7. ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING
ANIMALS APPEARS RUTHLESS
Question:

Why do Muslims slaughter the animal in a ruthless manner by torturing it and
slowly and painfully killing it?

Answer:

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.