Ritual Slaughter in Islam (Zabihah)

Islamic Slaughter is Humane and Produces Healthy Halal Meat

Oct 17, 2008 Christine Benlafquih

The United States Humane Slaughter Act recognizes ritual slaughter according to Islamic and Jewish dietary guidelines is acceptable and humane.

Islamic dietary laws and Jewish dietary laws mandate that domestic animals raised for meat be slaughtered under strict religious guidelines. Both the Jewish (shechita) and Islamic (zabihah or dhabihah) methods of slaughter involve making a single, swift incision to the throat of the animal – deep enough to sever the jugular vein, carotid arteries, trachea and esophagus, but not so deep as to cut the spinal cord.

Although the image of this may be disturbing, ritual slaughter when performed correctly is painless to the animal. This is because the immediate severance of both the blood and oxygen supply to the brain causes the animal to quickly lose consciousness and all sensation. Anemia of the brain occurs within seconds.

Scientific Research Proves Islamic Slaughter is Humane

Professor Wilhelm Schulze of the Hannover University's School of Veterinary Medicine in Germany, and his colleague Dr. Hazim, compared the response of the brain and heart during and immediately after ritual slaughter and slaughter with captive bolt stunning, a method widely used in many slaughterhouses.

The results of electroencephalograph (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings showed that Islamic ritual slaughtering caused a loss of consciousness before pain could be felt, while the captive bolt stunning caused severe pain to the animal before it lost consciousness.

Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert on livestock handling facilities and a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, has witnessed ritual slaughter many times while inspecting and advising kosher slaughterhouses. She notes on her website: “When the cut is done correctly, the animal appears not to feel it. From an animal welfare standpoint, the major concern during ritual slaughter are the stressful and cruel methods of restraint (holding) that are used in some plants."

Conditions for Islamic Slaughter (Zabihah)

Inhumane restraint of an animal at the time of slaughter goes against Islam, which requires kind and merciful treatment before and during the slaughter. This includes raising the animal in a natural -- preferably organic -- free range manner.

Other conditions for Islamic slaughter to yield halal (permissible) meat are:

• the animal must be healthy and permissible to eat
• a sane and competent Muslim must perform the act
• a very sharp knife must be used, to facilitate rapid and painless cutting
• the slaughter should not take place within view of other animals
• the animal being slaughtered should not see the knife
• the Muslim performing the cut (zabih or dhabih) must invoke God (Allah) by saying, “In the name of God” and “God is the Greatest” at the time of the slaughter
• the cut should not be so deep as to sever the spinal cord or head

Ritual Slaughter Produces Healthier Meat

Both Jews and Muslims are forbidden from consuming blood. Ritual slaughter causes a rapid draining of bacteria- and hormone-carrying blood from an animal’s body, which is critical to healthy, blood-free meat.

The German study found that the heart pumps longer after Islamic slaughter than it does after captive bolt stunning, resulting in a better drain of blood and more hygienic meat. Painless body convulsions and leg kicks brought on after ritual slaughter are natural reflexes and further help to flush and drain the meat of blood.

Only after the blood has stopped draining should an animal be hoisted for skinning, removing of innards and butchering.

Sources:

“Attempts to Objectify Pain and Consciousness in Conventional (Captive Bolt Pistol Stunning) and Ritual (Halal, Knife) Methods of Slaughtering Sheep and Calves,” by Professor Wilhelm Schulze and Dr. Hazim, Hannover University's School of Veterinary Medicine in Germany

"Religous Slaughter and Animal Welfare: A Discussion for Meat Scientists," by Temple Grandin and Joe M. Regenstein, Meat Focus International (March 1994), pages 115-123

United States Humane Slaughter Act (7 U.S.C.A. § 1902. Humane methods)

The copyright of the article Ritual Slaughter in Islam (Zabihah) in Islam is owned by Christine Benlafquih. Permission to republish Ritual Slaughter in Islam (Zabihah) in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Ram

Comments

Oct 25, 2008 6:20 AM

Angela England :

This is very interesting - when my husband hunts he will kill the deer this way if his original shot doesn't immediate kill it. He has always said it is much more humane so this is fascinating.

Dec 2, 2008 9:09 AM

Guest :

The Farm Animal Welfare Committee in the U.K. has called for a ban on ritual slaughter because it is inhumane. It can take a minute or more for the animal to die. And the way it is actually practiced is often brutal, and not in keeping with the religious laws. Also, the way the animals are raised or transported can be cruel. You can read about "halal" meat in India here: http://www.islamicconcern.org/halalmeat.asp

Dec 6, 2008 10:28 AM

Guest :

ritual slaughter is not inhumane. And modern medicine is not making up doctrines. modern medicine is based on empirical findings which have only validity up to the next cognition. I think in the original study of professor Wilhelm Schulze e.a. it is clearly shown up that ritual slaughter like jews and muslims practice is more humane than the conventional slaughtering method...

Dec 22, 2008 1:49 AM

Guest :

This or any humane form of slaughter must be enforced by law in countries worldwide to ensure the suffering is absent during slaughter.
I encourage petitions to be created, signed and directed at government worldwide.

Jun 3, 2009 4:46 PM

Guest :

Anemia of the brain? Is this a newly-found medical condition?

Bacteria-carrying blood? Blood is normally sterile --no bacteria.

Faulty science aside, the writer labours under other misperceptions too. Restraints are used when animals are slaughtered in Muslim countries. I've witessed a sheep with all four feet tied together, struggling on a cart on its way to slaughter in Turkey. During the annual "Cutting Festival" Islamic holiday many animals are slaughtered by amateurs, resulting in horrendous pain and trauma. Sometimes the cattle or sheep are hoisted by ropes in someone's backyard, before the cutting begins, and the animal is still conscious. The Turkish press has documented this.

For those who shun participating in these blood sacrifices of whatever ilk, vegetarianism beckons.

Jun 4, 2009 12:46 AM

Christine Benlafquih :

Blood is normally sterile, yes. However, bacteria can infect the blood. Look up "bacteremia." A tick bite can infect the blood stream with bacteria, as can some diseases. Bacteria can also enter the blood stream through open wounds. A seemingly healthy animal therefore can carry bacteria in the blood, and proper draining of the blood from meat is important.

Jun 4, 2009 12:47 AM

Christine Benlafquih :

"Loss of consciousness from anemia of the brain" is standard language on U.S. and state codes for humane slaughter. Anemia of the brain refers to Anoxia, described as follows by the Brain Injury Association of Utah: "Anoxic Brain Injury occurs when the brain does not receive any oxygen. Cells in the brain need oxygen to survive and function. Types of Anoxic Brain Injury: * Anoxic Anoxia- Brain injury from no oxygen supplied to the brain; * Anemic Anoxia- Brain injury from blood that does not carry enough oxygen; Toxic Anoxia- Brain injury from toxins or metabolites that block oxygen in the blood from being used."

Jun 6, 2009 8:38 AM

Guest :

I admit I was wrong: "anemia of the brain" isn't a new term, it appears to be an old term -- and I would think not used anymore since it is a misnomer. Most references to it appear to be very old.

The terms anoxia and anemia are not synonomous, but I would suspect they are sometimes confused.

"Anemia" refers to a deficiency of the blood itself lessening it's capacity to carry oxygen. Since blood travels throughout the body, this deficiency is felt in every organ. "Anoxia" refers to a deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues -- and could thus be caused by a mechanical cut to the air ways so that no more oxygen enters the animal's blood -- although the blood already perfusing the brain could be rich in oxygen, not anemic. Anoxia could also be caused by anemia, but, as I said, the two terms are not synonomous, and are not interchangeable.

"Anemia of the brain" may indeed be a term used to refer to anoxia, but it's an inaccurate used of the word "anemia" since this refers to a blood condition.

Bacteremia is a pathological condition whereby bacteria are present in the blood. Draining infected blood would not rid the meat of bacteria that had already infected organ and muscles tissue. Hormones too act at the cellular level, and are not confined to the blood only.

But all of this is an exercise in semantics. The fact still remains that animals are slaughtered and their flesh consumed my humans who then sometimes try to justify their actions by referring to the humaneness of their killing styles. One religion may claim to practise less cruel, less painful methods than another, but the fact is that only those who refuse to consume flesh at all can claim the moral high ground.

8 Comments