Halal-only microwave debate shows growing support for Muslim needs

A social media post on Thread recently sparked a complex discussion among netizens following a photo of an office microwave labelled as halal food only due to religious reasons.

The photo was uploaded by a user named seyifunmioluwatuyi with a caption that said religion will be the death of us, garnering 16.4 thousand likes, 4.1 thousand comments, 466 reposts and 369 shares as of 15 October.

However, his post was called out by many Malaysian users in the comment section who claimed that the post invited islamophobia and prejudicial remarks against Muslims just for practicing their beliefs.

A user by the name msrtins.kristini questioned the motive of the post, urging the post owner to not be dramatic as the label in the photo indicated that there is a different microwave prepared for non-halal usage.

Martabakcoklat, another commenter, supported her statement by saying the practice of providing two separate microwaves for halal and non-halal food as well as cutleries has been implemented in most companies in Malaysia as an act of tolerance and respect to one another.

Photo posted by sayagilangpratama under the post’ comment section, showing that the practice is normal and prevalent across companies in Malaysia. (credit photo: sayagilangpratama Thread account)

His argument was proven by a user named sayagilangpratama who uploaded a photo of two microwaves, each labelled halal only and non-halal respectively. 

“At my old company, they had this in the pantry and everyone seemed to love it,” he said. 

As the discussion further unfolds, a user called h4zryl compared the post with two photos depicting kitchen appliances provided for kosher only foods and beverages. 

He lamented that he is unsure if others would react similarly to the accommodation provided for a Jew even though the setting was the same. 

Meanwhile, there are other users who resonated with seyifunmioluwatuyi’s post, claiming that the act of separating microwaves was divisive and discriminatory to other people.

Photos posted by h4zryl, comparing the issue with kosher only accommodation in certain establishments. (credit photo: h4zryl Thread account)

A user by the name backwoodjess said, the issue was not merely making demands but an assurance of compliance by everyone involved to appease a group of loud minority.

“They reinforce the idea that pressure works. That cycle is the real issue; the more we give in, the more power is ceded, and the further the majority is pushed into silence. 

“Compliance isn’t neutral; it’s participation in our own erosion. Grow up,” he added.

Another user called carysjedward pointed out that the limited option of available microwaves will force others to queue during an already short lunch break, hence the accommodation is unfair to all employees. 

“There are probably only a few Muslims while the majority are non Muslims, and everyone has the same break of only 30 minutes so who wants to spend most of their lunch in a queue to heat up their food then scoffing it down to get back to work on time?

Seyifunmioluwatuyi’s Thread post is currently trending on the platform, causing many users to stuck in a debating gridlock to justify the necessity of a separate microwave (credit photo: Seyifunmioluwatuyi Thread account)

“This is not equitable or fair, give me one good reason why they need their own microwave. It’s ridiculous,” she said. 

The post has continued to gain traction among the Thread community particularly Malaysians.