Islamic Way of Slaughtering Animals looks Cruel Dr. Zakir Naik Q: Why do Muslims slaughter the animal in a cruel manner by torturing it and slowly and painfully killing it? A: The Islamic method of slaughtering animals, known as ‘Zabiha’ has been the object of much criticism from a large number of people. One may consider the following points, which prove that the Islamic method of ‘Zabiha’ is not only humane but also scientifically the best: 1. Islamic method of slaughtering animal ‘Zakkaytum’ is a verb derived from the root word ‘Zakaah’ (to purify). Its infinitive is ‘Tazkiyah’, which means purification. The Islamic mode of slaughtering an animal requires the following conditions to be met: a. The animal should be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife) The animal has to be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife) and in a fast way so that the pain of slaughter is minimised. b. Cut wind pipe, throat and vessels of neck ‘Zabiha’ is an Arabic word which means ‘slaughtered’. The ‘slaughtering’ is to be done by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck causing the animal’s death, but without cutting the spinal cord. c. Blood should be drained The blood has to be drained completely before the head is removed. The purpose is to drain out most of the blood, which would otherwise serve as a good culture medium for micro organisms. Hence, for this purpose, the spinal cord must not be cut, otherwise the nerve fibers to the heart would be damaged during the process causing cardiac arrest, resulting in stagnation of the blood in the blood vessels. 2. Blood is a good medium for germs and bacteria Blood is a good medium for germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. Therefore the Muslim way of slaughtering is more hygienic as most of the blood containing germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. that are the cause of several diseases are eliminated. 3. Meat remains fresh for a longer time Meat slaughtered by Islamic way remains fresh for a longer time due to deficiency of blood in the meat as compared to other methods of slaughtering. 4. Animal does not feel pain The swift cutting of vessels of the neck disconnects the flow of blood to the nerve of the brain responsible for pain. Thus the animal does not feel pain. While dying, the animal appears to struggle, writhe, shake and kick, not due to pain, but due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles deficient in blood and due to the flow of blood out of the body. Top ________________________________________ Non-Vegetarian Food makes Muslim Violent ! Q: Science tells us that whatever one eats has an effect on one’s behaviour. Why does then Islam allow Muslims to eat non-vegetarian food, since eating of animals could make a person violent? A: 1. Only eating of herbivorous animals is allowed by Islam. I agree that, what a person eats has an effect on his behaviour. This is one of the reasons why Islam prohibits the eating of carnivorous animals like lions, tigers, leopards, etc. who are violent and ferocious. The consumption of the meat of such animals would probably make a person violent and ferocious. Islam only allows the eating of herbivorous animals like goats, cattle, sheep, etc. that are peaceful and docile. We Muslims eat peaceful and docile animals because we are peace loving and non-violent people. 2. The Qur’an says Prophet prohibits what is bad The Qur’an says: “The Prophet commands them what is just and prohibits what is evil. He allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them what is bad (and impure),” [Al-A’raf 7: 157] “So take what the Messenger assigns to you and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you.” [Al-Hashr 59: 7] For a Muslim, the Prophet’s statement is sufficient to convince him that Allah does not wish humans to eat some kinds of meat while allowing some other kinds. 3. Hadith prohibiting eating of carnivorous animals According to various authentic Ahaadith narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim including hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas in Sahih Muslim, Book of hunting and slaughter, Hadith No. 4752 and Sunan Ibn-i-Majah chapter 13 Hadith no. 3232 to 3234, the Holy Prophet (Pbuh) prohibited the eating of: (i) Wild animals with canine teeth, i.e. meat eating carnivorous animals. These are animals belonging to the cat families such as lions, tigers, cats, dogs, wolfs, hyenas, etc. (ii) Certain rodents like mice, rats, rabbits with claws, etc. (iii) Certain reptiles like snakes, alligators, etc. (iv) Birds of prey with talons or claws, like vultures, eagle, crows, owl, etc.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 00:00:37 +0000
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