The Issue of Halal Meat
A prevalent corruption within the Muslim community regarding Halal (lawful)
meat has successfully evolved into serious confusion and widespread “controversy.”
The result of such wickedness is the belief that the following three errant justifications
are legitimate:
1. Just because the meat is not pork, it is Halal.
2. The meat of the Ahl-al-Kitab (People of the Book) is Halal, regardless
of how it was slaughtered of what the actual meat is.
3. If there is a possibility the food may be Haram (forbidden),
saying “Bismillah” (In the Name of Allah) over it is permissible,
thereby making it Halal.
These three assumptions are deceptively propagated to Muslims who are either
new to Al-Islam or uneducated concerning their Deen. The intent of this article is
to expose and correct the fallacies cited above.
Dhabiha
Dhabiha is the actual slaughter of an animal for consumption. Dhabiha is performed
by cutting the jugular vein of an animal and allowing its blood to drain. It is mandated
by Qur’an and Hadith that all animals killed for food, except fish, must be slain via
dhabiha. All animals, the flesh of which is edible except fish, are unlawful.
Dhabiha must be performed by a Muslim or by someone who is Ahl-al-Kitab.
The Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has said,
"You may deal with them (Magians) as well as with the Ahl-al-Kitab,
but you must not marry their women, nor eat of animals in which
dhabiha is performed by them."
The dhabiha of an idolater is Haram because he or she does not believe
in the Ambiya (Prophets), and the dhabiha of an apostate is Haram because
he is not permitted to continue in the faith from which he has turned, but must
rather be punished by death.
Those Muslims who are either undereducated or new to Al-Islam are
misled into assuming that if the meat is not pork, then it is edible,
consequently they need to be aware of is that dhabiha is what is to
be considered when consuming meat that isn’t pork.
What is Haram
Allahu Ta’ala clearly mentions what is Haram in Holy Qur’an (Surah Al-Maa’idah, 5:3):
"Haram to you (for food) is carrion; blood; the flesh of swine; that which any
name other than Allah has been invoked; that which has been killed by strangling;
and beat to death, or dead through falling from a height; and killed by the goring of horns;
and that which was eaten by wild beasts, unless you are able to perform dhabiha;
and that which is sacrificed to idols."
Allah also states in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:168):
"Eat of that which is Halal and tayyib (clean, pure, good) in the earth, and follow
not the footsteps of Shaytaan. Surely he is an open enemy to you!"
The only instance when a Muslim is permitted to consume Haram provisions is if he or
she is on the verge of starvation and the only food available to him or her is food which
is ordinarily Haram. Allah states in Holy Qur’an (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:173):
"But if one is forced by necessity, neither by desire nor transgressing, it is no
sin upon him. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful!"
Ahl-al-Kitab and dhabiha
Allah states in Holy Qur’an (Surah Al-Maa’idah, 5:5):
"The food of the People of the Book is Halal for you and your food is Halal for them."
Many are misled to assume that if the food is from a Christian or Jew, it is Halal
whether or not dhabiha has been performed. The truth of the situation is, as
related by Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu),
"Their (Ahl-al-Kitab) food means their dhabiha." [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
From this, it can be seen that in the issue of Halal meat dhabiha is fardh (obligatory),
and if the meat is to originate from a Jew or a Christian, then this is the major and
critical and critical concern.
It is a transgression to knowingly consume Haram meat.
Allah says in Holy Qur’an (Surah Al-An’aam, 6:121):
"And do not eat that which the name of Allah has not been mentioned.
And surely it is a transgression. Surely the Shayateen (devils) inspire their
friends to dispute with you. But if you were to obey them you would indeed
be of the mushrikeen (polytheists)."
Allah makes mention of such an ayah previous to the above in the 118th and 119th ayahs:
"Eat of that which the name of Allah has been pronounced if you are
believers in his ayahs. How should you not eat that which the name of Allah
has been mentioned when He explained to you that which is Haram to you
unless you are forced otherwise under compulsion? But surely, many are led
astray by their own lusts through ignorance. Surely your Lord knows best
those who transgress."
This does not mean the pronunciation of "Bismillah" is what makes it Halal, instead,
it means as long as dhabiha was performed, the pronunciation of the Basmala is required
upon consumption of the meat. In ALL collections of Hadith, for every serving of meat brought
to Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi
wa Sallam), dhabiha was always performed.
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, Az-Zuhri (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said:
"There is no harm in eating animals where the dhabiha was performed by Arab
Christians. If you hear the one who performs dhabiha on the animals mentioning
other than Allah’s Name, then don’t eat of it, but if you don’t hear that, then Allah
has allowed the eating of animals where dhabiha has been performed by them,
though He knows their disbelief."
The use of a falsified Hadith to
justify eating Haram
There has been (and still is) a tendency to resort to the manipulation of a Hadith.
Such forgeries can be found in books of deviance, such as Fiqh us-Sunnah and
other books from the Saudis. Two variations of the counterfeit evidence are as follows:
Narrated by Hazrat Sayyidah A’isha (Radhi Allahu Anhaa) ...
A group of people said to the Nabi (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam), "Some people
brought us meat and we didn’t know where it came from."
He (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Say Bismillah over it and then eat it."
A group of people said to the Nabi (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam), "Some people
brought us meat and we didn’t know whether or not dhabiha was performed
upon the meat.
He (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam.) said, "Say Bismillah over it and then eat it."
It is stressed that those who have slandered Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wa
Sallam) and Sayyidah A’isha (Radhi Allahu Anhaa) by quoting such falsehood, should
immediately make tawba (repentance) to Allah for such an act of blasphemy.
The original Hadith, found in Sahih al-Bukhari, is:
Narrated by Sayyidah A’isha (Radhi Allahu Ta’ala ’anha) :
A group of people said to the Nabi (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam), "Some people
brought us meat and we do not know whether or not they have mentioned
Allah’s name on slaughtering the animal." He (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam)
said, "Mention the Name of Allah over it and then eat it." Those people had
embraced Al-Islam recently."
It is clearly stated in this Hadith that the issue at hand wasn’t dhabiha, it was the pronunciation of
the Name of Allah over the meat that had already been slaughtered correctly, BY MUSLIMS.
Results of Haram meat
Never forget Allah’s command in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:168):
"Oh mankind! Eat of that which is Halal and tayyib in the earth, and follow not
the footsteps of Shaytaan."
In Sahih Muslim, Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) gives an example
of one who consumes Haram provisions:
"Then he (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) mentioned a man having journeyed far,
is disheveled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the sky (saying):
O Lord! O Lord! - while his food is Haram, his drink is Haram, his clothing is
Haram, and his nourishment is Haram, so how can he be answered!"
In another Hadith, Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) said:
"The prayers of a person who eats one morsel of Haram food will not be
heard for forty days."
MECHANICAL SLAUGHTER
ALLAH, IN THE NAME OF, THE COMPASSIONATE, MOST MERCIFUL
"PRAISE BE TO ALMIGHTY ALLAH, SALUTATIONS ON THE HOLY
PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SALLAL LAAHU ALAIHI WASALLAM)"
INTRODUCTION
In our present day and age, the method of mechanical slaughter, i.e. slaughter by use of machines,
has become a common practice and animals slaughtered mechanically are generally being imported
into Muslim countries. In many countries, numerous Muslim butchers, after becoming aware of such
meat being imported into their countries, have raised the matter with the authorities and have even
established their own abattoirs so that the proper slaughtering of animals is in their control. This was
done to prevent the innocent and unsuspecting Muslim masses from eating such meat, and to also
avoid themselves from selling Haram meat.
However, certain westernised Molvis have, without providing any proper Islamic reasons, certified
such meat as being Halal, and they have also given the green light to Muslims to buy "Halal meat"
from non-Muslim butchers. Why such Molvis have implemented this, fails to make sense as there
is no complete or partial evidence from the Shari'ah, namely, from the Holy Quran, Ahadith or
Books of Fiqh to substantiate their arguments. They have tried various means to establish that
the method of mechanical slaughter as being permissible, but were hopelessly unsuccessful.
Due to the fear of the detrimental effect that may be caused by establishing mechanical
slaughter, I have decided to give a brief explanation of the differences between mechanical
slaughter and proper Islamic Zabiha (Slaughter) so that the unsuspecting Muslims are not
trapped into eating Haram meat.
THE SHARI'AH
Every Muslim should at least be aware of the fact that for the flesh of any animal,
with the exception of fish and locusts, to become Halal, it must pass through the
proper method of Islamic slaughter, i.e. in accordance with the Shari'ah. There
are basically two methods of slaughter in Shari'ah, which are:
1. Zibah-e-Ikhtiyaari: Slaughter of animals in one's control, eg. livestock and poultry.
2. Zibah-e-Iztiraari: Slaughter of uncontrolled animals, that is, animals (game)
that are hunted.
In both methods, the animal must be slaughtered by a sharp weapon (knife,
spear, etc.). With the exception of these methods, almost all the other methods
are improper.
In Zibah-e-Ikhtiyaari, the wind pipe, the food pipe, and the two blood vessels
on either side of the throat must be severed. If at least three of the four mentioned
vessels are severed, then the animal is regarded as Halal.
In Zibah-e-Iztiraari, the animal may be severed (cut) anywhere on the body by
being stabbed or cut by the sharp edge of the weapon causing its death. If a trained
dog or hunting bird causes such injury to the animals being hunted, thus causing its
death, then such an animal is Halal.
Zibah-e-Iztiraari is for those birds, who due to their height of flying cannot be caught,
or those animals (such as wild birds and animals) whose speed does not allow them
to be easily captured.
Zibah-e-Ikhtiyaari is the law applicable to those animals, such as sheep, poultry,
etc. which are in one's control and possession. If an animal in the category of Iztiraari
is injured by a spear, etc. or a hunting animal, and such an animal, before its death,
comes within the control and possession of the hunter, then until and unless it is
not slaughtered in the method of Zibah-e-Ikhtiyaari, it will not be Halal.
(Hidayah Aakhirain, pg. 505)
MECHANICAL SLAUGHTER
Mechanical slaughter is of three types:
1.Chickens are transported to the place of slaughter through a conveyer
belt and are manually slaughtered. If there is certainty that the chicken is
alive and the Muslim slaughterer recites the name of Allah upon slaughtering,
then the chicken is Halaal. In this case, only the transportation is mechanical
but the slaughtering is manual. This procedure is unanimously permissible and
recommended.
2.Chickens are transported by means of the conveyer belt to the mechanical
slaughter blade. Once the mechanical plant comes into operation, the blade
also comes into operation and cuts the chicken. This procedure is not
permissible. It does not matter if the plant and the blades are controlled
together or separately.
3.The chickens are transported by means of the conveyer belt to many
slaughter blades and every blade is controlled separately by a Muslim
who recites the name of Allah upon effecting the mechanical slaughter.
This procedure conforms to the principles of Sharée Zabh set out by the
Fuqahaa. According to our knowledge, such a procedure does not yet
exist.
------
statements of those who say that the mechanical method of slaughter is allowed:
1. According to Islamic slaughter, the person present may say Bismillah from any
position and allow the vessels to be severed by the sharp instrument thus causing
blood to flow. Whether this is done personally or by the machine, both cause the Zibah
to be Halal.
2. There is no reason to condemn mechanical slaughter as un-Islamic and its Zabiha
as Haram, since the sharp blade of the machine is severing the vessels. While this is
happening, a Muslim is reading Tasmiyah with the intention of Zibah, thus no valid reason
can be found to make mechanical slaughter Haram.
N.B.: This argument for mechanical slaughter is totally inappropriate. The argument
presented implies that as long as the vessels are severed, blood has flowed and that
any person is present saying Bismillah, then the Zibah is proper, whether the person
slaughtering is a Muslim or Kaafir or whether he is neither Mu'min nor Kaafir.
"Illa Maa Zakaytum - Except that which you have slaughtered."
(Sura Mai'da, Verse 3)
Certain Ulema in Egypt have also sanctioned mechanical slaughter.Their argument
is as follows:
"If the person in-charge, or the operator of the machine is a Muslim or Ahle Kitaab, and if
the machine has a blade which causes the necessary vessels to be severed, then in this
case, the person saying Bismillah should do so individually for each animal being slaughtered,
then the equipment (blade of the machine) is accepted as the equivalent of the hand of the
slaughterer, and such Zabiha will be accepted as Halal, and if these conditions are not fulfilled,
then the Zabiha is not Halal". (Fatawa Islaamia, Darul Iftil Asariya, Vol. 7, pg. 2616)
DETRIMENTAL POLITICS CONCERNING FORBIDDEN
MEAT
To substantiate their arguments, one of those who sanctioned mechanical slaughter, quoted the
following in his opening statements:
"Due to the demand for Halal meat from Muslim countries, abattoirs have turned to the use of
mechanical slaughter".
After scrutinising this part of the argument, the question which arises here is: When the demand
for meat from the Muslim countries increased, did these abattoirs first research the basis of
mechanical slaughter in the light of Shari'ah, or did they just accept it so that they may enhance
their business dealings? It is obvious that the abattoirs had no desire to conduct such research,
since their aim was solely for production and mass distribution!
It must also be noted that those countries to which such meat was exported the masses were not
informed of the animal being mechanically slaughtered, but rather, they covered their tracks by placing
labels of "HALAL MEAT" on these products to mislead the masses. After much time, when the
unsuspecting public found out that they were consuming meat from animals which were mechanically
slaughtered, they questioned the learned and pious Ulema who said that such meat was Haram. On
the other hand, there were those who tried to prove it being Halal so that they may monopolise and keep
a steady hold on those consuming meat. These Molvis played with the Shari'ah to satisfy the abattoir
authorities by whom they were patronised.
THE LAW CONCERNING EXPORTED MEAT
With regards to the present situation, I feel it necessary to briefly explain the forbidden factors involved
in imported and exported meat, so that those person who wish to consume only Halal meat will abstain
from imported meat that is doubtful. Such people never step back in clarifying that which is Haram.
REASONS FOR EXPORTED MEAT BEING HARAM
1. In exported meat, the method of mechanical slaughter which I have already explained as being Haram is
foremost.
2. Most of the meat being imported is from Europe, America, Australia, etc. and most of those controlling
abattoirs and the exporters of the meat are Christians and the Zabiha of todays Christians is Haram, as I
will prove further in my argument.
3. Exported meat enters Customs where it is immediately hidden from the sight of a Muslim and the exporter.
This meat, which is stored on Cargo Carriers, is also hidden from the sight of a Muslim. The majority of the
Custom officials and the sailors on the ships from these countries are either Mushriks, Mulhids or Christians
of the present day. The Shari'ah has stated that if the meat is hidden from the sight of a Muslim for even one
moment, then the meat is Haram. If the exported meat is the Zabiha of a Muslim, and is sent by a Muslim,
such meat is still accepted as Haram. Proof of this will be furnished as we proceed.
4. Abattoirs which export meat also place labels of "HALAL" on the meat of animals which die through other
bodily injuries during Zibah. By I'jma, such meat is regarded as Haram.
The gist of my argument is this, that if imported and exported meat from the time of Zibah up to the time of importing is
not in the care of a Muslim, during export it is also out of the sight of a Muslim. Even those involved in exporting do not
keep it in their sight. Thus, as soon as this meat is hidden from the sight of a Muslim, then there is no way in which it
can be accepted as permissable. If it is known that it is the Zabiha of a Christian of this time and that it is the product of
machine slaughter, then such meat is Haram in the first degree.
May Almighty Allah save us from consuming that which has been forbidden by the Shari'at-e-Mutaharrah.
Ameen. Wallaahu Ta'ala Aaalam
