The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries should take a lead role in addressing animal welfare issues relating to halal standards, it was suggested in one of the discussions at the Certifiers Forum during the World Halal Summit (WHS) 2015 on 1 April.
The suggestion was put forward in response to recent reports on animal cruelty in halal slaughterhouses which have drawn criticism from both animal rights groups and the public.
“Muslim countries must set an example on animal handling as according to the tenets in Islam. The OIC should do a global PR campaign to highlight that Islam requires animal welfare to start at farming,” said Halal Food Authority UK chief executive Saqib Mohammed during a panel discussion at the WHS.
In closing remarks for the event Euro Quality Lambs UK Executive Director Rizvan Khalid pointed that while it may be challenging to reach a consensus agreement to reach a unified Halal standard, he suggested that a line be clearly drawn to emphasise on what is deemed haram.
“Accreditation bodies could distinguish properly on what is halal and haram but with a higher manifestation on halal according to sunnah, like using a sharp knife to slaughter, treat animal with kindness, not allowing the animals to watch each other being slaughtered and so on,” he said.
Theological director SANHA, South Africa Moulana Navlakhi highlighted that is one of current dilemmas is that what is halal in Malaysia might be only makruh (disapproved) in Indonesia but haram in Brunei due to different agreements on animal stunning.
Under the halal code, animals are to be raised and treated well. They should not see the knife or even witness the death of other animal before they are slaughtered. The animals are also supposed to be killed quickly with a single sweep of a sharp knife through the jugular vein.
The method of killing animal is often attacked by animal rights activists as barbaric. Muslims justify that the slaughtering method as advocated by the religion is designed to reduce the pain and distress of the animal. Experts say that the animal killed in this way does not suffer if the cut is made quickly and cleanly enough, because it loses consciousness before the brain can perceive any pain.
Muslims are only allowed to eat meat that has been killed according to shari'ah law.
A member of the audience from Australia added during the Certifiers Forum that the main challenge for the country is also to minimise concern raised by animal rights groups by conducting education and awareness campaigns. Australian companies export halal goods to countries in the Middle East, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore.
The suggestion was put forward in response to recent reports on animal cruelty in halal slaughterhouses which have drawn criticism from both animal rights groups and the public.
“Muslim countries must set an example on animal handling as according to the tenets in Islam. The OIC should do a global PR campaign to highlight that Islam requires animal welfare to start at farming,” said Halal Food Authority UK chief executive Saqib Mohammed during a panel discussion at the WHS.
In closing remarks for the event Euro Quality Lambs UK Executive Director Rizvan Khalid pointed that while it may be challenging to reach a consensus agreement to reach a unified Halal standard, he suggested that a line be clearly drawn to emphasise on what is deemed haram.
“Accreditation bodies could distinguish properly on what is halal and haram but with a higher manifestation on halal according to sunnah, like using a sharp knife to slaughter, treat animal with kindness, not allowing the animals to watch each other being slaughtered and so on,” he said.
Theological director SANHA, South Africa Moulana Navlakhi highlighted that is one of current dilemmas is that what is halal in Malaysia might be only makruh (disapproved) in Indonesia but haram in Brunei due to different agreements on animal stunning.
Under the halal code, animals are to be raised and treated well. They should not see the knife or even witness the death of other animal before they are slaughtered. The animals are also supposed to be killed quickly with a single sweep of a sharp knife through the jugular vein.
The method of killing animal is often attacked by animal rights activists as barbaric. Muslims justify that the slaughtering method as advocated by the religion is designed to reduce the pain and distress of the animal. Experts say that the animal killed in this way does not suffer if the cut is made quickly and cleanly enough, because it loses consciousness before the brain can perceive any pain.
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| Source: WHS website. |
Muslims are only allowed to eat meat that has been killed according to shari'ah law.
A member of the audience from Australia added during the Certifiers Forum that the main challenge for the country is also to minimise concern raised by animal rights groups by conducting education and awareness campaigns. Australian companies export halal goods to countries in the Middle East, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore.
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