{"id":17134,"date":"2021-03-26T15:22:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T15:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/?p=17134"},"modified":"2026-02-18T01:54:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T01:54:40","slug":"ruffled-feathers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/news\/ruffled-feathers\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0Is Your Meat Really Halal? An Investigation into Australia&#8217;s Troubled Halal Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"<amp-jwplayer layout=\"responsive\" height=\"640\" data-player-id=\"bKajWAhe\" width=\"700\" data-media-id=\"jSY8foFA\" class=\"wp-block-amp-amp-jwplayer\"><\/amp-jwplayer>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if the Halal-certified meat on your plate isn\u2019t actually Halal? What if the systems you trust to uphold this sacred standard are fundamentally broken? For many Muslims, this is a deeply unsettling thought, but it&#8217;s a sad reality we can no longer ignore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Halal industry is a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise, yet its integrity is threatened by hidden, disturbing practices. For the past few months, OnePath Network has conducted an in-depth investigation, collaborating with industry experts, Islamic scholars, and Halal certifiers to uncover what\u2019s truly happening behind the closed doors of the Australian Halal industry. Our findings are shocking.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Makes Meat Truly Halal? The Core Principles<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before diving into the problems, it&#8217;s crucial to understand the foundations. Halal food is that which is permissible for a Muslim to consume. While most things in life are considered permissible until proven otherwise, meat is the exception. An important principle in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) states:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;All meat is considered Haram (forbidden) until it is proven to be Halal.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This places the burden of proof on the consumer and the supplier. To be considered Halal, the slaughter process must meet four strict conditions:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Slaughterer: Must be a Muslim or from the People of the Book (Ahlul Kitab \u2013 a Jew or a Christian).<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Animal: Must be a permissible species, such as chicken, cow, sheep, or goat.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Tool: A sharp instrument must be used to ensure a swift cut with minimal pain.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Recitation: The name of Allah (Tasmiyah) must be mentioned at the time of slaughter.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Historically, fulfilling these requirements was straightforward. But in today&#8217;s world of mass production and technological advancement, the Halal process faces new and serious challenges.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern Slaughter: Where Tradition Meets Troubling Compromises<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sheer scale of modern meat production, with facilities processing hundreds of thousands of animals daily, has introduced significant compromises that cast doubt on Halal integrity. Key issues include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The immense difficulty of reciting the Tasmiyah over every single animal in a high-speed production line.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The high risk of cross-contamination with non-Halal products.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mandatory use of stunning before slaughter is required in many Western countries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where Halal certifiers are supposed to step in. Their role is to oversee the entire process, ensuring Islamic regulations are met and giving consumers confidence. But as our investigation reveals, the certification system itself is deeply flawed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Unregulated World of Halal Certification in Australia<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Damning reports of dubious certificates have left many Muslims wondering who they can truly trust. It&#8217;s no longer enough to simply see a Halal logo and assume all is well.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A System Riddled with Loopholes<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The shocking truth is that in the Australian domestic market, anyone can start a Halal certification company. There is no single, independent government body that regulates or oversees their operations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prove how easy it is, we set up our own Halal certification body online with just a few clicks. This lack of regulation has led to a flood of inconsistencies and allowed some suppliers to simply &#8220;self-certify&#8221; their own products.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;The local market is unregulated in Australia&#8230; there are too many inconsistencies&#8230; there&#8217;s no one governing the overall consistency of the Halal standard.&#8221; &#8211; Industry Expert.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn&#8217;t to say all certifiers are operating illegitimately, but the clear loopholes in the system create an environment where corruption and negligence can thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Stunning Controversy: Is It Halal or Haram?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most contentious issues is pre-slaughter stunning, a legal requirement in Australia. While some forms of stunning are considered permissible by scholars if they only render the animal temporarily unconscious, other methods are fatal, and this is where the lines become dangerously blurred.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Problem with Gas Stunning<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our investigation uncovered that one of the most problematic methods, gas stunning for chickens, is being used by at least one prominent Halal-certified slaughterhouse in Australia. This method is considered non-reversible and fatal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts and major international Halal bodies (like ESMA in the UAE, JAKIM in Malaysia, and HAK in Turkey) do not accept gas stunning because the chickens often die from the gassing before their throats are cut. If the animal is already dead, it is considered carrion (maytah) and is unequivocally Haram to consume.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;It&#8217;s carrion, it&#8217;s a dead animal&#8230; [if a certifier is] aware of it, it&#8217;s a catastrophe&#8230; we are putting something that&#8217;s non-Halal into the consumer&#8217;s hands.&#8221; &#8211; Halal Industry Expert<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Whistleblower&#8217;s Shocking Account<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We spoke with a Muslim slaughter man who worked at a facility using gas stunning. His identity has been protected for his safety. This is what he told us:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Widespread Deaths: He witnessed chickens dying from the gassing process before they could be slaughtered Islamically.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Failed Experiments: He recounted an experiment where birds were taken off the line after gassing to see if they would recover. &#8220;Unfortunately, none of them they survived, none of them came back to life,&#8221; he said.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">70% Fatality Rate: Another expert confirmed their own tests showed a shocking fatality rate from gas stunning: &#8220;Seven out of ten, that&#8217;s the figure we&#8217;ve got. They actually killed it with the stunning.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When asked if he would feel comfortable eating the chicken from that facility, the slaughterman\u2019s silence spoke volumes. The lack of transparency from certifiers and the confidentiality agreements with abattoirs mean consumers are kept completely in the dark.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;I have taken some birds out of the line and then put them on the floor, but unfortunately, none of them survived&#8230; I do not condone the gas stunning should be employed in the Halal industry.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You Have the Power: How Consumers Can Demand Change<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy to feel overwhelmed by this information, but there is a clear path forward. The power to fix this broken system lies with you, the consumer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Australian government already has a robust, regulated Halal system for its export market. High standards are successfully maintained for vegan, kosher, and organic products. There is no reason the same scrutiny cannot be applied to the local Halal industry.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your Action Plan for Halal Integrity<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Businesses and certifiers make decisions based on how we spend our money. Here is how we can ensure our voices are heard:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Demand an Independent Regulatory Body: As consumers and community members, we must call on our leaders and government to establish an independent body to oversee the domestic Halal industry. This will eliminate self-certifiers and create a consistent, trustworthy standard.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be an Informed Consumer: Don&#8217;t just look for a logo. Research the certifiers behind the products you buy. Ask your butcher or local shop about their certification body and its standards regarding stunning.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold Businesses Accountable: Your spending is your vote. Support businesses, butchers, and restaurants that prioritise genuine, transparent Halal practices. If you find a brand is certified by a body that permits gas stunning, choose another.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raise Your Voice: Talk about these issues with your family, friends, and community. The more people are aware and concerned, the more pressure there will be on the industry to change.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Restoring Trust in Our Food<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The issues plaguing the Australian Halal industry\u2014from unregulated certification to the scandal of gas stunning\u2014are a serious breach of trust. For Muslims, eating Halal is not just about dietary preference; it is a profound act of worship, a means of seeking the blessings and pleasure of Allah (SWT).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the Prophet Muhammad (\ufdfa) said, &#8220;Allah is pure and only accepts that which is pure.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By consuming truly Halal food, we seek to have our supplications accepted and to live a life filled with divine blessings. To protect this fundamental part of our faith, we must act now. By becoming empowered, informed consumers, we can collectively restore the integrity and trustworthiness of the Halal industry for generations to come.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What if the Halal-certified meat on your plate isn\u2019t actually Halal? What if the systems you trust to uphold this sacred standard are fundamentally broken? For many Muslims, this is a deeply unsettling thought, but it&#8217;s a sad reality we can no longer ignore. The Halal industry is a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise, yet its integrity [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":17135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAow4-bBDA:productID":"","content-type":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"series":[],"speaker":[],"coauthors":[134],"class_list":["post-17134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","post_format-post-format-video","entry"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/YouTube-scaled-1.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/onepathnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Mums-on-the-RunV3.jpg?fit=2160%2C2160&ssl=1","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":[],"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/feed\/podcast\/mums-on-the-run","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"LtNehw7Uoc\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/news\/ruffled-feathers\/\">\u00a0Is Your Meat Really Halal? An Investigation into Australia&#8217;s Troubled Halal Industry<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/news\/ruffled-feathers\/embed\/#?secret=LtNehw7Uoc\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;\u00a0Is Your Meat Really Halal? An Investigation into Australia&#8217;s Troubled Halal Industry&#8221; &#8212; OnePath Network\" data-secret=\"LtNehw7Uoc\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n"},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/onepathnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/YouTube-scaled-1.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/onepathnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/YouTube-scaled-1.jpg?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Muhannad Majanni","author_link":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/author\/muhannad-majanni\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/onepathnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/YouTube-scaled-1.jpg?fit=2560%2C1440&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"app_featured_thumbnail":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Featured.jpg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17134"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17134\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17134"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=17134"},{"taxonomy":"speaker","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/speaker?post=17134"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=17134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}