Question

I live in Canada, where there are many ways to slaughter an animal here.

1. Some halal distributors use an automated process for slaughtering chicken. The process is as follows. First chicken is stunned but however still alive (this is a Canadian law and there is no way around it) b. Second chicken process through a conveyor belt where a circular knife cuts its neck partially, meaning only cutting the jugular vein. As slaughtering is in process and tape recorder is constantly reciting takbeer. Is this meat halal?

2. Almost all non-halal distributors use the same process as above for slaughtering chicken minus the recitation of takbeer.

3. I have hindu friends from Pakistan and India both. My Pakistani hindu friend always buys halal meat from the local grocery shop. I know this for the fact, am I allowed to eat the food he offers me. Why is this meat not halal on us, I have seen in Pakistan that majority of people slaughtering chicken in Pakistan don’t even say takbeer and sometimes they will be cursing at the street peddlers while cutting the chickens neck. Please kindly tell me the reasoning behind it. Also in today’s world it is not feasible to use a non-automated process to slaughter animal. Also the whole intent of these slaughtering plants is to kill the chicken so they are eaten by human beings.

Answer

The main principles to appreciate are as follows:

1. Blood needs to be drained out of animal when slaughtering, this is primarily for our physical well being

2. God’s name should be mentioned, this is a spiritual aspect of it, whereby we are in fact asking God’s permission to kill what he has created.

The second condition can only be relaxed if the person who does not say the Name is a faithful person who would mention the Name if he had paid enough attention at the time of slaughter or if he knew that it was an obligation. In such situation, since not mentioning the name was not due to arrogance or complete ignorance of the Almighty, based on Hadith, it will be enough to say the name when eating the meat.

Based on the above two principles, answers to your specific questions follows:

– The method you described, done by the Muslim butchers makes the chicken halal.

– Non-Muslim butchers following the same method without saying the name of God or following their understanding of the Shari’ah of their monotheist religion makes the chicken Haram.

– The meat prepared in Pakistan through the process that you mentioned will be Halal for you after you recite the Name of God on it.

Answered by: Farhad Shafti

Date: 2015-01-17