There are shops clearly stating about halal meat and restaurants where halal food is available. Muslims give importance to eating only halal food and halal meat as it is permissible for them to eat only halal food.
What is Halal Meat In Islam?
- It is permissible for Muslims to eat only halal food.
- The meat must be halal and the animal must be cut as per Islamic rule.
- Muslims are not permissible to eat the meat of those animals which is prohibited in Islam.
Halal vs Jhatka
Halal:- In Arabic, the phrase Halal means “suitable for human eating.” Muslims eat only Halal meat whether it is of bird or animal. The procedure to make meat Halal is by slashing the animal’s throat with a sharp blade in the name of Allah.
It is also believed that this method of slaughtering gives animals lesser pain compared to Jhatka. As it drains entire blood from the animal’s body in a few seconds. For this reason Halal meat of considered healthier than jhatka meat.
Jhatka:- Jhatka in Hindi means swift. Within the Sikh religion, Jhatka, or Jhataka, is the flesh of an animal killed instantly, such as by a single blow of a sword or axe to cut the head. Most Sikhs, as well as meat-eating Buddhists and certain khatiks from Punjab and North India, favor this manner of slaughtering since the animal is not terrified or agitated before being slaughtered.
Only meat produced from an animal slaughtered with a single stroke of the weapon resulting in immediate death is appropriate for human eating, according to Sikh tradition.
Permissible Meat for Muslims
Muslims search for halal food where ever they go. Halal means are permissible in Arabic. As per Quran halal food must be eaten by Muslims and the food must be according to Islamic Law. As per Islamic Law, the animals must be slaughtered by a cut on the Jugular vein, Carotid artery, and windpipe.
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As per Islamic Law, the animal which is selected for slaughtering must be healthy and the blood of the animal must be drained. When the animal is being slaughtered a verse is recited known as Shahadah.
As per the Halal Food Authority (HFA) stunning must not be opted to kill animals. Unnecessary suffering is observed if slaughtered without pre-stunning said RSPCA.
As per estimates stated by the UK Food Standards Agency figures in the Year 2011 a total of 84% of cattle was slaughtered using stunning.
Out of this 81% of sheep and 88% of Chickens used for halal meat were stunned. Denmark has banned non stunning slaughter. When it comes to Kosher meat, the Jewish law states not to use Stunning.
The animals are slaughtered without taking god’s name. Moreover few parts of the animals are forbidden from eating. Even halal food forbids certain parts like the Bladder and testicles from eating.
Also: Muslims Food: Halal and Haram Muslim food according to Islamic Law.
In the UK the food is labeled as halal or not so it helps Muslim Population. There are 2.7 Million Muslims in the UK and Slaughterhouses does not want to lose customers.
Supermarkets like Mark and Spencer all provide halal meat to their customers. Apart from this Tesco, Morrison’s also sold halal meat. It is said that there must be clear labeling about the halal meat which is being sold so that people get aware of it and check for the information before buying the meat.
It must further state whether the animal was stunned or not so that customers who care about all these details must not be unaware of it while purchasing it.
