There's Something Special About Anchor Pure New Zealand Salted Butter

Hat Tip Instapundit

The OU, Kof-K, and Star K had better start looking over their shoulder.
Looks like there may be a new hechsher in town:

"Certified kosher under the supervision of Halal"

From Amazon.com Click on image to enlarge

From igormet.com Click on image to enlarge

I'm assuming that it's supposed to read:

Certified kosher and under the supervision of Halal.

But it does sound like it would have interesting possibilities.

Meanwhile, Wikipedia has a list of the similarities and differences between kashrut and halal.

One unlikely comparison between Kashrut and Halal is that it seems there are some 'controversial hechsherim' in Halal as well:

Muslims vary on what is required for food to be considered "halal".

Dhabiĥa Halal

Adherents to this philosophy maintain that in order for food to be considered halal, it must not be a forbidden substance and any meat must have been slaughtered according to traditional guidelines set forth by the Sunnah, known as dhabiĥa. This is the strictest definition of halal.

First type of "Bismillah" Halal

Some believe that the guidelines of dhabiĥa do not necessarily need to be followed and reciting "Bismillah al Raĥman Al Raĥim" (In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful) immediately preceding consumption renders the meat permissible. People who adhere to this type of halal generally do not partake in the consumption of forbidden substances. Defenders of this method declare that the Quran does not dictate that God's (see Islamic concept of God) name must be taken prior to slaughtering the animal, it merely says in multiple places:

And eat not of that whereon Allah's name hath not been mentioned..Quran 6:121

They also narrate a hadith in which Muhammad states "Mention Allah's name on it and eat..." upon being questioned on how to deal with food that is not verifiably dhabiĥa.

Critics of this method claim that the text of the Quran and the hadith needs to be taken in perspective, and accuse defenders of this method of misinterpreting them.

Second type of "Bismillah" Halal

Adherents to this type of "Bismillah Halal" generally believe that any food, whether or not it is a forbidden substance, becomes halal once "Bismillah al Raĥman Al Raĥim" (In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful) is recited over the food[verification needed]. Generally, this phrase is recited immediately prior to consumption.

It is believed by many[citation needed] that this method of making food halal does not adhere to Islamic guidelines, largely because it contradicts the Quranic verses on forbidden substances. [emphasis added]

Still, there must be something pretty special about that New Zealand butter.

Technorati Tag: Halal and Kashrut and Kosher.