Impermissibility of Machine Slaughter and its widespread use in food chains..

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We are aware that consuming Halal food is one of the most important things for a believer, for it has a bearing on all the other worships. It should be of utmost importance to us to verify by all possible means about certainty of a product being halal, more so when it is being imported from countries where machine slaughter is the norm. The most common practice found in a majority of the larger abattoirs is machine slaughter or mechanical slaughter. This is when the slaughter is carried out by mechanical rotating blades with no Muslim slaughterman present either to perform the slaughter, or to recite the Tasmiyah (bismillah) on each individual slaughter. Thousands of chickens are slaughtered in this manner daily. Again, the practice of blessing the blades, playing pre-recorded bismillah or even appointing a Muslim to recite bismillah as he switches the machinery on, is common instead of reciting bismillah on each and every animal slaughtered manually. This practice is directly against the teaching of Islam and will not serve to conduct a Halal slaughter according to the overwhelming majority of scholars worldwide. Below are few articles by renowned scholars on this subject. i) Machine slaughtered meat Shaykh Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari (http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?txt_QuestionID=q-05554697) ii) The issue of Machine Slaughter / Mechanical Slaughter Shaykh Mufti Ebrahim Desai (http://daruliftaa.net/General-Islamic/machineslaughter.html) iii) The Islamic laws of Animal Slaughter Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani (download book) iv) The Issue of Halal meat (A detailed article) Shaykh Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari (http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?txt_QuestionID=q-14415786) v) Mechanical slaughter (with video of the process and fatwa of Muslim scholars across UK) (http://www.muftisays.com/forums/people-s-say/7041/mechanical-slaughter.html) The purpose of this article is not to divulge into the details of why and how machine slaughter is impermissible but is to caution the masses of various food chains and restaurants that might be using such meat even in Muslim countries (especially foreign brands which usually import their meat & ingredients). A small search revealed that many middle-east countries buy meat from Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark etc. which is cheaper in

retail stores (than local poultry esp. chicken) and supplied frozen with long expiry dates (at times up to a year). The UAE are great consumers of meat as a result of the growth of tourism there and of the high income per-capita. The country consumes 18 times more meat per capita than the worldwide average, and depends on imports for 80 per cent of its cattle meat needs. Meat consumption is expected to increase by 28 per cent from 2011 to 2015, when it should reach 439,000 tonnes, (trade arabia news service)

Brazil, along with Australia and New Zealand are the worlds largest exporters of meat and processed products feeding the global hunger for Halal Products. Much of these supplies head to the Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Dubai, Oman, Qatar, Africa and Europe. (Halal Gazette Vol. 4 Issue 1)

This investigation attempted access to 18 of the largest abattoirs in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association, a staggering 718,000 tons of chicken were exported to the Middle east from January to September 2007 and 402,000 tons to the European Union during the same period. By the grace of the Almighty we gained access and enquiries were made of 11 abattoirs and the findings were unfortunately quite shocking: No Muslim slaughtermen at many of the sites No recitation of Tasmiyah (name of Allah) Stunning prevalent at the majority of the sites (risk of many animals being dead at the point of slaughter) No knowledge of Halal and its basic rules Mechanical slaughter used at majority of sites (Halal Gazette Vol. 4 Issue 1) Let alone UAE, Pakistan or any other muslim majority nation, even in the Haramain (Makkah and Madina) these imported brands are easily available and many restaurants use it there (one example being the *Al Baik restaurant which uses imported meat from Brazil). *Al-Farooj (a fast food chain in UAE) uses Al-Islami (aka Co-op Islami) chicken which again is imported from Brazil. Naming these two above is mainly because they are highly regarded local brands and to bring to mind that imported meat is being used by even local restaurants / fast food chains in the middle-east, let alone foreign brands, and this meat is at the very least doubtful, due to revealing researches and high probability on their use of mechanical slaughter, and so pre-caution should be exercised unless one is absolutely sure. Whereas, some products are outright haram such as Al Sadia chicken sausages (they contain E-120) and are labeled as halal which is sufficient for their import in the middle east!. This one product of Sadia, being mislabeled as halal, raises doubts to their other products as well (more so when they are one of the largest pig meat suppliers in Brazil). *Mcdonalds in Pakistan: Q: Mmacdonald in pakistan buying buns from Down Bread (certified by SANHA but the cheese, and spices r not confirmed & also meat. plz inform us about status of its productsAnswer: Jazkumullh Khairan for your query and for the opportunity to be of service to you. We advise as follows:

The producer of the meat products was a South African company by the name of Finlar Foods. They use imported meats from South America which we do NOT approve. Furthermore, we also do NOT have any information on their spice seasonings and cheese. Caution should be exercised! Was-salm SANHA *Note: The above mentioned restaurants might have started using hand slaughtered halal meat which meets all conditions of being Shariah Compliant, but one should always do his/her part of the research and be cautious before eating out. A few harms and prohibitions of eating what is unlawful: (from Mufti Adam al Kawtharis fatwa) - Allah Most High says: O people! Eat of what is in the earth, Halal and Pure, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, for you he is an open enemy. (Surah al-Baqarah, 168) - Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: Allah the Almighty is pure and accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the faithful to do that which he commanded the Messengers, and the Almighty has said: O Messengers! Eat of the pure things and do right. And Allah the Almighty has said: O you who believe! Eat of the pure things We have provided you. Then he (Allah bless him & give him peace) mentioned (the case of) a man who, having journeyed far, is dishevelled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the heavens (saying): O Lord! O Lord! while his food is unlawful, his drink unlawful, his clothing unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully, so how can he be answered! (Sahih Muslim) - Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: A body nourished on Haram sustenance (rizq) will not enter paradise. (Sunan Tirmidhi) - The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said to the Companion Sad: O Sad! Purify your food, your supplication will be accepted. By the one in whose hand lays the life of Muhammad, verily a servant places a morsel of Haram in his stomach (and as a result) forty days of worship will not be accepted from him. (Recorded by Imam Tabrani) - In another narration, it is narrated that an angel at Bayt al-Maqdis proclaims every day and night: Whosoever consumes unlawful (haram) food, Allah Most High will not accept his obligatory (fard) and voluntary worship. (See: al-Kabair of Imam Dhahabi) Thus, the food we eat has a direct effect on us. It is the primary thing that needs to be considered by a Muslim. Supplications (dua) are not accepted due to consuming unlawful food. Hence, a Muslim should abstain from that which is doubtful also. One should also remember that, originally all things are permissible unless proven to be unlawful (al-Asl fi al-Ashya al-Ibaha), however, the case with meat is different, in that it is unlawful until proven to be Halal (for details refer to Mufti Adam al Kawtharis fatwa) Responsibility of Investigation:

Excerpt from the book by Mufti Taqi Usmani (Authors final remarks): What we have shown above is sufficient evidence to substantiate that most of the written certificates alleging that the imported meat is slaughtered according to the prescribed Islamic method are completely unreliable. Therefore, it is not permissible to eat such meat until it is proved credibly that it has been slaughtered in the proper manner. (The Islamic laws of Animal Slaughter, pg. 110) ..This also serves as an answer to those who state that the organization certifying products as Halal is responsible, and thus, any sins for eating the chickens will go to the certifying organization. It is the responsibility of every individual that he/she investigates the authenticity of such statements and then consumes the meat. (Mufti Adam al Kawtharis fatwa) We should enquire well before eating or purchasing meat by asking the Ulama, direct employees, halal certifying bodies (co-ordinated/supervised by ulama) or from any source available to us to be sure of what we eat is Halal. Sadly, there are no active halal certifying bodies in Muslim nations (like those in the UK, USA & SA) and masses are of the opinion that all they get is Halal as they are living in such and such a place, like Saudi, Pakistan etc.. Also, previously this wasnt a problem in these nations as meat used was mostly local, which still maybe the case but due to it being evident that restaurants/fast food chains (esp. in the middle east) use imported meat we should exercise all the precaution we can. - Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) reports that the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) said, A time will come upon the people wherein a man will not bother what he intakes; whether from a hall source or harm. (Bukhari hadith no.2059) Moreover, if one did that which was in ones capacity (i.e. investigating), then although the sin for consuming haram meat may not be committed but the effects of eating haram will still remain. This effect, as stated previously, will have its toll on ones worship, dua, and on life in general. As is truly said Poison has its affects whether one takes it knowingly or unknowingly. May Allah Most High guide us all to the straight path and keep us far away from unlawful and doubtful food, Ameen.
http://mffhere.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/impermissibility-of-machine-slaughter-and-its-use-infood-chains/