Why do Muslims slaughter their animals in a brutal and barbaric manner called halal?

Answer AFor many reasons; among them:

• It is proved medically that slaughtering animals is more kind and merciful to animals than killing animals by shooting, electric chocking, or any other way. In addition,
• slaughtering animals is better for human health because you get rid of the animal blood which is harmful, moreover
• It is commanded by religion to have very sharp knife for slaughtering, to make it fast, and not to make it in front of other animals.

Slaughtering animals is not only an Islamic requirement, it is also a requirement in many other religions including Judaism.

Answer BThey do not make it in a brutal manner as claimed. They kill the animal quickly, and make sure that the animal dies as painlessly as possible. Animals killed this way are considered 'halal food'. Non-halal food cannot be consumed by Muslims. Answer C

Dr. Zakir Niak in his book 'Answers to non-Muslims common questions' reply to this questiom as;

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 Zabiha method is not only humane but also scientifically the best:

1. Islamic method of slaughtering animal

Zakkaytum is a verb derived from the root Word Zakah (to purify). Its infinitive is Tazkiyah which means purification. The Islamic mode of slaughtering an animal requires the following conditions to be met:

a. Animal should be slaughtered with 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 minimized.

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 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 serve as a good culture medium for micro-organisms. The spinal cord must not be cut because the nerve fibres to the heart could be damaged during the process causing cardiac arrest, stagnating the blood in the blood vessels.

2. Blood is a good medium for germs and bacteria

Blood is a good media of 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 struggles, writhers, shakes and kicks, 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.