Halal Slaughter is Most Humane

Halal Slaughter is Most Humane

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What we always knew about Halal slaughter is borne out by the results of a recent study undertaken by Professor Wilhelm Schulze and Dr. Hazim at the school of Venerinary Medicine, Hanover University, Germany. the professor and his colleague have found that the 'Direct Method' of slaughtering an animal, which is the Islamic method of Dhabh, is more merciful as compared to the conventional method in vogue in the west, whereby the animal is stunned with a 'captive bolt pistol' before being slaughtered.

Research into the pain and consciousness of an animal slaughtered in the Halal/dhabh way, as was practiced by the Prophet Muhammad and enjoined upon Muslims to follow, discovered that:

• the first three seconds [after the fatal incision is made across the throat] as shown on the EEG (Electroencephalogram) - electric recording of the brain - did not show any change in the EEG pattern, as compared to before the incision, thus indicating the animal did not feel any pain during or immediately after the incision.
• in the following three seconds, the EEG recorded a condition of deep sleep-unconsciousness caused by the large quantity of blood gushing out of the body;
• after the lapse of these six seconds, the electric recording of the brain (EEG) registered zero level, showing no feeling of pain by the animal at all.

 
However, in contrast to this Islamic Halal or Dhabh method, the western Direct Method with a captive bolt pistol showed:

• the animal was apparently unconscious soon after stunning;
• EEG indicated severe pain being experienced by the animal, immediately after stunning; and
• the heart of the stunned animal stopped beating earlier than the animal that is slaughtered according to the Islamic method of dhabh, resulting in retention of more blood in the carcass.

Meat thus produced for consumption is unhygienic (and can cause poisoning and disease to the consumer).

Stunning an animal before killing has been found to spread the mad cow disease in recent research carried out at Texas University and by Canada's food inspection Agency as it scatters brain tissue throughout the animal. the brain tissue is the most infectious part of the infected animal.

Therefore, the proper halal, or dhabh/direct method is not only the humane method - a mercy to the animals - of slaughtering animals, but also the safest for consumption of meat - for it rids the meat of blood.

This is the only method that drains the blood completely from the carcass (blood is unhygenic and harmful) and without any danger to health from the brain and spinal cord.

Truly Prophet Muhammad came as a mercy to all the Alameen (Worlds): saved animals from suffering and showed the way to healthy and safe way of consuming meat!

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Halaal Slaughtering Method

• The purpose of slaughtering is only for Allah and not for other purposes.

• The phrase Bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-raheem (In the name of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful) must be invoked immediately before the slaughtering of each animal.

• Slaughtering must be done only once to each animal. The ‘sawing action’ of the slaughtering is permitted as long as the slaughtering knife is not be lifted off the animal during the slaughter.

• The act of halal slaughter shall begin with an incision on the neck at some point just below the glottis (Adam’s apple) and after the glottis for long necked animals.

• The slaughter act shall sever the trachea (halqum), oesophagus (mari’) and both the carotid arteries and jugular veins (wadajain) to hasten the bleeding and death of the animal (see Figure 1 to Figure 4). The bleeding shall be spontaneous and complete.

(Kindly consult an 'Alim for more clarifications)