Saffron Road...Go Get Some of Halal Goodness!

My trip to the Bay was like returning to the comfort of a family member's home. The people and places are all very familiar, and the hospitality is always amazing. And this trip was no different!

Photo from the Muslim Community Association in Santa Clara, CA

Actually, it was a little different.  This summer I was not teaching Arabic at Zaytuna College. My time in the Bay was spent connecting with people and informing them about Saffron Road's incredible work.

Summer Arabic Language students at Zaytuna College

This trip had me thinking a lot about Ramadan, not only about the physical struggle of fasting. It also made me think about the struggle in following God's command to eat from that  which is halal and pure!

Ramadan is about reduction, and it is through reduction that we find the blessings of God's generosity, grace and benevolence showered upon us like no other time. And it is during this month where the connection between food and spirituality becomes very clear. I have made a conscious decision to eat from that which is halal and pure, and after spending almost the entire month of June on the road visiting the Saffron Road farm and production facility and speaking about this product, I am even more impressed by the vision of this company.

The Abbasi family [Hamza will attend Dartmouth in the Fall]

While on the road Mustafa and I met many people, and consistently from NY to the Bay, people who tried Saffron Road expressed to me that the food was absolutely delicious. However, as the conversation moved beyond taste, it was apparent that people are most impressed with the standards that Saffron Road established in the halal food industry.

This is the game changer! This is why I leave my family and get on the road and promote this product, because I feel an obligation to inform as many people as I can about halal food that is "mainstream" and has not compromised or abandoned any of the ethical or moral values that are important to everyone of us regarding our food.

Pertaining to spirituality in the Islamic tradition, a Muslim should be concerned with what comes out of their mouth and what goes in it, because with both are consequences. Being scrupulous in what we eat leads to greater spiritual clarity and it proximity to God. Truly, I am grateful to have a food option like Saffron Road.

The Future!

When I became Muslim in the mid-nineties there were not many halal food options beyond major cities, and the halal options were very limited, nearly unregulated and not even considering issues around humane, antibiotic free and hormone free products.

However, in  a relatively short period of time all of that has changed. For example, this past weekend I was in Amherst, Mass in the Western part of the state. An area which is relatively isolated, definitely not a bustling hub of Muslim activity. Nonetheless, in "small town America" there are halal food options. This is the type of societal integration that is meaningful, productive and produces lasting relationships.

It is my sincerest hope that the future will continue to motivate pioneers like the Saffron Road team. All of us benefiting through their foresight and forward thinking.

The rising tide lifts all boats equally!