Islamic 'zabeeha': humane slaughter, hygienic meat

ISLAM has made it permissible for Muslims to eat the meat of animals, with certain exceptions, and also ordained the method of their slaughter. The Holy Quran says: “So eat of (the meat) on which Allah’s name has been pronounced (slaughtered by invoking His name) if you have faith in His signs.” (6: 18) Islam being the religion of peace and mercy - mercy not only to human beings but also to animals - has prescribed certain measures to ensure humane treatment to animals before slaughtering them. These measures are:

The animal should not be cruelly transported, handled and dragged to the place of slaughter. It should be healthy and conscious before slaughter.

It should preferably be fed before slaughter.

It should be laid down as calmly as possible for slaughter.

It should not be blindfolded at the time of slaughter. It should be slaughtered with a very sharp prepared knife by an adult well versed in the laws and method of slaughter. The knife should not be sharpened in the presence of the animal while it has been laid down ready for slaughter. One animal should not be slaughtered in the presence of another.

Before bringing the second animal for slaughter, the blood of the first animal should be washed away from the spot.

The animal must not be stunned before slaughter.

It must be slaughtered as quickly and professionally as one possibly can.

It should not be skinned or dismembered while there is some movement in the body.

As for showing mercy to animals while slaughtering them, Al Shaddad bin Aous has quoted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as saying: "Allah calls for mercy in everything, so be merciful when you kill and when you slaughter, sharpen your blade to relieve its pain."

Many allegations have been made that Islamic 'zabeeha' (slaughter) is not humane to animals. Out of their ignorance of or prejudice towards Islam and Muslims, certain animal rights organizations and activists even call for banning Islamic 'zabeeha'.

However, two professors of Hanover University in Germany proved recently, through an experiment using an electroencephalograph (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG), that Islamic 'zabeeha' is the humane method of slaughter and captive bolt pistol (CBP) stunning, as practiced by the Western method of slaughter, causes severe pain to the animal. The results have surprised many.

Experiment details

During the experiment, several electrodes were surgically implanted at various points of the skull of the animals, touching the surface of the brain. The animals were then allowed to recover for several weeks. After that, some animals were slaughtered by making a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck, cutting the jugular veins and carotid arteries of both sides as also the trachea and esophagus (as in Islamic 'zabeeha').

Some other animals were stunned using a captive bolt pistol (as per the 'humane slaughter' method practiced in the West). During the experiment, EEG and ECG were recorded on all animals to monitor the condition of their brain and heart during the course of the slaughter and the stunning.

Result of the experiment

In the animals slaughtered according to the first method, i.e. like Islamic 'zabeeha', the first three seconds from the time of the slaughter, as recorded on the EEG, did not show any change from the graph before slaughter, thus indicating that the animal did not feel any pain during or immediately after the incision. For the following three seconds, the EEG recorded a condition of deep sleep - unconsciousness. This is due to a large quantity of blood gushing out from the body.

After these six seconds, the EEG recorded zero level, showing no feeling of pain at all. As the brain message (EEG) dropped to zero level, the heart was still pounding and the body convulsing vigorously (a reflex action of the spinal cord), driving maximum blood from the body: resulting in hygienic meat for the consumer.

In the case of animals slaughtered as per the Western method of CBP stunning, the animals were apparently unconscious soon after stunning. The EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning. The hearts of the animal stunned by CBP stopped beating as compared to those of the animals slaughtered according to the Islamic 'zabeeha' method, resulting in the retention of more blood in the meat. This in turn is unhygienic for the consumer.

According to experts, CPB stunning entails the shooting of a 10cm steel pin or bolt into the skull or head of an animal, it causes brain hemorrhage and sometimes results in blood oozing out of the animal's mouth if the voltage is high. On occasions more than one bolt is fired into the animal's brain to bring about ostensible unconsciousness. Over time this causes death to the animal before slaughter, whilst stunning brutally renders the animal immobile. Is it not cruelty to animals, one may ask?

On the contrary, the slaughter according to Islamic 'zabeeha' method brings about immediate unconsciousness followed by death within seconds. A Muslim invokes the name of Allah (Takbir) verbally before each slaughter and with each uninterrupted movement severs the trachea (windpipe), esophagus (gullet) and both the jugular veins, immediately causing death to the animal.

The combined circumference of the jugulars, the two major blood vessels, makes the neck the ideal place to cut and bleed the animal. The animal is, thereafter, allowed to bleed before being skinned and dressed. Whilst ostensibly it may appear cruel as many animal rights groups may claim, it is painless and this is to be considered for the welfare of the animals. The process of bleeding is pain-free which can be confirmed by any blood donor.

As for convulsions, they are due to the contraction of the muscles in response to the lack of oxygen in the brain cells. The muscles by these contractions squeeze out blood from the blood vessels in the tissues to pour it into the central circulation system to be sent to the brain, but this is lost on the way and the brain cells consequently keep on sending messages to the muscles to wring out blood until the animal dies. Convulsions thus occur when the animal becomes unconscious, therefore obliterating pain.

Is it no wonder that slaughtering animals by using any method other than cutting the jugular vein is forbidden in by Islam. Only Allah knows best what's good for us. - S.K. Husain