Ruffled Feathers – Exposing the Halal Industry
Consuming halal food is an essential part of Islam. Allah الله سبحانه وتعالى says in the Quran,
“O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth (that is) lawful and pure”
(Holy Quran 2:168)
Traditionally fulfilling these requirements has never been a problem for Muslims. However, now due to the large scale global demand for meat and the development of modern technology, the halal slaughter process has been met with new challenges.
Modern multi-million dollar companies slaughtering animals in the millions has unfortunately led to compromises in regulations. The increased difficulty to state the Basmalla, cross-contamination with non-Halal meats and the use of stunning before slaughter. It is crucial to ensure that our meat and poultry is authentically halal.
What is the default position when it comes to Meat?
The default in the Sharia is that all meat is haram until proven halal. All other food is halal until proven haram. Imam Nawawi mentions, ‘If there is a doubt that the animal has been slaughtered properly or not. Then the default is that it is haram. And there is no difference of opinion about this issue.’
What makes the slaughter halal?
First, the slaughterman must be Muslim or from Ahlul Kitab (Jew or Christain). They must also mention the name of Allahالله سبحانه وتعالى. The blood of the jugular vein must flow out. The whole purpose of the slaughter is to minimise the amount of blood that is left in the body. When one slaughters the animal properly, then the blood will gush out automatically.
HALAL REQUIREMENTS
| Slaughterman:
Muslim or Ahlul Kitab |
Animal Halal:
Cow, chicken, lamb etc |
Slaughter Tool:
Sharp |
Mention the Name of Allah الله سبحانه وتعالى: Prior to slaughter |
Issues with the Stunning Process
What is Stunning?
Stunning is the process of rendering animals immobile or unconscious, with or without killing the animal, when or immediately prior to slaughtering them for food.
The ruling for the meat of an animal that was stunned before slaughter is based on whether the stunning causes the death of the animal. The experts in the field today claim that the stunning does not cause the death of the animal. Instead, it causes the animal to lose consciousness and makes it lose its sense of pain. However, this claim is worthy of consideration. If the animal is already killed due to the stunning process before the slaughter then it is considered meta, dead meat and is unlawful to consume for Muslims.
Captive Bolt Pistol
The captive bolt pistol deals a violent blow to the forehead of the animal and its brain. Therefore, it is not far-fetched for the animal to die as a result of this blow.
Gas Stunning
Gas stunning is the process in which the chickens are exposed to premixed gas, which causes the animal to lose consciousness. However, findings reveal the gas can also cause the animal to die if its intensity is very high.
Gas stunning has proven to be a financial decision in which they claim is cleaner, cheaper and more efficient. However, it is not halal. Our investigations have revealed that one of Australia’s most prominent halal-certified chicken slaughterhouses is currently using gas stunning. Pressure has mounted on halal certifiers to ensure halal regulations are still in place. Unfortunately, this industry is riddled with financial corruption, dishonesty and negligence.
Except for two, all other major monopoly slaughterhouses utilise the stunning gas process. Findings reveal that 90% of Australian poultry is gas stunned.
Spiritual Significance of Consuming Halal Meat
Rasulullah (ﷺ) mentioned [the case] of a man who, having journeyed far, is dishevelled and dusty, and who spreads out his hands to the sky saying “O Lord! O Lord!,” while his food is haram (unlawful), his drink is haram, his clothing is haram, and he has been nourished with haram, so how can [his supplication] be answered? [Muslim]
The mind, body and soul are all connected. The food we consume has a direct correlation to our connection to Allahالله سبحانه وتعالى. When we consume that which is not halal, it causes the removal of barakah in our lives and hinders our duas from being accepted.
There is a direct link between the consumption of lawful food and the ability of a person to worship Allah. Rasulullah ﷺ said,
‘The body of a person who is nourished by unlawful food will not enter Jannah’
(At-Targhib Wa At Tarhib).
Agent for Change
There is a lack of transparency from abattoirs to the Muslim community regarding this serious matter. It may seem like an impossible fleet, but our united voices as Muslim consumers can be an agent of change. The consumer can demand tighter regulations and more transparency from the halal certifiers and slaughterhouses.