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[Contents]-[Foreword]-[Terms]-[General principles]-[Methods of slaughter]
[Consumption of meat]-[Stunning of animals]-[Stunning and pain]

Methods of slaughter

• Basically, the Islamic method of slaught for, which Muslims believe is the ideal one, does not involve stunning. It is carried out with utmost mercy on the part of theslaughterer , and minimum pain and suffering on the part of the animal. Official slaughter houses should therefore develop their techniques with respect to large animals in order to ensure that these basic requirements are adequately met.
  

• Pre-slaughter stunning of animals(1), using electric shock, is admissible if the following provisions are met:
  

  • the electrodes are applied to either both temples or in a frontal-occipital position.
    

  • the voltage range is between 100 and 400 volts.
    

  • the electric current ranges between 0.75 and 1.0 ampere for sheep, and between 2.0 and 2.5 amperes for cattle.

  • the electric current is applied for a period of 3 to 6 seconds.
    
    
  • Since the effect and outcome of electrical stunning are closely related to the type of machine and electrodes used, standard specifications for such machines should be set in order to avoid the death of the animal before it is slaughtered.
    
    

  1. It is essential to provide adequate technical training in the use of these machines and instruments, so as to ensure the safety of the operator and prevent misuse that might lead to pre-slaughter death or to undesirable subsequent effects on the meat.
     

  2. Stunning by bolt-shot pistol is unacceptable, especially in the case of sheep. Instead, the animal may be constrainec[ by putting it in a cage and then slaughtering it in the normal way prescribed in Islam. Nevertheless, should this method be applied, and the animal classified as mawquza ("beaten to death"), yet it is then slaughtered while still alive consumption of the meat would then be permissible.
     

  3. Pre-slaughter stunning using carbon dioxide gas is not acceptable since it would be classified as munkhaniqa, ( death by suffocation) which is forbidden.
     

  4. The Islamic requirements in the slaughter of poultry and birds are only met by cutting the throat, oesophagus and jugular veins with a sharp instrument. All necessary precautions should be taken to ensure that death is not brought about by any other means. Electrical stunning in this case would not be permissible, unless ways are found to guarantee the passage of electric current through the head only. Consumption of the meat of birds decapitated by machine is permissible.
     

  5. Meat exporters and importers should be required to ensure that conditions of Islamic slaughter methods have been observed with respect to meat imported into Muslim countries. Slaughterers should be Muslims, as far as possible, and the slaughter should be carried out under the supervision of an Islamic body recognized by the importing country .
     

  6. Authorities in non-Muslim countries are requested to allow their Muslim population the facilities to slaughter animals and birds in accordance with Islamic methods outlined above.
     

  7. Muslims living in non-Muslim countries are urged to seek permission, within the laws of their respective countries, to conduct the slaughtering of animals according to their religion. If this is not available, they may eat the meat of animals slaughtered by Jews or Christians, which is permitted in Islam, having ensured that it is free of other forbidden meat and food.
     

  8. Muslim visitors to non-Muslim countries, unable to obtain meat of animals slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law, may eat the meat of animals slaughtered by Jews or Christians, having ensured that it is free of other forbidden meat and food.

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  • The joint Muslim World League/World Health Organization meeting held at Jeddah during Rabic al- Awwal 1406 AH/December 1985, rccommended that "if it could bc shown that stunning with electric shock enabled the animal to dic peacefully, then it would bc Islamically lawful", The mceting also sct up a committee comprised of scholars of Islamic law (/ilqaha) and cxperts to study the effects of electrical stunning and to verify whether it: a) mitigatcs the: slaughter process and does not constitute a form of torture; b) does not in fact lead to death: and c) do( not havc any advcrse effect on thc animal nor cause harm to the consumer. The committce found that stunning: a) most probably mitigated thc slaughter and eliminated pain: b) did not Icad to dcath, providcd that the conditions set'out by the committee were met; and had no adverse effccts on the (meat of the) animal nor would it cause any harm to the consumer, Section 4 gives the studies carried out by the committee and its findings.