This behaviour is strongly shaped by influencers who now play a major role in guiding lifestyle choices online. When influencers promote new and eye-catching foods, many followers are quick to join the trend without first checking whether the food complies with Islamic dietary requirements.

Instead, attention is often focused on sharing attractive photos or participating in online conversations. As a result, some consumers later discover that the food contains pork-derived gelatin, alcoholbased ingredients, or other questionable ingredients.

In the rush to keep up with trends and gain social approval, an important question is often forgotten: Have we become so influenced by viral food culture that we no longer stop to ask whether what we consume is halal or haram?

TREND OR TRAP?

Imagine scrolling through TikTok late at night and suddenly seeing a new food trend everywhere on your feed. It could be a Dubai chocolate dessert, a viral imported snack, or fried noodles from a non-Muslim restaurant promoting itself as“ no pork, no lard.”

Within hours, the trend spreads rapidly across social media, and the pressure of FOMO( Fear of Missing Out) begins to build. Many people immediately want to try the food, so they do not feel left out.

However, in the excitement of following the trend, one important step is often ignored: verifying whether the food is truly halal.

Unfortunately, studies show that many young Muslims do not consistently check halal status before purchasing trendy food items. A 2025 study on Indonesian Muslim Gen Z found that only 37 per cent regularly check halal labels, while 54 per cent admitted that social media influence and peer pressure affect their decisions even when

BY KHAIRUL RAAIDA ROSLI

Department Fiqh

and Usul Al-Fiqh,

AbdulHamid A. Abu

Sulayman Kulliyyah

of Islamic Revealed

Knowledge and Human

Sciences( AHAS KIRKHS),

International Islamic

University Malaysia

AND

DR NUR HANIE MOHD LATIFF

International Institute for

Halal Research and Training

, International Islamic

University Malaysia

the halal status is unclear.

The same study also reported that 65 per cent of respondents had tried Korean cuisine, while 92 per cent were familiar with it( Daulay et al., 2025). This reflects how quickly foreign food trends spread through social media and become part of everyday consumer culture.

A similar situation can be seen in Malaysia. A study involving 404 respondents found that 76.5 per cent actively follow food influencers, and 70.5 per cent admitted that influencer content directly affects their purchasing decisions.

TikTok was identified as the most influential platform, with short-form videos spreading food trends much faster than traditional advertising. In fact, 58 % of respondents considered influencer marketing more effective than conventional promotional campaigns( Hashim et al., 2025).

These findings show how strongly online personalities shape food choices, especially among younger audiences.

Malaysia’ s food influencer scene clearly reflects this influence. Muslim influencers generally prioritise“ Muslim-friendly content”. At the same time, non-Muslim influencers also attract large Muslim audiences.

While some creators occasionally label their content as“ Halal” or“ Pork-Free”, many others do not mention halal status at all. Even so, many viewers still assume the food is permissible.

This assumption can be risky. In 2017, Indonesia’ s Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan( BPOM) recalled Korean instant noodles after undeclared pork ingredients were discovered in the products( Daulay et al., 2025).

This case serves as a reminder that popularity and widespread consumption do not guarantee halal compliance. Studies also show that influencers can intensify FOMO and encourage impulsive purchasing behaviour, leading consumers to make decisions without proper verification.

Therefore, Muslims should not rely solely on social media recommendations when choosing what to eat. The message is clear: a food item’ s viral status is never a substitute for halal verification.

CLEAR GUIDANCE

Islam provides clear guidance on food consumption that extends beyond determining whether a food is halal or haram. The concept of toyyib refers to food that is pure, wholesome, safe, and beneficial.

As such, Muslims are encouraged to consume food that fulfils both halal and toyyib principles. When the ingredients, source, or method of preparation of a viral food item are unclear, its status should be verified before consumption.

Popularity on social media is not a sufficient basis for determining whether a food meets Islamic dietary requirements. Islam also strongly warns against israf( wastefulness and excess):

“ O Children of Adam! Dress properly whenever you are at worship. Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful.”( Quran, Al-A‘ raf, 7:31)

Chasing viral trends can often lead to overbuying and waste, which is exactly what Allah warns against.

From the perspective of Maqasid al- Shariah, halal certification protects three things: protection of our religion( hifz al-din), protection of our health( hifz alnafs), and protection of our wealth( hifz al-mal).

When we ignore halal status for the sake of a trend, we risk all three. Islam also teaches hisbah, which is the duty to check what we buy and eat. We cannot just follow the crowd.

In addition, there is amanah( trust). Muslim influencers should view themselves as ethical communicators with a responsibility to ensure their messages align with Shariah.

At the same time, Muslim consumers also carry a responsibility to make mindful choices guided by Islamic principles. Both groups share the trust of upholding ethical consumption.

A true Muslim consumer should not be a slave to trends or fleeting desires. Before clicking“ buy”, ask yourself: Is it halal? Is it toyyib? Am I following Islamic guidance