Is Jhatka or halal more painful to the animal?

Answer 1

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 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 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 defecient in blood and

due to the flow of blood out of the body.

This is in reference to the Jonathan Safran Foer article "How cows become beef" published on 26.02.10. This is the cruelest aspect of animal slaughtering rampant in western slaughter house. The western should honestly accept that the most easiest and scientific way of slaughtering and consuming meat is the only way prescribed in Islam.

There are strict rules when it comes to meat consumption regarding what is allowed and what is forbidden in Islam. In Surat Al-Maida (The Table) Allah says: "Forbidden to you for food are: The dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and the meat of that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns - and that which has been eaten by a wild animal - unless you are able to slaughter it before its death ­."

The Islamic practice of slaughtering animals is by cutting the windpipe, foodpipe, and the two blood vessels in the neck causing the animal's death, without cutting the spinal cord. This has been seen as painful inhumane method of killing animals. In the West, it is required by law to stun the animals with a shot to the head before the slaughter, to make the animal unconscious and to prevent it from reviving before it is killed so as not to slow down the movement of the processings. It is also used to prevent the animal from feeling pain before it dies. But the reality has been revealed by Mr Jonathan Safran Foer in his article.

The matter was studied by a German Professor Scientist Wilhelm Schulze and his colleague Dr. Hazim at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover University in Germany. The study: 'Attempts to Objectify Pain and Consciousness in Conventional (captive bolt pistol stunning) and Muslim Ritual (halal, knife killing) Methods of Slaughtering Sheep and Calves' concludes that Islamic slaughtering is the most humane method of slaughter and that captive bolt stunning, practiced in the West, causes severe pain to the animal.

In the study, several electrodes were surgically implanted at various points of the skull of all animals, touching the surface of the brain. The animals were allowed to recover for several weeks. Some animals were then slaughtered by making a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck cutting the jugular veins and the carotid arteries as well as the trachea and esophagus (Islamic method). Other animals were stunned using a Captive Bolt Pistol (CBP). During the experiment, an electroencephalograph (EEG) and an electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded the condition of the brain and the heart of all animals during the course of slaughter and stunning.

The results were as follows:

I - Islamic Method

1. The first three seconds from the time of Islamic slaughter as recorded on the EEG did not show any change from the graph before slaughter, thus indicating that the animal did not feel any pain during or immediately after the incision.

2. For the following 3 seconds, the EEG recorded a condition of deep sleep - unconsciousness. This is due to the large quantity of blood gushing out from the body.

3. After the above-mentioned 6 seconds, the EEG recorded zero level, showing no feeling of pain at all.

4. As the brain message (EEG) dropped to zero level, the heart was still pounding and the body convulsing vigorously (a reflex action of the spinal cord) driving a maximum amount of blood from the body thus resulting in hygienic meat for the consumer.

II - Western method by C.B.P. Stunning

1. The animals were apparently unconscious soon after stunning.

2. EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning.

3. The hearts of animals stunned by C.B.P. stopped beating earlier as compared to those of the animals slaughtered according to the Islamic method resulting in the retention of more blood in the meat. This in turn is unhygienic for the consumer.

III. Indian Method of "Jhatka"

Jhatka is meat from an animal which has been killed by a single strike of a sword or axe to sever the head, as opposed to ritualistically slow slaughter (Kutha) like the Jewish slaughter (schechita) or Islamic slaughter (dhabihah).

It is considered a painless method to slaughter an animal, as the head of the animal is decapitated in less than a second and there is no shock or torture like slow killing. Hindus and Sikhs are prescribed Jhatka meat as Islamic method is thought to be torturing to the animal where animal cries in pain for a long time. Muslims generally not promote and degrade eating Jhatka as there is more blood content in the meat and drinking blood is sin in Islam, however on the contrary many consumers of both Jhatka and Halaal meat find Jhatka more tasty due to blood content and less torture of the animal. Blood cakes are eaten worldwide by many communities like Koreans and Chinese and Blood being a germ carrier is just considered a Propaganda to defame Jhatka meat. Jhatka meat is soft, succulent and tasty and eaten since thousands of years.

Conclusion is that Muslims consider slow ritual killing as a religious requirement and hence justify Halaal meat as better. In the same way Hindus and Sikhs consider Jhatka meat to be better in every aspect. But from ethical slaughter point of view considering taste as same Jhatka is certainly better. And being eaten for last 5000 years now without any reported related health problems, its considered best way of slaughtering and having meat