How SeSudu Grades Halal
A layered A→U trust model — evidence, source & a checked date on every place. Not a single “halal ✓” badge.
Quick answer
SeSudu grades every place A→U by strength of evidence — from official certification (A) to not verified (U). Each grade carries evidence, a source and a checked date. Grade E = pork-free/vegetarian, NOT a halal claim. Grade U = not verified — neither halal nor haram.The A→U scale
Officially certified
An active third-party halal certificate for that outlet/scope, from a recognized body.
Official tourism classification
Listed by an official tourism-board program with a clear Muslim-friendly category.
Muslim-owned / self-declared
Muslim-owned or self-declared with current evidence — not a third-party certificate.
Community-reported — pending
A dated, sourced community report, but not yet verified.
Pork-free / vegetarian — NOT a halal claim
Pork-free / vegetarian only — a FALLBACK, NOT a halal claim.
Not verified
Evidence insufficient or expired — shown as neither halal nor haram.
Why layered, not one badge
Travellers already think in layers — an official certificate is stronger than a tourism listing, which is stronger than a self-declared sign, which is stronger than a stranger’s review. A single “halal ✓” badge hides that difference. SeSudu shows the layer AND the evidence behind it, so you decide with the full picture — not a yes/no you can’t check.
What Grade E and U really mean
Grade E (pork-free / vegetarian) is a fallback for when nothing verified is nearby — it is NOT a halal claim, and we always label it so. Grade U means we could not find sufficient current evidence; we show it as neither halal nor haram, so you know to check yourself rather than assume. We would rather say “not verified” than pretend.
How we verify — and keep it fresh
Every place carries an evidence line (who certified it, the source, and the date we checked) and a “Last checked” stamp. Halal status decays — certificates expire, menus change, venues close — so an expired certificate is automatically downgraded, and a place that has closed becomes “not verified” rather than staying green. Certification is also per-outlet and per-country: a brand certified in Malaysia is not automatically certified in Japan.