Yan Putra Timur, Ririn Tri Ratnasari, Ismah Osman, Dyah Permata Sari
Purpose – This study aims to examine the influence of Islamic religious leaders’ (ulama) credibility, comprising attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise, on micro, small and medium enterprises’ (MSME) intention to apply for halal certificate, with trust and perception as mediating variables and religiosity as a moderating variable. Design/methodology/approach – This study used a quantitative approach using non-probability sampling and distributed questionnaires via Google Forms. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. A total of 228 Muslim MSME entrepreneurs who met the criteria: being business owners, aged 17–65 and aware of at least one instance of ulama support for halal certificate, participated in this study. Findings – The bootstrapping test in PLS-SEM revealed that out of the 11 hypotheses tested, seven were supported while four were rejected. The credibility dimensions of trustworthiness and expertise among Islamic religious leaders significantly influenced MSMEs’ perceptions and trust, whereas attractiveness showed no significant effect. Furthermore, MSMEs’ perceptions and trust in halal certificate policies were found to have a significant impact on their intention to apply for halal certificate. However, religiosity did not significantly moderate the relationship between perception or trust and the intention to apply for halal certificate. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to Java-based Muslim MSMEs and examines only Islamic religious leaders (ulama) as endorsers, excluding other potentially influential figures such as celebrities or influencers. Practical implications – The findings of this study highlight the strategic importance of selecting religious leaders (ulama) as advocates of the halal certificate ownership policy, recommending those with high levels of trustworthiness, credibility and expertise in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), halal certification standards and contemporary business practices. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study to examine the influence of ulama’s credibility and their role in shaping Muslim MSMEs’ perceptions, trust and intention to apply for halal certificate in support of the Indonesian government’s target of issuing 10 million halal certificates by 2026. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited
Department of Islamic Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia; Center for Halal Industry and Digitalization (CHID), Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia; Research Fellow in Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Nerus, Malaysia; Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia; Department of Science Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
