Issue 13 | February 2010 the off icial newsletter of the Halal Monitoring Committee A Unanimous Decision The rejection of mechanical slaughter In this issue UK Muslim scholars unanimously reject mechanical slaughter KFC introduces controversial Halal HMC launches new annual certifi cate First HMC certifi ed school What’s in my donner kebab HMC logo abuse HMC continues it’s growth Fighting the Qurbani scam Fiqh corner Revert appalled by KFC Halal Monitoring Committee | Helping Muslims Choose We would like to wish all our readers a belated Eid UK Muslim Scholars Unanimously Mubarak and pray that the blessed months from Reject Mechanical Slaughter Ramadan through to Hajj came as a source of attaining In the largest independent survey of Muslim Scholars conducted in forgiveness and taqwa. the UK concerning Halal and Halal standards, there was a unanimous rejection of mechanical slaughter in the UK from all scholars. Alhamdulillah through the grace of the Almighty, HMC continues to In June 2009, an independent online survey was commissioned by HMC through Ajax help the Muslim community in an Consultants to understand the scholarly opinions on Halal in the UK. essential element of their deen and the awareness and demand for HMC is Responses were received from 282 imams and muftis from over 25 towns and cities increasing throughout the country. Since covering, London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Leicester, Manchester, Blackburn, its inception, the Muslim community Reading, Preston, Dewsbury and many more cities across the UK. is much more aware around the issues and challenges within the halal market and have expressed great satisfaction The survey asked several questions covering issues on the acceptance of mechanical to have an alternative available in slaughtering, stunning of animal prior to slaughter, recitation of tasmiyah, and views on comparison to the ‘unmonitored, the current exemptions in UK and European law. uninspected, controversial criteria halal’ prevalent in the market. The Summary of the findings are outlined below: of the Ulama do not accept “mechanical slaughter” as an accepted In the summer, HMC was invited on debates hosted by the Islam Channel. 95% method of Halal slaughter in Islam (2.1% want to understand the issue The audience based debate categorically further) showed overwhelming support for the stated that Bismillah should be prayed individually by person criteria and methodology adopted by 99.7% slaughtering (not taped or person standing on the side) HMC; 99% of the audience rejected the concept of mechanical slaughter. 90% rejected electrical stunning of chickens (9% welcomed further research) Media agencies from the BBC, Talksport, rejected electrical stunning of larger animals (9% welcomed further Radio Leicester, Radio Derbyshire, 85% research) Radio Lancashire have all contacted HMC to speak on behalf of the Muslim 99% expressed preference for non-stunned community on the subject of halal. The saw the need for the continuation of religious exemption allowing Muslim Council of Britain held a session Muslims and Jews to practice their religious beliefs (prophetic method at its AGM and again scholars and the 100% Muslim public present all endorsed of slaughter) the work of HMC as the halal body of The survey included responses from 32 Muftis, 201 Ulama and 49 Imams. the UK representing the views of the Muslim community. HMC Chairman Shaykh Yunus Dudhwala commented, “This survey is the largest of its kind conducted in the UK and sets clear guidelines of acceptability and standards for All of us within HMC, employed, Halal in this country. It further endorses the standard of Halal that HMC has followed volunteers and supporters since its inception in 2003”. are extremely grateful to the Almighty for granting us the Nadeem Adam, Operations Manager at HMC said, “People will be surprised to learn of opportunity to undertake the widespread use of mechanical slaughter in the provision of Halal poultry in the UK. this great responsibility on behalf of the Muslim There are many UK superstores that need to be aware of the message from UK scholars community and pray that and should ensure their Halal products are at a standard acceptable to their Muslim He grants us all sincerity consumers. HMC’s universal standard is the only way to ensure acceptance by all”. and steadfastness. We request all our readers to The Halal Food Authority (HFA) accepts mechanical slaughter and has continually been continually remember us probed and asked to provide views from Muslim scholars for their accepted practices. To in your supplications, pray date no response and views have been received from HFA Scholars. We also ask HFA to for the organisation and its listen to the views of the UK Muslim community who they claim to serve. success, and support the cause financially too through Earlier this year, Malaysia, a country at the forefront of Halal, known as the Halal Hub of charitable donations. the World, listened to the scholars of the world and removed mechanical slaughter from its Halal standards. It will be interesting to see if a Halal certifier in the UK (HFA) will Chairman listen to the views of Muslim scholars and the public and remove the use of mechanical slaughter from its halal standard. editorial page one emAiL: [email protected] weB: www.halalmc.org teL: 0844 846 0340 KFC introduces controversial Halal After McDonalds in Southall introduced a Halal menu with standards that are not accepted by the majority of Muslims in the UK, another multi-national corporation has joined the bandwagon to exploit the growing Muslim consumer market. KFC introduced its so-called Halal menu Brother Kelvin, a Muslim revert from menu, but any Halal introduced should in eight of its branches across London in East London sent us a lengthy e-mail be that which the Muslim community May on a trial basis. HMC has received about his experience which has been at large considers to be Halal, not a scores of e-mails, texts and phone calls reproduced on page 11. controversial standard or an opinion of a asking us about the Halal status of these few rogue individuals. eight branches. On making enquiries to Mechanical slaughter is an extremely KFC and the certifying body, it becomes controversial method of slaughter within Halal is a very important aspect of a apparent that not much has changed at the Islam. It is not about Muslims being Muslim’s life and the integrity of Halal slaughter house in order to introduce Halal backward as has been claimed, nor is it should not be compromised to make certification, with the mechanical slaughter about refusing to accept new technology; profit on the back of the innocent, method still continuing at the plant. it is more importantly about whether the unsuspecting Muslim community. new technology being implemented fulfils The certification body who has issued the conditions of valid Islamic slaughter. If you want to make your opinion known KFC with the certificate seems to have to KFC about this controversial Halal been bombarded with complaints from The majority of scholars in the UK are of standard, send your comments on the the Muslim community, with regards the opinion that this method does not KFC website www.kfc.co.uk/about-kfc/ to controversial standards in terms of fulfil the dhabiha method. This issue has halal/ the mechanical slaughter method they been a bone of contention for many years employ. Their standard reply has been, at the World Halal Forum in Malaysia HMC advises Muslims to be cautious ‘please be advised that mechanised where international countries and when dining out and if unsure, consult slaughter does not render the chicken/ organisations meet annually to discuss your local Scholars. bird Haram!’ issues of Halal. Finally, this year even Malaysia who had previously advocated In matters of Halal and Haram we should But many Muslims who have contacted for machine slaughter has removed take the path of caution. HMC have been appalled by the lack of machine slaughter from its Halal standard. integrity shown by KFC and the certifying May Allah guide us to understand body in light of the fatawa and rulings HMC welcomes all companies large or the truth and act according to His from senior scholars around the world. small to introduce Halal options on their pleasure. If in doubt leave it out! Useful links Detailed Fatawa relating to machine slaughter from various Scholars can be read on the following links: www.bouti.com/fatawas.php?PHPSESSID=a&id=3022 www.askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.php?askid=2056cd51302e26a5125b0648ae91db85 www.ziaulmustafa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=12 www.daruliftaa.com/question.asp?txt_QuestionID=q-05554697 www.itc-bradford.org/daruliftaa/attachments/47/MachineSlaughter.doc www.halalmc.net/resources/mechanical_slaughter.html Answers by Muftis related specifically to the KFC trial can be found on the following links: www.as-suffa.org/Halal-or-Haram/HFA-or-HMC.html www.gmwa.org.uk/foodguide2/index.php?page=viewquestion&id=232 For a comprehensive understanding and in-depth analysis of Islamic Laws of Slaughtering, we encourage readers to purchase the book entitled ‘The Islamic Laws of Animal Slaughter’ by the world renowned scholar Shaykh Taqi Usmani available online at www.azharacademy.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1609. emAiL: [email protected] weB: www.halalmc.org teL: 0844 846 0340 page two HMC Launches NEW Annual Certifi cate HMC has launched a new larger A3 certifi cate for all its certifi ed outlets; restaurants and butchers. The certifi cate is validated monthly with tamper proof seals. The new A3 size makes it more visible and prominent for consumers to see. The general public are reminded that the assurance of HMC Halal only comes from seeing “a yellow HMC sticker and a valid A3 certifi cate within the shop”.