Commercial Halal Slaughter –Science and Religion.
By
Hamid Ahmad,
Ex-Head, Meat Research Laboratory, Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial
Research (PCSIR), Govt. of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan.
Member, Halal Food Standards Technical Committee,
Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), Ministry of Science
& Technology, Govt. of Pakistan
Rituality and Science Interface in
Halal Slaughter
• The procedure followed for “Halal Slaughter” of an animal is purely a
part of the religious way of life for a Muslim, as prescribed in the
Holy Book (Qur’aan) and explained in the sayings of the Prophet
(Hadith).
•
However, the aftermath of the sequence of physiological,
neurological and biochemical changes that accrue in the animal
body at slaughter & due to its death, follow the rules of natural
sciences.
• So, here lies the interface of obedient following of faith in a ritual
performance, irrespective of the consequences and the rules of
natural science.
• The science part is measurable while the other is sacred act of belief
to be measured in the hereafter.
Three Essentials of Halal slaughter
No Compromise
1. Animal should be alive and healthy at the
time of slaughter.
2. Uttering the Invocation: The name of
Allah / God should be invoked at the time
of cutting the neck of the animal.
3. Maximum possible blood should be
allowed to flow / let from the carcass.
Islamic Animal Welfare Code of
Animals and at Halal Slaughter
• Gentle handling, neck cut with sharp knife, killing
not in sight, no beating & no unnecessary
suffering to animals at all times.
• In practice the religious code of AW is ignored.
• Some reasons: lack of will on the part of
authorities., training, ignorance, illiteracy,
poverty, carelessness & overriding human
miseries.
• Ignoring of these injunctions, sometimes, makes
meat (Makrooh-not for Muslim consumption).
Two Strong Religious Beliefs of Muslims about
Halal Slaughter
• No.1. Muslim scholars, intellectuals and even common
man believe that only Halal method of slaughter leads to
maximum bleed out to give safe & healthy meat.
• No.2. Halal slaughter causes no or less pain to the
animal as compared to any other method of slaughter.
Note
These beliefs have been and are held –irrespective of
science.
Halal Slaughter and Stunning –
Making Animals Unconscious Before Slaughter- To
Lessen or Eliminate Pain & Animal Sufferings
• Halal Slaughter of Animals is a religious act. Science is
secondary in it. Science can enter only if & where it does
not interfere with religious essentials.
• Stunning is performed to induce unconsciousness and
insensibility in animals so that shackling, hoisting and
slaughter can be carried out without causing the animal
any avoidable pain, suffering or distress.
• But stunning injures the animal – so animal is not healthy
anymore. In some cases may Kill -so in that case the
animal not alive at Halal neck-cut.
• Some scholars even say it amounts to causing pain to
the animal twice or killing the animal twice.
Continued - Halal Slaughter and Stunning--• So, it is accepted and applied in some Muslim countries.
• Mechanical Stunning is said to cause shock waves and
subsequently destroys part of the brain resulting in a loss
of consciousness. It is often considered permanent. So,
it does not seem to have any place in Halal system.
• However, electrical stunning is said to cause epileptic
seizure & fits due to a substantial depolarisation of the
neurons leading further to unconsciousness.
Repolarisation occurs in controlled elect. stunning and
animal may regain if not slaughtered within seconds.
Global Halal Market
• With the global Halal food market currently valued at almost US$760
billion (source: HalalFocus.com), the demand for raw materials and
ingredients that can be fully certified as Halal is higher than ever
before and rapidly growing.
• “Muslim consumers increasingly expect assurance that food and
beverages fully comply with Islamic preparation requirements from
the very start of the manufacturing process, creating increased
pressure to source ingredients from suppliers that are certified by
recognized Halal organizations.”
• Chr. Hansen offer Halal certified meat cultures,
•
Meat International, e-Edition, Sat. 07,Jan. 2010
Thank You
HALAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
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