The Hypocrisy of Halal Slaughter

Stunning an animal before slaughter renders it instantly unconscious and insensitive to pain, thus eliminating fear, stress, and suffering.

Some Muslim slaughterhouses claim to use a ‘low-voltage’ stun which knocks the animal out for around 15-20 seconds. But halal slaughter takes at least four minutes, so all the ‘low-voltage’ stun does is make it easier to cut the animal’s throat. After 20 seconds the animal is fully conscious and suffering tremendous fear and pain as it is ‘ritually slaughtered’    

That’s really shit, isn’t it?

My question, however, is why does both Judaism and Islam permit the use of general anaesthesia for medical procedures and surgeries on humans, but not on animals? You could argue that life-saving or medically-necessary procedures on humans takes precedence, and mostly I’d agree with you, except when it involves the barbaric procedure of intentionally causing fear and pain to animals when there are other options.

Also, some anesthetics or surgical medications may contain animal by-products, i.e. gelatin derived from pork, which Muslims consider haram (unlawful), and Jews consider non-kosher. But if it comes to preventing pain during medical procedures, they’re willing to turn a blind eye.

Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:5) in the Quran states, ‘Today all good, pure foods have been made lawful for you. Similarly, the food of the People of the Book1 (Christians and Jews) is permissible for you and yours is permissible for them.’ In other words, the Quran states it’s lawful for Muslims to eat meat slaughtered by Christians, and there need be no barriers between Muslims and the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) regarding food.

Muslims may eat meat that has been fully stunned and bled out (ensuring death occurs before the animal regains consciousness).

So:

1)      There is absolutely no reason for Muslims to not follow UK legislation, i.e. The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (WATOK) regs 2015. The Quaran itself says it is lawful.

2)      If they abstain from stunning before the cut with little care as to the fear, stress, and suffering to the animal, why do they permit the use of general anaesthesia for medical procedures and surgeries on humans, even when it contains pork, and why do they allow stitches, dressings, or even skin grafting which contain pig-derived materials (strictly forbidden in Islam)?

Seems a tad hypocritical to me

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