Meat has always been in demand across the globe for many years now and has been a very profitable venture for those who sell animal extracts. A few religions also prescribe the methods in which animals should be killed before their meat is extracted and reaches the masses. One such method is the ‘Halal’, which is a widely followed slaughter procedure across the world. Many outlets and slaughter houses have mushroomed around the globe over the years which are exclusively meant for Halal meat. Interestingly, many non-vegetarian food consumers across the world refuse to buy meat if it doesn’t adhere to the halal format. The world has also witnessed people protesting on the streets with placards against this form of meat. It is said that Halal meat has also been a great source of profit for the owners of outlets selling them. Here are a few facts about this largely consumed form of meat and what’s the reason behind such a big hue and cry about its consumption. The opinion on Halal meat totally depends on one’s perspective and it is up to you to decide whether it is good or bad for you.
1. The Meaning of The Term ‘Halal’
You might have come across various retail outlets selling ‘Halal’ meat and the term might not be new to you, but what does the word really mean? According to the ‘Islamic Shariah Law’, which is a set of rules, followed by the members of the Muslim community, only a few kinds of food are considered permissible for followers of Islam. These foods which have been given the green signal by the Islamic law are termed ‘Halal’. Forms of meat such as Pork and beverages like alcohol are considered unlawful and are termed ‘Haram’. People belonging to the community generally consume meat of animals only if they have been extracted by adhering to the ‘Halal’ format.
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2. What Exactly Happens in the ‘Halal’ Form Of Slaughter?
Jewish and Islamic religious laws also prescribe the exact methods in which an animal needs to be slaughtered. According to Islam, the animal which has to be slaughtered should face the direction in which the iconic ‘Kaaba’ of the holy Mecca is located. An incision is made in the throat of this animal using a knife or a sharp object, which cut off the blood vessels and windpipe. This results in the oozing out of blood completely from the body of the animal and eventually its death. The idea is to drain the blood out of the body of the animal completely before it is ready for consumption. This method of butchering the animal has been criticized by many worldwide.
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3. Are Animals Kept Awake?
Many people, especially those belonging to the western nations, have raised a hue and cry about this form of slaughter, since the animal is awake at the time of slaughter. Several nations follow the method of making the animal unconscious before butchering it, unlike Halal. In European nations like Poland and Denmark these forms of animal slaughtering has been banned since it causes extreme distress as well as pain to the animal. Many videos uploaded on various online sources prove how cattle and chicken are killed. It has been claimed that these animals are immobilized before execution, but they are conscious enough to recognize their surroundings as well as respond to forms of stimuli, such as painful incisions made on their bodies.
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4. Stunned & Unstunned Killing
You might have come across various articles which talk about ‘stunning’ animals before butchering, here’s an insight about what this word means. Stunning is a method of rendering the animal unconscious before slaughtering it for the sake of meat extraction. Several methods are employed while stunning the animal, one of them being electrocution. Passing an electric current through the animal’s scalp makes the animal unconscious and sometimes even causes a cardiac arrest. Another method is to confine an animal to a gas chamber, which would make the animal unconscious and fit for butchering. This is the preferred method in the west and many activists as well as thinkers from around the world feel that this should be the standardized format of killing an animal. ‘Unstunned’ type of killing is a method of immobilizing the animal, but keeping it conscious enough to realize the wrath it is going to face.
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5. The Profits & Animal Right Activist’s Reactions
According to an online source, in the United Kingdom alone, the halal meat business garners a whopping 2.6 Billion Pound worth of business, on an average, each year. About 25% of the meat sold in the Britain every year is contributed by the sale of the Halal kind. Many social activists and crusaders of animal rights across the world have caused a huge uproar against the distribution of halal meat and feel that it is inhumane to tolerate this form of animal slaughter. Several organizations aimed at Animal welfare, such as ‘Scotland for Animals’, have raised their voice against the Halal form of slaughter. They have all been constantly pressing on the ‘stunning’ method to be widely followed and shun the Halal form of meat. However, the government authorities and food corporations across the world have objected to the pleas of these social activists’ demand to boycott Halal meat.
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