March 7, 2011
For many years, the Al-Safa company has been using the term ‘Zabihah’ on its packaging. This term is understood by many Muslims to refer to a Halal method which employs hand slaughter by a Muslim. The company has recently changed to a new chicken supplier who does not exclusively employ the hand slaughter method at its facility and instead uses a mechanical slaughter process. They have now removed the “Zabihah” label from the Al-Safa package. Unfortunately, Al-Safa has yet made a public announcement regarding this important development.
Machine slaughter is a controversial slaughter process which is not accepted by all Muslims of all schools of thought. There are many prominent scholars who hold the view that mechanical slaughter does not meet many of the Halal requirements including the recitation of the name of Allah on the animal, the intent to slaughter the animal, and the slaughter attributed to a human. Many articles and fatwas have been published regarding mechanical slaughter. See Mechanical Slaughter. for more information. See Mechanical Slaughter.
On the other hand, the hand slaughter Halal method is universally accepted by Muslims of all schools of thought. There is no difference of opinion regarding the acceptability of a Halal hand slaughter process, and in this way everyone is accommodated. For this reason, the Halal Advocates of America only accept hand slaughter by a Muslim as the universal Halal standard for slaughter. The Halal Advocates of America is an organization dedicated to educating the Muslim public about the moral significance of Halal food, nurturing a relationship between consumer and corporation founded on ethical and commercial integrity, and promoting Halal criteria which is universally-accepted, non-controversial across the supply chain.
The consumption of authentic Halal food products is a vital issue for all Muslims because of the great harms of consuming unlawful food mentioned in the Quran and Hadith. The Muslim community of North America should do their best to consume only hand slaughtered meat products in order to preserve their faith and avoid matters of doubt. Muslims are encouraged to voice their opinion regarding the change in the Halal process at Al-Safa and express their support for a hand slaughter method at the following website:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/al-safa-meat-products-should-switch-back-to-hand-slaughter-zabihah/
A survey of major suppliers of halal processed chicken products in America Company Hand slaughtered or machine slaughtered:
Al-Safa………………………Machine slaughtered
Midamar……………………Currently machine slaughtered
Crescent Chickens…..Hand Slaughtered
Nema………………………..Hand Slaughtered
Carribean Crescent….Hand Slaughtered
