Animal killing done mercifully in Islam

Sydney, June 01: IN ISLAM, eating becomes a form of spiritual nourishment. Like all acts of a Muslim, it is considered a way to worship God. Allah is invoked at the start of a meal and praised at the end, but Islamic law also governs what can be eaten, how it is to be prepared and even how it can be obtained.

”The Koran says eat and drink but do not waste,” said Sheik Mohamadu Saleem of Australian National Imams Council, who said the religious laws were drawn from the holy text and in the example set by the Prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah.

Food permitted by God is considered lawful, or ”halal”. Food that is not lawfully acquired, as well as any animal that ”dies of itself”, has been eaten by other animals, blood and pig flesh is among that prohibited, or ”haram”.

Animals must be slaughtered in the name of God and in a way that allows for the flow of blood from the body for the meat to be halal.
But the prophet also instructed that animals should be killed mercifully with a sharp knife to the throat, Sheik Saleem said.

”Islam promotes kindness to animals,” Sheik Saleem said.

–Agencies–