ISLAMIC SHARIAH (LAW) RELATING TO SLAYING (DHABH) OF ANIMALS AND POULTRY (HALAL MEAT)

By Dr A Majid Katme

THE ANIMAL

• allowed to eat and consume (sheep, goat, cow, chicken... but not pig)
• alive and conscious.
• healthy and fit for human consumption.
• fed and grown naturally in a natural environment on a natural vegetarian diet (Not fed animal protein or genetically modified feed.)

FOR BEST PRACTICE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE ANIMAL:


• be fed and watered before DHABH/slaughter.
• be free from any harmful substances, hormones, antibiotics, etc...
• kept away from seeing the sharpening of the knife for slaughter and to kept away as far as possible from seeing the blood of animals slaughtered before.



• each handled gently, with care and respect, without causing any discomfort or any STRESS with no beating or cruelty at all,
• have as much as possible clean skin, fur and bird feathers.
• inspected and certified before as FIT for human consumption.
• kept comfortable before slaughter.

THE MUSLIM MAN WHO SLAYS THE ANIMAL


To be:
• adult
• sane and free from intoxicants.
• It is important that the Muslim man who slays the animals to be trained properly before and licensed and experience in DHABH I SLAYING.

THE ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAYING/DHABH


• First intention (NIYY A): to slaying in the name of ALLAH (GOD) for human consumption.
• the KNIFE used to be very SHARP, clean and large.
• to hold each individual animal gently and carefully.
• it is recommended for both: the man who slays the animal and the animal to face (QIBLA, MAKKAH in Saudi Arabia, or South East in Britain).
• the Muslim slayer should pronounce clearly at time of slaying:
BISMILLAH ALLAH AKBAR (in the name of ALLAH, ALLAH is the Greatest) before doing the cut.


• the Cut to be done in the right anatomical site in the neck by cutting:
• the skin, the muscles, the esophagus(gullet),the trachea(windpipe) and the blood vessels of the neck (Jugular, Carotid) WITHOUT PRIOR STUNNING.
• the spinal cord should not be severed and should be left intact without separating the head during slaying.
• maximum DRAINAGE of the flowing blood should be allowed (T AZKIYAH) from the carcass.

AFTER DHABH/SLAYING:


• to allow time to the animal till it ceases movements.
• De-feathering, De-skinning and Evisceration can be done after.
• to check and inspect the carcass after and to make sure it is fit for human consumption otherwise it should be discarded.
• to avoid mixing it with other non Halal meat and to avoid contamination.

IT IS IMPORTANT for the Muslims to abide by the law of the land and to slay their animals in licensed slaughterhouse and not in a place where pigs were slaughtered and to follow all meat hygiene regulations after and to store it at the right temperature with special HYGIENE care especially during transportation.

[Source: Halal Monitoring Committee ]


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