIR’s Halal Power Play: Nihad Awad Demands Government-Enforced Certification Through Local, State, and Federal Legislation (Video)

Janet Levy:  Recite the response to that BIG FAT LIE after me:

– The United States is not a democracy. It is a CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC.

– The Establishment Clause in the First Amendment PROHIBITS the government from creating an official state religion OR favoring one religion over another or favoring religion over non-religion.

– There is NO connection here with KOSHER. Kosher slaughter is private, voluntary, and run by independent rabbinical organizations.

– There are no federal Kosher laws that have to be conformed to.

– Halal is a choice like Kosher.

Note to Halal Muslims: Take care of your own religious needs like Jews do. The government of the United States does NOT do this nor can they by law.

THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE SHARIA ON ALL AMERICANS.

“Humankind cannot bear very much reality.”
? T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets

RAIR Foundation USA | Apr 28

Image via Rairfoundation 

In a 2021 speech, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad revealed the next stage of the organization’s long-term strategy: turning Halal certification into a government-enforced system protected by legislation at the local, state, and federal levels.

Speaking in calm, reasonable tones about “consumer trust,” “consensus,” and “problem-solving,” Awad laid out a detailed plan that goes far beyond voluntary religious accommodation. He is openly calling for the U.S. government to get deeply involved in regulating, certifying, and enforcing Islamic dietary standards.

The Real Agenda

Awad complained that Muslims currently have to read labels themselves because there are too many competing Halal logos and no trusted national standard. His solution?

• Create a unified American Muslim Halal certification process.
• Pass legislation at city, state, and federal levels to “protect the brand,” provide “oversight,” and allow government agencies to punish violators.
• Use the power of the state to enforce compliance.

He explicitly said:

Pass legislation at the local, city, state, and federal level, and the government will be on your side to enforce it.”

This is not about private religious practice.

This is about institutionalizing Halal as a regulated national standard, the same playbook CAIR has used on everything from hijabs in the workplace to Hollywood censorship.

Two Major Deceptions

1. “This is how democracy works.”

Awad repeatedly framed his push as normal democratic participation.

Reality: The United States is a Constitutional Republic, not a pure democracy. The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause exists precisely to prevent the government from getting entangled in defining, certifying, or enforcing religious doctrines. Awad is using commonly misunderstood democratic rhetoric to bypass constitutional limits.

2. The Kosher Analogy

Awad pointed to the Jewish community’s Kosher system as a successful model.
Reality: Kosher certification in America is almost entirely private and voluntary. It is run by independent rabbinical organizations. There are no comprehensive federal Kosher laws, and courts have struck down overreaching state attempts to define or enforce religious standards. Awad is deliberately misrepresenting how Kosher works to make government-enforced Halal sound harmless and mainstream.

The Bigger Picture: Creeping Institutionalization

This speech fits a clear pattern:

• Phase 1: Demand “accommodation” (allow Halal options in schools, prisons, airports, etc.).
• Phase 2: Normalization (many institutions quietly switch to Halal-only to simplify operations and avoid complaints).
• Phase 3: Legislative capture: Turn Halal into a protected, government-backed standard that gives Muslim certifiers economic power and cultural dominance.

The more Halal becomes the regulated default, the more non-Muslims will end up subsidizing and normalizing Islamic dietary rules, whether they want to or not.

Strategic Goal:

Awad is not hiding the ambition. He wants American Muslims to lead not only in business but eventually export their “solutions” back to the Muslim world.

He even suggested CAIR should adopt federal Halal legislation as one of its strategic goals. This is classic CAIR: Start with reasonable-sounding requests, then steadily expand influence until Islamic norms are embedded in American law and institutions.

Americans should be very clear about what is being proposed here: government enforcement of Islamic religious law under the guise of consumer protection and civil rights.