Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
Halal Animal Slaughter Policy
2025-05-15
As part of the Halal economic burden, Malaysia or Dubai could be an ideal platform to delve deeper into the issues surrounding animal slaughter through an international conference/summit.
There is a lot of confusion among Muslims (too many certification bodies) and misunderstandings among non-Muslims, which has led to divisions and wild accusations of halal financial extremism or halal (consumers).
It is common for all Muslims to express gratitude by citing the name of God before receiving food; the only difference may be the timing. Before eating at the table, for example, during halal slaughter, the name of God is used: Bismillahi Allah wa qbar. However, here, this grace is often mentioned before a meal, or during a thanksgiving or family feast: "Please bless and purify our food and grant us your grace; make us mindful of the needs of others. Amen."
The Gulf Cooperation Council, as a net food importer, imports food such as meat, chicken, lamb, etc. from countries such as the United States, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand; the regulations stipulate that the living conditions of their upper class should be checked.
There are several implications:
Is it part of the notorious factory farming system or is it grass-fed/free-range, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free? If these animals were born inhumane conditions, raised, or fed with other animal carcasses, then slaughtering them does not make them kosher (leakage, contamination during processing or logistics (cross-contamination)). Instead, it makes them haram. This is also important for non-Muslims because food can be contaminated at other points in the food supply chain, posing a health risk.
Free-range/grass-fed livestock symbolizes organic growth, and the halal industry needs to pay special attention to this sector because it is extremely relevant to the needs of others.
* Halal food supply chain (80%-90%) is not controlled/owned by Muslims, the sale of this food is controlled by multinational corporations and doing so is not halal compliance due to excessive debt ratios or having a “smaller” percentage of income from sources that are not permitted (like pork)!
So, where does the money come from? Halal slaughter, without electrocution but with inhumane treatment of animals (making them suffer), has caused an uproar in many European countries such as Poland and Denmark, and in associations such as the British Veterinary Association. This gives us an ideal opportunity to discuss the issues involved:
* The scientific basis for the level of anxiety and pain in animals is (1) walking them before slaughter, tying them up, and slaughtering them (2) approaching both non-electrical and electric shock slaughter. I would even like to submit a halal video of an animal being electrocuted (with electrodes implanted in the animal) and slaughtered without electric shock. The halal meat can then be used for dinner or donated to charity. Yes, for many Muslims this will be their first time seeing slaughter, and it may make them uncomfortable.
*The study raises concerns about the cruelty of electric shocks and the pain they cause. Are there alternatives, such as magnetic shocks?
* Scientific evidence is presented on the health benefits of halal slaughter versus non-halal slaughter. If the blood is not completely drained, there are health problems, so the saying "cleanliness is the closest to holiness" has been applied to daily life. Being frightened has become a confusing issue for Muslims. A practical suggestion might be to label the animal: (1) whether it is frightened or not (2) whether it is machine-slaughtered or hand-slaughtered (3) whether the slaughter is accompanied by a recorded invocation of the name of God or a personal voice? Obviously, manual slaughter will have inefficiencies (especially in the slaughter of chickens) and the result may be a price premium for halal products. If possible, most halal slaughter is done by electric shock.
Food, not money, is the only thing that unites Jews (Kosher) and Muslims (Halal) in places like Poland, Denmark, the United States, and the United Kingdom. For example, during the period of the ban on slaughter in Poland and Denmark, Jews (Kosher) and Muslims (Halal) submitted a joint statement to the government authorities. Thus, their interests are aligned.
We are all concerned about the treatment of animals and slaughter. So what is the difference between us?