How halal is the halal meat industry?

And other considerations beyond just halal.

By: Saarah Ahmed, Research Fellow

The halal meat industry is a significant global business, estimated to be worth $20 billion (1). Similar to kosher meat, the halal meat industry provides meat for the Muslim community, seeking to adhere to specific principles of animal slaughter. So what distinguishes halal meat industries from regular factory farms? Debates surrounding the Halal meat industry tend to focus on issues of humane practices (2), regulatory oversight (3), and questions raised around the treatment of animals. But, beyond this, do we actually know what makes the halal meat industry actually halal?

While the focus tends to focus on the ritual of saying ‘Bismillah, wa Allahu Akbar’ (In the name of God, and God is great) and slaughtering the animal at the jugular vein in one cut, are these two requirements sufficient to fulfill the requirement of halal? In fact, there are two extensive sources regarding the treatment of animals in the Islamic tradition, guided by the animals’ rights over us. This treatment should remain consistent when it comes to our use of animals for consumption.

Animal rights in Islam

The broader framework of animal rights in Islam is guided by a conscientiousness towards God; countless Quranic verses and hadiths inform us on how to treat and interact with animals. Here are a selection of a few that demonstrate Islamic teachings about animals and our interactions with them:

“A good deed done to an animal is as good as doing good to a human being; while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to human beings,” (4)

“Qurra ibn Iyas reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I would have slaughtered a sheep but I had mercy on it.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: If you had mercy on the sheep, then Allah will have mercy on you twice.” (5)

“When we were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) and he had gone to relieve himself, we saw a Hummarah with two young ones. We took the young ones. The Hummarah came and began to spread out its wings. Then the prophet (May peace be upon him) came and said : who has pained this young by the loss of her young? Give her young ones back to her.” (6)

Through these hadiths, and many more not listed here, it is evident that our treatment of animals must be characterized by compassion, guided by a strong sense of responsibility, which contrasts sharply with the cruel conditions of many dairy and animal farm industries, even those certified as halal (7). It is known that Islamically, practices such as killing animals for sport, including hunting and animal fighting, or certain consumption practices (8), are impermissible (9). Even when you are allowed to kill an animal for human consumption, there are strict conditions on how this should be done.

The use of animals for human consumption should not lack compassion nor create the space for carelessness, or worse, practices of cruelty. Among other conditions, when an animal is to be slaughtered, it should be comfortable, and in one swipe, the jugular vien, carotid arteries, and windpipe should be cut with a sharp knife to ensure a quick procedure inflicting minimum harm. The slaughtering of the animal should be done away from other animals so as not to be heard or seen (10), the animal must be also be fully dead before skinning or butchering. Conditions of how the animal has lived, how they have been handled and transported also need to be considered (11). However many of these requirements, designated by Islamic jurists overtime, are overlooked in “halal” animal slaughter (12).

Can we justify how much meat we eat?

We must also consider the frequency of meat consumption and the industrialization of meat and fish production. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would consume meat infrequently; due to its luxury status, it tended to be used in celebratory contexts for weddings, a child’s birth and Eid. For Eid al-Adha, there are conditions on how the meat is to be divided, with one-third to be shared with the needy. These can also be seen to indicate the rarity of meat consumption, as the special nature of meat and encourages us to reflect on both the overconsumption of meat and its status as a regular part of our diets.

The issue of overconsumption of meat is especially relevant in the context of the climate crisis, where the meat and dairy industries are responsible for increased greenhouse gas emissions and environmental damage (13).

We don’t really think of the word halal when it comes to the consumption of fish. In fact, research has shown the harmful effects of overfishing and industrial fishing on coral reefs and marine life, including issues such as bycatch (14), and its harmful impacts on the livelihood of local fishers (15). If there are wider harms throughout industrialised fishing practices that, at best, do not align with Islamic principles around animal care and, at worst, take away from the livelihood of others, we should reassess what we consume and how we souce it.

While there is a future where sourcing meat, fish, and dairy aligns with Islamic teachings on animal rights and environmental responsibility, our current understanding of what is halal, thorough halal certification or otherwise, fall short and leaves much to be desired.

As a Muslim, it becomes increasingly difficult in the current context to justify partaking in these industries which has lead many to embrace and advocate for a plant-based diet as a solution. Some others have turned towards smaller, more sustainable farms that prioritize animal welfare. As we move forward, it is imperative that we assess where we are and critically examine current practices around the ways we consume as a matter of faith and conscientiousness. Guided by our Islamic principles, we can do better as Muslims when it comes to the industries that produce our foods.

Sources:

1- Jim Monahan, “New Research Explores Halal Food Fraud and Its Implications for the Meat Industry,” Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics (Michigan State University, December 9, 2021), https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/new-research-explores-halal-food-fraud-and-its-implications-for-the-meat-industry.

2- There have been debates around pre-stunning slaughter and slaughter without stunning, “Halal Meat: What Is It and Why Is It so Controversial?,” theweek, May 8, 2014, https://theweek.com/58447/halal-meat-what-does-it-involve-and-is-it-cruel-to-animals. M N Riaz et al., “Pros and Cons of Different Stunning Methods from a Halal Perspective: A Review,” Translational Animal Science 5, no. 4 (October 11, 2021), https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txab154.

3- Omar A Al-Mahmood and Angela Fraser, “Perceived Challenges in Implementing Halal Standards by Halal Certifying Bodies in the United States,” PLOS ONE 18, no. 8 (August 31, 2023): e0290774 – 74, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0290774.

4- Mishkat al-Masabih; Book 6; Chapter 7, 8:178.

5- Al-Adab al-Mufrad 368.

6- Sunan Abi Dawud 5268, book 43, Hadith 496.

7- “Is the Halal Food Industry Truly Halal?,” Green Islam, accessed June 15, 2024, https://www.greenislam.org/articles/cruelty-and-fraud-in-the-halal-food-industry.

“Is the Meat Industry an Offense to Islam? | Animals in Islam,” Animals in Islam, 2017, https://www.animalsinislam.com/halal-living/meat-industry-offense-islam/.

8- Cutting a part from a live animal was a cruel practice in the customs of Arabs, that was forbidden as a way to eat meat at the time of the Prophet SAWS. Syed Fazal ur Rahim, “Animal Rights and Welfare in Islam,” International International Journal of Avian & Wildlife Biology 3, no. 6 (November 23, 2018), https://doi.org/10.15406/ijawb.2018.03.00135.

9- Sira Rahman, “Religion and Animal Welfare – an Islamic Perspective,” Animals 7, no. 12 (February 17, 2017): 11, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani7020011.

10- “Halal and Tayyib in the Here and Now,” Animals in Islam, n.d., https://www.animalsinislam.com/islam-animal-rights/bismillah/.

11- This may fall under the designation of Tayyib in the Quran (2:168) but also reflects more generally the various hadiths mentioning the treatment of animals.

12- “Rules & Conditions Pertaining to a Valid Halal Slaughter,” HFSAA, September 1, 2020, https://www.hfsaa.org/rules-conditions-pertaining-to-a-valid-halal-slaughter/.

13- Sophie Kevany, “UN Numbers Say Meat Is Bad for the Climate. The Reality Is Worse.,” Vox, May 27, 2023, https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/23738600/un-fao-meat-dairy-livestock-emissions-methane-climate-change.

14- Bycatch is defined as the unwanted fish and other marine creatures caught during commercial fishing for a different species.

15- “What Is Overfishing | Marine Stewardship Council,” United States – English (Marine Stewardship Council), accessed June 15, 2024, https://www.msc.org/en-us/what-we-are-doing/oceans-at-risk/overfishing?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw1K-zBhBIEiwAWeCOF8mqsP4manQxTPl2EjLLYea0TyXU_2uBX-rP0oSl0zJo7YsOSowFZxoCJUgQAvD_BwE.

@Saarah Ahmed is an Research Fellow with Faithfully Sustainable.