Halal is an Arabic term meaning "permissible" – Zabiha is the method according to which animals are slaughtered to make their meat permissible to eat. It has been proven by experiments* conducted by impartial parties under strict laboratory conditions that this method is humane.
Between 1974 and 1978, Prof. Wilhelm Schulze conducted an experiment at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Hanover University, Germany, in which two sets of animals were slaughtered, one using the Zabiha method and the other by first stunning the animal. Electroencephalographs (EEG) and electrocardiograms (ECG) recorded the condition of the brains and the hearts of all the animals during the course of slaughter.
Read More
Professor Schultz and his colleague Dr. Hazim of the Hanover University, Germany, proved through an experiment, using an electroencephalograph (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) that Islamic slaughter is the humane method of slaughter and captive bolt stunning, practiced by the Western method, causes severe pain to the animal.
Here are the results from the experiment:
1 - Halal Method
- 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.
- For the following 3 seconds, the EEG recorded a condition of deep sleep - unconsciousness. This is due to a large quantity of blood gushing out from the body.
- After the above mentioned 6 seconds, the EEG recorded zero level, showing no feeling of pain at all.
- 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 maximum blood from the body: resulting in hygienic meat for the consumer.
2 - Western Method by C.B.P. Stunning
- The animals were apparently unconscious soon after stunning.
- EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning.
- The hearts of the animal stunned by C.B.P. stopped beating earlier as compared to those of the animals slaughtered according to the Halal method resulting in the retention of more blood inthe meat. This in turn is unhygienic for the consumer.
