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Whenever the word halal is mentioned some think and preach the belief that it is always pertaining to a permissible animal or bird being slaughtered for the Muslim consumption. The Qur`an elucidates for Muslims in chapter 23 verses 51, 52 “O you Messengers! Eat of the good things and do right. I am aware of what you do. And this religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me.”
Thus the command is to seek for permissible digestible foodstuffs, albeit meat other foods consumed for sustenance and nourishment. Foodstuffs have to be procured in adherence to His injunctions and mandate. Allah says in 16:114 An-Nahl “so eat ye what Allah has provided ye lawful and good of food, and give ye thanks for Allah’s bounty if unto Him ye worship”. And in 5:88 we note the Creator says, “eat of that which Allah hath bestowed on ye as food, lawful and good and, fear Allah in whom ye believe”. Again in Chapter 2 Al-Baqrah verse 168 Allah guides us “O ye men, eat of what is in the earth lawful and good and follow not the footsteps of Satan; for verily he is open enemy unto to you”.
We are warned that “verily He has forbidden you carrion and (flowing) blood and swine flesh and that which has been immolated (sacrificed) to any other than Allah” verse 2:173 refers. This is repeated in Al-Maida 5:3, “ verily He has forbidden you carrion and blood and swine flesh and, that which has been dedicated unto any other than Allah. And the strangled and the dead through falling from height and that which has been killed by (goring of) horns and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which you slaughter (in accordance with prescribed law) and, (also forbidden unto you) what is sacrificed on alter stones unto idols and that ye swear by divining arrows. All these are abominations”.
To understand the Islamic philosophy behind the code of practice let us ponder on the verse 6:145 chapter Al-An`am. Here Prophet Muhammad is being addressed “say, O prophet, I find not in that which is revealed to me anything prohibited to the eater that he eat of it, except it be carrion, or blood poured forth or swine flesh – for that verily is foul – or the abomination which was sanctified to the name of other than Allah. But who is compelled (to it), neither craving nor transgressing. Your Lord is forgiving, merciful”.
Definition of halal is becoming clearer. It has to be wholesome, pure and good and not containing anything that is proscribed or forbidden like carrion, flowing blood and pork. Further along in the Scripture it is directed that intoxicating materials are also to be refrained from, as inebriation might lead us to satanic actions; notwithstanding the rare benefits such substances might possess. Most of all we are invited to think with elicit sympathy to human kind that he does not undertake to consume anything that which is:
a) proscribed
b) not wholesome and
c) not fit for human consumption for whatever reason.
We are not, however, to have a blinkered view with a clamour that could put a discord in the Muslim community and be the cause of erroneous palpable belief that Allah’s directives were for the time whence science and technology were not part of the equation of development of facilities for a better and sustained life. It is in fact faux pas and a flagrant injustice to perceive that Islam is in any way suppressing a roiling cauldron of negative emotions against progression.
To give credence to such an ideology would be devoid of all the truth and against basic axiom of the teaching of the Qur`an as manifested in chapter 31:20 the Luqman, “see you not how Allah has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth and has loaded you with His favours both without and within. Yet of mankind is he who disputes concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or Scripture giving light”. By the same token, elsewhere in the Qur`an it is mentioned that the seas have also been made subservient to you, so eat what is bestowed to you therefrom and navigate to reach far flung places.
Aforementioned proves the corollary of the argument that nowhere in any documented scripture or statement of any apostle or writing of any of the disciple or religious almanacs, that application of science is supposed to be excluded or prohibited in procuring permissible food products and staple diets for the Muslim consumption.
Paradoxically, those who argue that technology has no place in application of slaughtering methods, are always equipped and laced with modern electronic gadgets that were not even in dreams of people scores of years ago. For contrivance of progressive daily life pretending to provide lucid and active participation in the affairs of society, they are eluding themselves. This is an arcane and esoteric doctrine that baffles students of all belief and cultures.
Dwelling on slaughtering for a minute, let us examine the system and technique
of the modern-day abattoir. HFA agrees not to use gas stunning, since asphyxiation
causes smothering and, animal would succumb. HFA would also not concur
that captive bolt system is used on cattle, it is irreversible and the
beast is brain dead prior to slaughtering. These methods are in contravention
of Islamic axioms. HFA is comfortable in being proponent ethically and
axiomatically for the usage of controlled electrical discharge enough to
have somniferous reaction but to allow rendering the animals to bring about
body-convulsion enabling the flowing blood to be drained out of the body
subsequent to slaughtering. We all know that Muslims would not allow dorsal
cut and Zibah is not complete till jugular vein, windpipe and carotid artery
are not cut. What is the ethics of it? It is simple; as soon as throat
is cut the animal goes into a trance. Thus no pain felt. And because spinal
cord is still functioning body would convulse to supply oxygen to the brain
by means of blood flow and, because carotid artery is now unable to supply
blood as it is being drained out; the required dictum of Islamic rule is
fulfilled.
Some argue with impunity that electric- stun (though used as a dimmer switch) causes blood retention in body and thus leads to BSE, CJD and other blood-borne diseases. If it were so, the whole non-Muslim population of Britain would have by now been wiped out! It would be a cardinal sin if it is not stated that a Muslim would always do every thing in the name of Allah and for the sake of his Sustainer, one and the only Provider. Hence there has to be a rendition of His glory at the time of slaughtering, since we are borrowing an animal from His flock.
Modern methods of fish farming necessitate electrical stunning of both salmon and trout. No one animadverts there. They know that it is because the electric stunning is controllable to immobilise the animals and even the birds.
No one is allowed to break the covenants and exhortation of the saying of the last prophet, let alone transmute the Qur`an - and its directives in any manner. However, are we adhering to the hadith that says ‘do not decorate your Mosques like Heckles’? What about the Qur`anic command stated in 22:27 “and proclaim to mankind the pilgrimage! They will come to you on foot and on very lean camel; they will come from every ravine”. Travelling Heathrow to Mecca via Jeddah in comfort in an electronic air-capsule. Is it not enervating the words of Almighty? Or this excoriation is because of a newfound emollient adjudication of cohesion
Why be vitriolic and rancorous and not see what are the progression of ethics and benefits of technology? It does not always pay to be disparaging and to stigmatise or blemish technical advancement by ubiquitous remarks. Not long time ago it was said that adhan – call to prayers could not be done on a loudspeaker, since originally it was done from a minaret. Now, electronics invention is making it possible to think over and deliberate to perform traveeh (the special night prayers in the month of Ramadan) whilst it is broadcast from Mecca. Ethical thinking, is it not?
No one is trying to foist or impose technology on any one – but can any one in this hall honestly say that he or she does not have a TV in their home, mobile in their pocket and has been to Hajj by any other means than an air flight. There are no easy answers, but science is a pressing question. But let us not be perfunctory or indifferent and superficially reject science and technology for only using it when it suits us
Enough said on meat and its slaughtering. Let us look at ethics of chemicals in foods and ingredients. Not only instead of solvent as a base-carrier, EU rule now is to use alcohol in procuring artificial flavourings; and also chemicals themselves emit alcohol whence some reaction takes place, so what is the collective ethical decision on residue of any alcohol that might be left in the substance as such. HFA instance is more than acceptable if we would follow description of intoxicant.
We talked about intensive farming earlier. What is the ethics as we now have animals and life being created with artificial insemination - by cloning method, genetic modification? Animals. Vegetables and fruits are about to be presented and these would not be the yield of reproduction cycle or natural pollination. In UK we now already have meat and milk that comes from cloned animals. Oh! Yes, it is not to be labelled as such. Now then what is the Islamic ethics here.
Prior to peroration and conclusion I would like to propose that:
It should be noted here that in UK alone 75 to 80% halal meat, poultry and foodstuffs are processed, manufactured and provided by non-Muslims. Endorsees on our books are doing a wonderful job contractually. And Halal food authority is grateful to them on behalf of the Muslims. We are also appreciative of the seminars like these where it is natural to be beholden to enhance apparition of both the endorsers and the endorsees.
To maintain the interest of practical and ethical behaviour we have to appreciate establishments like our hosts here today, for putting a global show in creating a path for promotion of halal foods and, I would further implore that organisations represented here or elsewhere in Europe, Americas or in far flung corners of he globe, should focus to work together and jointly. Is this not and would it not be an ethics of strength?
Future of the Islamic ethics in preparation of foods surely is in applying the knowledge and not just theorizing the dictum. The future of halal trade be it in livestock, meat, food or its ingredients is looking - O Muslim right in your eye. This is a wakeup call. See the world around you. The West, it has to said, has achieved success and prosperity by usage and implementation of science and technology.
Just writing reams of papers and stacks of books on Qur`anic sciences and deliver hours of speeches from ornamental rostrums to enter the hall of fame' and keep the Muslim masses adroitly ignorant of logical ethics and its application, benefits and expediency of opulence, profusion and prosperity.
Now, how to tackle the challenges that we face in modern time production and, implement the dictum of status of halal. HFA is a good example in hand. Any individual, organisation or government department does not fund it. We generate our own revenues. Hard though it is; it is advantageously august way to be in. Modus operandi is to work equipped with a bond of confidentiality and mutually signed agreement, ensuring that both relevant EU rules and the Islamic dietary rules and ethics are adhered to. EU rules include meat hygiene, food hygiene, food safety, HACCP, environmental health, transportation and above all digestible and ingestible have to be fit for human consumption. Ingredients of foods have to be in compliance of halal axiom, checked for suitability of halal and plants and production lines have to be permissible and dedicated for halal production.
So, Mr Sales Executive, organisations like Halal Food Authority are not prompting or projecting your sales initiatives. Take the brief, halal is wholesome, pure and fit for human consumption and moreover, made with compliance to finest laws in vogue.
It is pleasing to note that unlike two decades ago, the providers and procurers of halal have now fathomed it out that halal market is as vast as the global circumference. Otherwise, in UK, a country with only 4% Muslim population, we would not have a share of up to 27% of the food market. Yes, you have guessed it the indigenous population is now partial to halal foods and variety of halal dishes, both frozen and chilled-fresh and fit for modern fashionable, adaptable palate.
Honest caveat, counsel and exhortation – and that is the ethics of
supreme calibre – do it according to the Islamic jurisprudence for
the benefit of the Ummah.
Masood Khawaja
President
Halal Food Authority
European Networking Group (ENG)
3rd Senior Executive Summit
18 – 19 April 2007
NH Barbizon Palace
Amsterdam
©Halal Food Authority 2006
