Entity and accreditation boundary
Halal certification relies on independent verification of religious and operational standards. Consumers seeking to verify the authority behind a halal product need to know who is responsible for the audit and the final halal decision. The assessed certification entity is The Halal Approval LLC, operating as the U.S. branch of The Halal Approval Global, which is headquartered in the UAE. The Halal Approval LLC was included in the national census based on its claimed Maryland entity status, current CICOT recognition, first-party branch identification, and U.S. facility certification evidence.
The Halal Approval LLC holds current UAE MoIAT registration and CICOT recognition [1] [2]. However, no Tier A accreditation of the exact U.S. entity under an ISO/IEC 17065 or OIC/SMIIC 2 scheme was verified. Recognition establishes operating acceptance but does not automatically transfer implementation assurance. Therefore, all operational evidence relies entirely on public records and direct observation of the U.S. entity's activities.
Halal Industry Exposé · Comprehensive Accountability Assessment
The Halal Approval LLC, operating as the U.S. branch of The Halal Approval Global, assessed as a distinct legal and operating entity. Organizational accountability: 28% · Grade F · Insufficiently substantiated
Moderate confidence. The Halal Approval LLC receives 28%, Grade F. While recognized by MoIAT and CICOT for slaughtering, the U.S. branch lacks exact-entity Tier A accreditation and its exact personnel, ownership, and Islamic authorities remain not publicly verified.
This comprehensive organizational accountability assessment combines the standardized score with the documented business-practice investigation. Flags explain evidence already scored inside the eleven fixed metrics and create no separate bonus or penalty points. The article does not rule that every certificate is invalid, prove that an undisclosed control does not exist, or infer anyone's religion or intent.
Halal Certification Body Accountability Assessment version 2.4. Source cutoff September 13, 2026. Last reviewed September 13, 2026. Raw score 27.8250 out of 100, ordinarily rounded to 28%.
Trust overview
Green flags and red flags
These flags explain evidence already scored inside the eleven fixed metrics. They do not create separate bonus or penalty points.
Green flags
MoIAT registration and CICOT recognition
The Halal Approval LLC holds current UAE MoIAT registration and CICOT recognition, and actively certifies U.S. establishments such as Creek Ranch Inc.
Metrics: #1, #6, #8, #9, #11
Score treatment: Supports limited operational evidence for facility verification and operating capacity.
Boundary: Recognition establishes operating acceptance but does not automatically transfer implementation assurance.
Red flags
Exact personnel, ownership, and Islamic authorities remain not publicly verified
The public record does not provide U.S. leadership, qualified personnel, Islamic authority, or complete ownership details beyond a single contact name.
Metrics: #2, #3, #4, #5
Score treatment: Limits public transparency and operational scores in ownership, governance, and personnel competence.
Boundary: Missing ownership and personnel evidence is not proof of invalidity.
Sources:
Accreditation examined
MoIAT and CICOT · None. UAE/Thailand standards. Recognized. Accredited Unknown; expiry Unknown.
Scope: The Halal Approval LLC holds current UAE MoIAT registration and CICOT recognition. No Tier A accreditation of the exact U.S. entity under an ISO/IEC 17065 or OIC/SMIIC 2 scheme was verified. Recognition establishes operating acceptance but does not automatically transfer implementation assurance.
Third-party independence: No exact-entity Tier A accreditation was verified.
Status factor 0 percent; scope factor 0 percent; independence factor 0 percent; accreditation assurance factor 0 percent.
How USDHS grades organizational accountability
Each metric is 60 percent control assurance, 25 percent operational evidence, and 15 percent public evidence. Government records and other authoritative public sources count even when the certifier does not reproduce them on its own website. A recognized accreditation of the exact entity and scope can support the control layer and part of operational evidence; it never creates public-evidence credit or transfers across entities without the required bridge. Classification bands: A, 90 to 100, strongly substantiated; B, 80 to 89, substantiated; C, 70 to 79, partially substantiated; D, 60 to 69, material gaps; F, 0 to 59, insufficiently substantiated.
Part 2
Numbered assessment metrics
1. Legal identity and operating status
Legal entity, jurisdiction, operating identity, formation, status, address, and required registrations.
50.00% of this metric; 3.00 of 6 weighted points. partially verified.
Accreditation effect: MoIAT and CICOT recognize the entity in the U.S.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 1.80 points. MoIAT and CICOT records identify The Halal Approval LLC in the U.S. However, a DC revocation record (L00007534790) and lack of Maryland SDAT confirmation leave the exact current active legal standing ambiguous.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 0.75 points. The entity is actively listed in regulatory directories.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 0.45 points. A DC revocation record exists and Maryland registration could not be confirmed.
Metric conclusion: MoIAT and CICOT records identify The Halal Approval LLC in the U.S. However, a DC revocation record (L00007534790) and lack of Maryland SDAT confirmation leave the exact current active legal standing ambiguous.
2. Ownership and control
Beneficial owners, percentages, controlling persons, governance rights, related parties, and conflicts.
30.00% of this metric; 3.00 of 10 weighted points. unverified.
Accreditation effect: Parent company THAG describes its finances as based on long-term investments by partners.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 3.00 points. The branch relationship is claimed, but no direct operational record establishes U.S. ownership and control implementation and no complete public ownership record was verified.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. The branch relationship is claimed, but no direct operational record establishes U.S. ownership and control implementation.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. Ownership percentages and controlling persons for the U.S. LLC are not publicly filed or disclosed on the website.
Metric conclusion: The branch relationship is claimed, but no direct operational record establishes U.S. ownership and control implementation and no complete public ownership record was verified.
3. Governance and accountable leadership
Named leadership, governing bodies, organizational structure, management responsibility, and accountable contacts.
18.75% of this metric; 2.63 of 14 weighted points. unverified.
Accreditation effect: CICOT and USDA FAS records name Adnan Ul Hasan as the contact for the U.S. branch.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 2.10 points. One U.S. contact is named, but current accountable leadership, appointment, authority, organizational structure, and file responsibilities were not independently verified.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. Current accountable leadership, appointment, authority, organizational structure, and file responsibilities were not independently verified.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 0.53 points. One U.S. contact is named, but full leadership structure and management responsibility for the U.S. entity are not verified.
Metric conclusion: One U.S. contact is named, but current accountable leadership, appointment, authority, organizational structure, and file responsibilities were not independently verified.
4. Personnel competence and authorization
Auditor, reviewer, technical-expert, and contractor qualifications, training, authorization, monitoring, and assignments.
15.00% of this metric; 2.70 of 18 weighted points. unverified.
Accreditation effect: Without exact-entity Tier A accreditation, personnel controls rely on direct evidence.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 2.70 points. No U.S. auditors, technical reviewers, qualifications, authorization, assignments, or competence-monitoring records were independently verified.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. No U.S. auditors, technical reviewers, qualifications, authorization, assignments, or competence-monitoring records were independently verified.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. No U.S. auditors or reviewers are publicly named, and competence records are not verified. Personnel are not publicly verified.
Metric conclusion: No U.S. auditors, technical reviewers, qualifications, authorization, assignments, or competence-monitoring records were independently verified.
5. Islamic authority and halal decision
Qualified Islamic-affairs personnel, governing authority, jurisprudential basis, review roles, and final halal decisions.
15.00% of this metric; 2.70 of 18 weighted points. unverified.
Accreditation effect: Without exact-entity Tier A accreditation, Islamic authority relies on direct evidence.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 2.70 points. No current U.S. Islamic reviewers, qualifications, appointments, review assignments, or final decision authority were independently verified.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. No current U.S. Islamic reviewers, qualifications, appointments, review assignments, or final decision authority were independently verified.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. Islamic authority for the U.S. entity is unverified. No qualified Islamic-affairs experts or decision-makers are publicly named.
Metric conclusion: No current U.S. Islamic reviewers, qualifications, appointments, review assignments, or final decision authority were independently verified.
6. Halal audit method and facility verification
Application, scope review, documents, on-site work, ingredients, processes, findings, corrections, reports, surveillance, and recertification.
46.25% of this metric; 6.47 of 14 weighted points. partially verified.
Accreditation effect: MoIAT recognition covers slaughtering.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 4.20 points. General audit process is claimed on the parent website. MoIAT records confirm U.S. facility certification (Creek Ranch Inc.), providing some operational evidence of facility verification.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 1.75 points. MoIAT records confirm U.S. facility certification (Creek Ranch Inc.), providing some operational evidence of facility verification.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 0.53 points. General audit process is claimed on the parent website.
Metric conclusion: General audit process is claimed on the parent website. MoIAT records confirm U.S. facility certification (Creek Ranch Inc.), providing some operational evidence of facility verification.
7. Impartiality and decision separation
Conflicts, consultancy separation, impartiality oversight, and separation among audit, review, and certification decisions.
15.00% of this metric; 1.20 of 8 weighted points. unverified.
Accreditation effect: Without exact-entity Tier A accreditation, impartiality relies on direct evidence.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 1.20 points. No U.S.-specific impartiality policy, conflict controls, risk assessment, or separation among evaluation, review, and final decision was independently verified.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. No U.S.-specific impartiality policy, conflict controls, risk assessment, or separation among evaluation, review, and final decision was independently verified.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. General impartiality is claimed, but exact-entity separation of audit and decision for the U.S. branch is not independently verified.
Metric conclusion: No U.S.-specific impartiality policy, conflict controls, risk assessment, or separation among evaluation, review, and final decision was independently verified.
8. Standards, scheme, and certification scope
Governing standards, sectors, locations, exclusions, religious positions, certificate scope, and scheme boundaries.
71.25% of this metric; 2.85 of 4 weighted points. partially verified.
Accreditation effect: MoIAT and CICOT records confirm the scope includes slaughtering and UAE/Thailand standards.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 75 percent evidence factor; 1.80 points. MoIAT and CICOT records confirm the scope includes slaughtering (Creek Ranch Inc.) and UAE/Thailand standards.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 75 percent evidence factor; 0.75 points. Certification of Creek Ranch Inc. confirms slaughtering scope.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 0.30 points. The parent website lists multiple industries, but the specific U.S. branch scope is not detailed publicly outside regulatory directories.
Metric conclusion: MoIAT and CICOT records confirm the scope includes slaughtering (Creek Ranch Inc.) and UAE/Thailand standards.
9. Certificate traceability and mark control
Current certificate verification, identifiers, holders, sites, products, dates, status changes, and mark misuse controls.
46.25% of this metric; 1.85 of 4 weighted points. unverified.
Accreditation effect: Regulatory directories list certified facilities.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 1.20 points. No public certificate directory is available on the U.S. or parent website, though regulatory directories provide some traceability.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 0.50 points. Certificates are traceable through some regulatory bodies.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 0.15 points. No public certificate directory is available on the U.S. or parent website.
Metric conclusion: No public certificate directory is available on the U.S. or parent website, though regulatory directories provide some traceability.
10. Complaints, appeals, and corrections
Complaint and appeal routes, timing, independent review, records, corrections, escalation, and non-retaliation.
15.00% of this metric; 0.30 of 2 weighted points. unverified.
Accreditation effect: Without exact-entity Tier A accreditation, complaints procedures rely on direct evidence.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 25 percent evidence factor; 0.30 points. No U.S.-specific complaints and appeals procedure, response timing, independent review, records, or correction handling was independently verified.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. No evidence of operational complaints handling.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 0 percent evidence factor; 0.00 points. No published complaints or appeals procedure is available for the U.S. entity.
Metric conclusion: No U.S.-specific complaints and appeals procedure, response timing, independent review, records, or correction handling was independently verified.
11. Operating history and demonstrated capacity
Corroborated timeline, current activity, clients, sectors, personnel resources, and workload matched to competent capacity.
56.25% of this metric; 1.13 of 2 weighted points. partially verified.
Accreditation effect: CICOT recognition is current.
- A. Control assurance, 60 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 0.60 points. Recent certification activity is verified via MoIAT records (Creek Ranch Inc.), demonstrating current capacity.
- B. Operational evidence, 25 percent
- 75 percent evidence factor; 0.38 points. Recent certification activity is verified via MoIAT records (Creek Ranch Inc.), demonstrating current capacity.
- C. Public evidence, 15 percent
- 50 percent evidence factor; 0.15 points. The U.S. branch is active but detailed operating history and capacity are not fully public.
Metric conclusion: Recent certification activity is verified via MoIAT records (Creek Ranch Inc.), demonstrating current capacity.
Part 3
Conclusion
Strongest findings
- The Halal Approval LLC holds current UAE MoIAT registration and CICOT recognition.
- Actively certifies U.S. establishments such as Creek Ranch Inc.
Material gaps
- The exact legal entity formation for The Halal Approval LLC in Maryland or DC remains unverified despite claims.
- U.S. leadership, qualified personnel, and Islamic authority are not publicly disclosed beyond a single contact name.
- Without Tier A accreditation of the exact U.S. entity, operational evidence for the core halal-control block relies entirely on public records, which are missing.
Unresolved questions
- Verify active entity status in Maryland or DC.
- Publish full U.S. leadership, governance structure, and qualified personnel.
Score interpretation
- Raw score: 27.8250. The displayed score uses ordinary rounding.
Material records are rescored under the same rules, whether they raise or lower the result. Submit documentary evidence through the secure evidence and correction form.
Conclusion
The Halal Approval LLC operates with UAE MoIAT registration and CICOT recognition, actively certifying U.S. establishments such as Creek Ranch Inc. [1] [2] [3]. However, the exact legal entity formation for The Halal Approval LLC in Maryland or DC remains unverified despite claims. U.S. leadership, qualified personnel, and Islamic authority are not publicly disclosed beyond a single contact name, meaning the people exercising ownership, audit, religious review, and final decision authority are not publicly verified.
Corrections and responsive evidence
The Halal Approval LLC may submit responsive records through the [secure documentary-evidence form](/submit-evidence?article=the-halal-approval-llc-accountability-assessment). HIPS assesses material evidence under the same methodology whether it raises or lowers a score.
A submission should identify the exact organization, statement, metric, source, effective dates, scope, responsible people, and requested correction. Publication is not conditional on a response, and no organization has a veto over a documented finding.
This assessment explains public evidence and organizational accountability. It does not replace the controlling HIPS standard, an accreditation or certification decision, a religious ruling, or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Why does The Halal Approval LLC receive 28%, Grade F?
Methodology 2.4 requires independent verification of accountable leadership, qualified personnel, Islamic authority, and halal-specific audit capability. While recognized by MoIAT and CICOT, the U.S. branch lacks exact-entity Tier A accreditation and its exact personnel, ownership, and Islamic authorities remain not publicly verified.
Is The Halal Approval LLC currently accredited?
The Halal Approval LLC holds current UAE MoIAT registration and CICOT recognition. However, no Tier A accreditation of the exact U.S. entity under an ISO/IEC 17065 or OIC/SMIIC 2 scheme was verified.
Does a low score mean every certificate is invalid?
No. This assessment measures structural accountability, transparency, and verifiable credentials, not the religious validity of specific products. The article does not rule that every certificate is invalid.
Why are private documents not included?
The methodology relies on public records and publicly verifiable evidence, while allowing the organization to submit responsive controlled documents through the secure documentary-evidence form.
How can the certifier improve its score?
Scores can be improved by publishing full U.S. leadership, governance structure, qualified personnel, and obtaining Tier A accreditation for the exact U.S. entity.