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Letter to Minister:
HFA expresses concern over FAWC’s report
Mr Elliot Morley MP
Minister of State
Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Noble House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Dear Mr Morley
Farm Animal Welfare Council Report on
Welfare of Farmed Animals at Slaughter or Killing
Part 1: Red Meat June 2003
Having attended the consultations at their invite with FAWC, and having perused the report presented to you, the Halal Food Authority (HFA) would commend proposals therein for various animal welfare aspects.
We are appreciative of the fact that recommendations are to phase out Gas Stunning and the Captive Bolt System is to be reviewed.
It is also heartening to note that under the heading of Specific Slaughter Issues; consideration of animal welfare is being highlighted in areas of thirst, hunger prior to slaughter, discomfort, pain, fear, distress etc. during slaughter, together with normal behavioural modes of the animal throughout the slaughter operation. We feel that it is laudable to see stance taken on livestock transportation to slaughterhouse, lairage, and conditions prior to slaughter, waiting time for slaughter every day and during severe cold and extreme hot weather spells. Needless to say that these have long been axiom of the Islamic jurisprudence as far as Muslim slaughter is concerned.
It is only article 201 that has become a matter of concern for both the Jewish and the Muslim communities, where it states that; “Council considers that slaughter without pre-stunning is unacceptable and that the Government should repeal the current exemption”
One cannot imagine the angst of the Muslim community that after having attained this exemption subsequent to assiduous deliberations, we are now supposedly being asked to abandon our dietary rules that are based on Qur`an, the Holy Book. The fact of the matter is that, if it becomes obligatory to’ Stun the animal to Kill’; it would be classified as a carrion and, anything that dies prior to slaughter cannot be ritually killed and consumed. And the flowing blood, as required by the second covenant is also forbidden. As far as the dedicating the animal in the name of Allah is concerned it is already encapsulated in WASK99-400.
Islam is not against science. Immobilisation of the animal is the answer. However, cloaking expediency of machinery with the animal welfare issues is somewhat unfair. Assurance and confirmation that the animal is not dead prior to slaughter and all the flowing blood is drained from the carcass is an issue of exigency.
HFA appreciates that this FAWC report is in a form of proposal and not alteration or amendment to the WASK 1999-400 rules and, we have your assurances that having perused the report you will, as it would be deemed necessary, consult us with a view to re-represent the Islamic views.
We are positive that keeping the slaughtering rules in compliance of Islamic edicts together with conformity of the meat hygiene and food hygiene regulations, would enable us to retain traceability of halal up and down the food chain.
Yours truly
Masood Khawaja
President
Halal Food Authority
©Halal Food Authority 2006
