To the Western Muslims, are you big on Halal? Ever get tempted by a tasty KFC crispy chicken wing?

[shaz619]

Obviously there are some of you lucky enough to live in Birmingham which means there are many halal KFC's and Subways but for the most part they do not exist and Mcdonalds do not provide a halal menu either.

Other times you'll find yourself in places where halal in general is not available or there are limited options in a region where you could be staying a long time so what do you do?

There are two governing bodies who certify Halal products, being HMC (Traditional methods) and HFC (stunned methods); few years back HFA products were found to contain horse meat and there had also been rumours of them allowing the contamination of halal and haram amongst the suppliers. Hence, big chains like Tesco now do not stock HFA products and tend to favour HMC. Then there are the local meat shops whom resort to their own methods which are not regulated by any governing body.

Generally there also tends to be a difference of opinion when it comes to the methods of slaughter, some are cool with stunned whilst others non-stunned. Products in the UK make use of both methods.

In the end does it really matter what you eat or drink (Excluding the pig and alcohol) ? when the animal is slaughtered the thing with halal is that they got to be glorifying Allah during the process right, why can't we just eat whatever we want so long we say "Bismillah"

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION] [MENTION=136302]Haz95[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] [MENTION=53290]Markhor[/MENTION] (although I noticed you don't post much on religion)
[MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] [MENTION=138670]The_KING[/MENTION]

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=136193]Adil_94[/MENTION] [MENTION=131867]London_Lahori[/MENTION] what do you guys think?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Yes lucky to live in Birmingham , McDonalds isn't halal but not sure if cardboard food would pass the test anyway.

For me it's not just the fact the animal was killed in an ethical way but halal is much more than this. Food is one of the great blessings of God, he has provided for all of us and his name being blessed at the time reaffirms his mercy in this regard. Halal is also how the animal was treated before being killed. I remember in Pakistan on Eid, the goat in the house was given the best treatment, it was cuddled, loved, given fresh water, fresh food and when it was slaughtered no other goat/animal was allowed to see this. I was then taken to distribute it's meat to the poor who were very grateful. It made me realise the whole process was spiritual and had meaning , not just killing a living being to fill the belly.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] try to eat Halal if its close. If not then yeah i will eat a KFC or McDonalds but Pig just smells nasty to me so wont touch it. When it comes to drinking not a regular drinker but i am partial to a beer now and again or vodka on a night out.

 

[KingKhanWC]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] try to eat Halal if its close. If not then yeah i will eat a KFC or McDonalds but Pig just smells nasty to me so wont touch it. When it comes to drinking not a regular drinker but i am partial to a beer now and again or vodka on a night out.

I find the same with Pork, the mere smell makes me feel sick but my English friends swear it's the most tasty meat you can eat. Are they trying to wind me up or is this really the case?

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] me status as a believer is contentious rofl. Organised religion isnt for me.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION] idk if its because we are told from a young age that Pig is impure so we cant bring ourselves to eat it. But the smell is revolting to me actually makes me sick. I always get told by English mates too that Bacon is the best meat but idk about that tbh. No other meat smells like Pig.

 

[Bewal Express]

Its halal or nothing. I have never been tempted and Insha'Allah never will be.

 

[shaz619]

Yes lucky to live in Birmingham , McDonalds isn't halal but not sure if cardboard food would pass the test anyway.

For me it's not just the fact the animal was killed in an ethical way but halal is much more than this. Food is one of the great blessings of God, he has provided for all of us and his name being blessed at the time reaffirms his mercy in this regard. Halal is also how the animal was treated before being killed. I remember in Pakistan on Eid, the goat in the house was given the best treatment, it was cuddled, loved, given fresh water, fresh food and when it was slaughtered no other goat/animal was allowed to see this. I was then taken to distribute it's meat to the poor who were very grateful. It made me realise the whole process was spiritual and had meaning , not just killing a living being to fill the belly.

I've experienced that as a youngster in Pakistan as well KingKhan but here in the UK does it really matter what we consume; how much of a difference does it make? I fear I'll go rogue

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] try to eat Halal if its close. If not then yeah i will eat a KFC or McDonalds but Pig just smells nasty to me so wont touch it. When it comes to drinking not a regular drinker but i am partial to a beer now and again or vodka on a night out.

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] me status as a believer is contentious rofl. Organised religion isnt for me.

[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION] idk if its because we are told from a young age that Pig is impure so we cant bring ourselves to eat it. But the smell is revolting to me actually makes me sick. I always get told by English mates too that Bacon is the best meat but idk about that tbh. No other meat smells like Pig.

I agree with you about the pig, it's a very filthy animal; even a lot of non-muslim friends of mine don't eat it. I have been repulsed by the smell of alcohol and probably will never drink it because a close fam member abused it a lot much like CM Punk's abah rofl. Would you say what you drink tastes better then a fanta or coke? or is more about the intoxication then anything else

 

[shaz619]

Its halal or nothing. I have never been tempted and Insha'Allah never will be.

MashaAllah brother, admire your strength. God willing you remain on this path

 

[shaz619]

I find the same with Pork, the mere smell makes me feel sick but my English friends swear it's the most tasty meat you can eat. Are they trying to wind me up or is this really the case?

This is so true, they eat it with everything I can't get past the smell; feel like vomiting. When they cook it literally the whole house smells like a pig

 

[KingKhanWC]

[MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] Is pork really so tasty?

 

[Muhammad10]

Please post sensibly as it's a somewhat sensitive topic.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I've experienced that as a youngster in Pakistan as well KingKhan but here in the UK does it really matter what we consume; how much of a difference does it make? I fear I'll go rogue

In terms of it being a sin, there are much worse sins which we probably all do from time to time but I guess it's more to do with feeling comfortable eating food. some of these carvery joints look well pukka but if I can't get the meat down me throat because Im paranoid about it not being halal, I'll stick to a kebab.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] i like the taste of Beer and Vodka with coke or an energy drink than a soft drink but yeah its more about the intoxication.

 

[Bewal Express]

MashaAllah brother, admire your strength. God willing you remain on this path

My real battle is to make sure that the money i earn is also halal. Buying halal slaughtered meat is the easy part, Even though i have grown up with mostly non muslims, i have never been tempted to buy anything other, They did their thing, i did mine. I never saw it as a big deal.

 

[Bewal Express]

Just to add that if any muslim tells me its halal, i do take their word for it. Iranians and Turks do worry me but even with them, i take them at face value.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Just to add that if any muslim tells me its halal, i do take their word for it. Iranians and Turks do worry me but even with them, i take them at face value.

I went to a Turkish kebab shop once, the meat looked a bit pink. So I ask the chap behind the counter if it's halal. His was reply was Inshallah. .....I left.

 

[shaz619]

I went to a Turkish kebab shop once, the meat looked a bit pink. So I ask the chap behind the counter if it's halal. His was reply was Inshallah. .....I left.

Even if they did say yes the only way to truly find out is contacting their suppliers and doing a research on them then finding out if the methods they use are appropriate, mostly we rely on the word but even then there is always doubt

 

[Major]

im a food lover and a big meat lover, but never been tempted to eat haram.

Its halal or no food.

Thing is, you have a big variety of veggie and fish items available that if you dont find halal anywhere, you could easily get a tasty veggie or seafood.

I remember having a veggie sandwich from Mckay Pizza in Brampton, even their cheese Pizza was the best.

Subways Tuna i enjoyed alot.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Even if they did say yes the only way to truly find out is contacting their suppliers and doing a research on them then finding out if the methods they use are appropriate, mostly we rely on the word but even then there is always doubt

Yes you can never be sure.

What is the most exotic halal meat you have ever tried? People often forget there are various animals which can be consumed . I tried a camel burger a few months ago, really tasty, felt like a mix of chicken and beef.

 

[Major]

Though i have lived in Canada for 9 years, but it was only when i came to Pakistan that i tried the whopper, big mac, pepperoni pizza, cold cut sandwich,KFC bucket, chargrilled burgers etc

 

[shaz619]

Yes you can never be sure.

What is the most exotic halal meat you have ever tried? People often forget there are various animals which can be consumed . I tried a camel burger a few months ago, really tasty, felt like a mix of chicken and beef.

I ate a camel once in Gujar Khan, strangely during that period in the village a few folk owned them and I recall someone bringing one to the house I was staying at; I was too little to jump on it lol don't remember what the camel tasted like, ate a sheep yesterday? you ever tried a sheep? it was tasty sheep keema which I made me self

 

[Syed1]

I eat both halal and non-halal. If it is cooked at home then it is halal but if I eat outside it might be either.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I ate a camel once in Gujar Khan, strangely during that period in the village a few folk owned them and I recall someone bringing one to the house I was staying at; I was too little to jump on it lol don't remember what the camel tasted like, ate a sheep yesterday? you ever tried a sheep? it was tasty sheep keema which I made me self

I've tried mutton a few times, very tasty mince. Have you tried the Caribbean type Goat curry?

 

[shaz619]

I've tried mutton a few times, very tasty mince. Have you tried the Caribbean type Goat curry?

Yeah I have, it's similar to pakistani goat except they don't use as many spices but otherwise the ingredients are similar

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I can't bring myself to eat Non Halal food.

Not for a long time now anyways.

 

[Rayyman]

Only eat Halal. There are enough Halal meat places where I live. Besides, the Halal restaurants are good and my mom makes good food.

Obviously sometimes Shaitan whispers me to eat Haram, but I don't listen to him.

And as all of you know, America is very unhealthy. I was disgusted today in my college for lunch when I saw one girl eating two hot dogs, a soda and a large serving of french fries. I myself just ate a granola bar and drank a bottle of apple juice.

So since I eat healthy anyway, I find the Haram, unhealthy foods very appalling.

 

[srh]

im a food lover and a big meat lover, but never been tempted to eat haram.

Its halal or no food.

Thing is, you have a big variety of veggie and fish items available that if you dont find halal anywhere, you could easily get a tasty veggie or seafood.

I remember having a veggie sandwich from Mckay Pizza in Brampton, even their cheese Pizza was the best.

Subways Tuna i enjoyed alot.

same with me. one of my relative came to Canada in 60s and he said there was no halal meat at that time so he and other muslims used to go to farm buy animals slaughter in halal way on the farm and then stock it in deep freezers at home. Masha Allah they never ate haram food. nowadays halal food is easily available here.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Would never eat non-Halal. Very lucky with regards HMC too. Generally avoid places that serve alcohol too and wouldn't touch nandos chicken. If there ain't halal keep it veggie.

 

[hamzie]

Its halal or nothing. I have never been tempted and Insha'Allah never will be.

+1
never been tempted by haraam food/drinks

other haraam things though :/

 

[Zahid87]

I have eaten non-halal food on occasions. I do try to eat halal, but if a situation arises where I have to compromise, its not something that I will cry over.

For example, I recently went on a client meeting, which was held in a well known steak house. Not halal. No veg options, and I have no real love for seafood. Either I decline the meeting (which really is not an option), I go to the meeting and not eat anything (which is pretty rude), or I tuck into a pretty good steak.

 

[Salman]

Obviously there are some of you lucky enough to live in Birmingham which means there are many halal KFC's and Subways but for the most part they do not exist and Mcdonalds do not provide a halal menu either.

Other times you'll find yourself in places where halal in general is not available or there are limited options in a region where you could be staying a long time so what do you do?

There are two governing bodies who certify Halal products, being HMC (Traditional methods) and HFC (stunned methods); few years back HFA products were found to contain horse meat and there had also been rumours of them allowing the contamination of halal and haram amongst the suppliers. Hence, big chains like Tesco now do not stock HFA products and tend to favour HMC. Then there are the local meat shops whom resort to their own methods which are not regulated by any governing body.

Generally there also tends to be a difference of opinion when it comes to the methods of slaughter, some are cool with stunned whilst others non-stunned. Products in the UK make use of both methods.

In the end does it really matter what you eat or drink (Excluding the pig and alcohol) ? when the animal is slaughtered the thing with halal is that they got to be glorifying Allah during the process right, why can't we just eat whatever we want so long we say "Bismillah"

In the last few years i have shifted to being more selective about first what i'm eating before looking for the restaurants hmc/hfa certs. I will only eat Beef or Lamb at HFA restaurants, not the poultry as there is always a doubt over a bird surviving the electric shock opposed to cattle, for this reason have not eaten at Nandos or halal kfc since 2007.

Also tend to use common sense at times, if an establishment owned and operated by Muslims also serves alcohol, will generally avoid eating the meat there.

 

[London_Lahori]

Halal for sure, never been tempted to eat non halal and never will.

 

[AFG_Brit]

I once had this conversation with a friend about KFC's chicken being halal or not. He said as KFC sources its products from one supplier then all their chicken would be halal. They have alot of shops which has halal written in a sign but most shops don't . His argument was, why would a company use two different suppliers for same product? It depends on which area they are based and who owns the franchise . Same like pizza express, all their chicken is halal but they don't mention it anywhere because some people don't like to see the word "halal " ! It came in the news a few years ago.

 

[MABA]

Tell you what, if you want a proper burger or steak then you have to eat at a proper steakhouse which will undoubtedly serve non-halal meat. Halal cuisine is good when they stick to what they are good at eg Desi, Arab etc when they try to branch out is when the food becomes very mediocre.

 

[Salman]

The biggest doubt in my mind regarding HFA is the suppliers are normally larger non muslim owned business's based out of Ireland and the majority of their revenue stream is the distribution of non halal meat and poultry to the UK, The HFA cert just allows them to tap into the halal meat market.

Just does not fill me with confidence that the correct practices are adhered to in these slaughter houses. If they have sold horse meat to the general British public in the past, they won't really care too much about what is and is not deemed suitable for Muslims if they have targets and quotas to meet.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Tell you what, if you want a proper burger or steak then you have to eat at a proper steakhouse which will undoubtedly serve non-halal meat. Halal cuisine is good when they stick to what they are good at eg Desi, Arab etc when they try to branch out is when the food becomes very mediocre.

That's probably true, but it's the case for all food whether halal or not. If you want something a bit special then you have to go to independent restaurants, the chains like KFC, McDonalds and Nandos are all going to serve up the same standard menus, and you can generally find halal versions of all of those pretty much everywhere these days.

 

[srh]

Tell you what, if you want a proper burger or steak then you have to eat at a proper steakhouse which will undoubtedly serve non-halal meat. Halal cuisine is good when they stick to what they are good at eg Desi, Arab etc when they try to branch out is when the food becomes very mediocre.

Sizzling Skillet and Affy's in GTA (Greater Toronto Area) have pretty good steak and they are halal. These are the ones I have tried. There may be other halal steak houses in GTA which I dont know of.

 

[Big Mac]

Its halal or nothing. I have never been tempted and Insha'Allah never will be.

Same here. I'm not especially devout, don't read namaaz 5 times a day or anything like that but keeping a halal diet isn't exactly difficult. Even growing up before Birmingham was full of halal restaurants everywhere you could just go with the veggie or fish options. Nowadays it's really easy to keep to a halal diet thanks to stupid hippies resulting in pretty good veggie/vegan options being available everywhere you go.

Anyone making an excuse along the lines of "It's too hard to keep halal in Western society" is full of crap, just be honest and say you don't want to do it.

The rare exception was when, as a kid, I was munching away on fruit pastilles or fruit gums and I hadn't realised they had changed the recipe to include gelatine. That was a killer because they were some of my favourite sweets

Just to add that if any muslim tells me its halal, i do take their word for it. Iranians and Turks do worry me but even with them, i take them at face value.

As a personal rule of thumb, if the place serves alcohol (or is BYOB) then I only order the veggie items. Also, it doesn't matter how many people tell me "Kasme bro, Nandos is halal" there's no way that's legit. HMC website makes it easy to find halal places in England.

Though i have lived in Canada for 9 years, but it was only when i came to Pakistan that i tried the whopper, big mac, pepperoni pizza, cold cut sandwich,KFC bucket, chargrilled burgers etc

Same, everytime we go to Karachi I grab a Big Mac or some KFC then realise I'm not missing all that much. Just give me a nice chicken tikka with naan hot off the grill instead.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Same here. I'm not especially devout, don't read namaaz 5 times a day or anything like that but keeping a halal diet isn't exactly difficult. Even growing up before Birmingham was full of halal restaurants everywhere you could just go with the veggie or fish options. Nowadays it's really easy to keep to a halal diet thanks to stupid hippies resulting in pretty good veggie/vegan options being available everywhere you go.

Anyone making an excuse along the lines of "It's too hard to keep halal in Western society" is full of crap, just be honest and say you don't want to do it.

The rare exception was when, as a kid, I was munching away on fruit pastilles or fruit gums and I hadn't realised they had changed the recipe to include gelatine. That was a killer because they were some of my favourite sweets



As a personal rule of thumb, if the place serves alcohol (or is BYOB) then I only order the veggie items. Also, it doesn't matter how many people tell me "Kasme bro, Nandos is halal" there's no way that's legit. HMC website makes it easy to find halal places in England.



Same, everytime we go to Karachi I grab a Big Mac or some KFC then realise I'm not missing all that much. Just give me a nice chicken tikka with naan hot off the grill instead.

Interesting.

Every "halal" place in Beijing servers alcohol and beer.

Chinese Muslims drink their beer, vodka and alcohol and pray 5 times a day.

We accept a restaurant advertising "Halal" as "Halal" in China.

After all it's your "Neeyat" that really matters.

In Pakistan it's more likely you are eating rat or donkey's meat and still you eat it considering it's Halal.

So why not abroad...

 

[Yossarian]

If one has grown up in a traditional Muslim household, then eating only halal goes beyond just religion considering that one breaks many other Islamic rules on a daily basis. It becomes psychologically almost impossible to consume any non-halal meat if one knows that it's not halal (one tends to take the word of a restaurant / meat shop that claims to be reputable (such as Tesco's) or claims to be a Muslim/halal restaurant / meat
shop)

It's the equivalent of, say, most Americans / English not knowingly willing to eat dog meat or monkey meat even though it's eaten in other parts of the world.

Now if one claims to be a Muslim, then there is no excuse for knowingly eating non-halal food, and that includes non-halal chicken, if there is other food available, whether that be vegetarian or seafood.

Having lived in both the Uk and the USA, I've noticed that British Muslims are much more reluctant to eat non halal meat/chicken and will go veggie/seafood if halal meat is unavailable, whereas Pakistani Americans as well as those newly arrived from Pakistan, in comparison to British Muslims, are far more likely to go the non-halal route, sometimes even when halal is available nearby.

 

[TahirFan]

I think that today vegetables are freely available and all forms meat eating should be declared haraam

 

[Big Mac]

Interesting.

Every "halal" place in Beijing servers alcohol and beer.

Chinese Muslims drink their beer, vodka and alcohol and pray 5 times a day.

We accept a restaurant advertising "Halal" as "Halal" in China.

After all it's your "Neeyat" that really matters.

For me, if I don't feel sure that it's halal then I don't eat it. My intention might be to eat halal but if I have doubts over it then it's not halal (for me).

But like I said, I don't care if people want bacon with their eggs in the morning or have a couple of drinks when they're out with friends. I'm not super devout and I'm not going to lecture people on how they should live their life. It's the lazy excuses about it being hard to stay halal in non-Muslim countries that annoy me, just be honest about it and don't try and hide behind "niyat".

In Pakistan it's more likely you are eating rat or donkey's meat and still you eat it considering it's Halal.

So why not abroad...

That's why you stick with the chicken Our old place in Karachi used to be next to a place that butchered chickens right there on the street, we knew we were getting 100% fresh chicken every time every time we headed to the restaurants or street vendors round the corner

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Is Halal slaughter in places like Britain genuinely halal?

Now I'm no fan of religion however halal slaughter, according to the way it's described in Islamic texts, actually seems like a bloody good idea to me excuse the pun. It's more humane and probably more healthier than others slaughter methods and tastes better imo BUT can animals which are killed within metres or even cm's of each other be classified as halal?

One of the major aspects of halal slaughter (as I see it) is 1 - how animals are treated prior to being killed and 2 - whether the animal is killed gently, and in isolation so that they do not see their fellow animals being killed. I mean the animal itself is not even meant to see the blade that's about to kill it.

Hand on heart do people really think the above happens in western slaughter houses? The sheer numbers which are killed per day would suggest not.

Going off on a tangent a bit I know but any thoughts?

(Ps I eat halal meat regularly so don't have a dog in this fight).

 

[Syed1]

If one has grown up in a traditional Muslim household, then eating only halal goes beyond just religion considering that one breaks many other Islamic rules on a daily basis. It becomes psychologically almost impossible to consume any non-halal meat if one knows that it's not halal (one tends to take the word of a restaurant / meat shop that claims to be reputable (such as Tesco's) or claims to be a Muslim/halal restaurant / meat
shop)

It's the equivalent of, say, most Americans / English not knowingly willing to eat dog meat or monkey meat even though it's eaten in other parts of the world.

Now if one claims to be a Muslim, then there is no excuse for knowingly eating non-halal food, and that includes non-halal chicken, if there is other food available, whether that be vegetarian or seafood.

Having lived in both the Uk and the USA, I've noticed that British Muslims are much more reluctant to eat non halal meat/chicken and will go veggie/seafood if halal meat is unavailable, whereas Pakistani Americans as well as those newly arrived from Pakistan, in comparison to British Muslims, are far more likely to go the non-halal route, sometimes even when halal is available nearby.

So Allah made you the judge of who is Muslim or non-Muslim?


Good on you mate for eating halal but don't call others kaafir if they don't do it.

 

[ahmedzee]

Either its halal or not.
People living in major Canadian cities, such a Toronto (GTA), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal should have no excuse not to eat halal. There are all kinds of cuisine that are halal there days. In Toronto, every intersection have a halal restaurant (alhamdulillah).

Same goes for those in the UK. London, Birmingham, Manchester have plenty of halal places.

I was discussing with my wife on the topic, and both of us have Pakistani/Muslim friends who eat haraam meat. Both of us agree that these days it shouldn't be an issue. And its only permissible when there is nothing to eat in your area, like the Canada of the 60s.

 

[ahmedzee]

So Allah made you the judge of who is Muslim or non-Muslim?


Good on you mate for eating halal but don't call others kaafir if they don't do it.

He is not doubting that people are Muslims or not. But please try to understand him. Calling a meat halal when its not just so one can eat without guilt is also wrong. No one should try to change the definition of halal. Those eating haraam chicken or beef and other meats are trying to change that definition. Instead, those people should try to eat halal, rather than eat haraam just for the sake of cuisine change. If halal is not available, try kosher. If there is no kosher and halal in your city, then yes, it is justified as there is no choice and one can't survive without food. Though seafood and vegetables are 100% halal too if one wants to indulge in that.

 

[ahmedzee]

If one has grown up in a traditional Muslim household, then eating only halal goes beyond just religion considering that one breaks many other Islamic rules on a daily basis. It becomes psychologically almost impossible to consume any non-halal meat if one knows that it's not halal (one tends to take the word of a restaurant / meat shop that claims to be reputable (such as Tesco's) or claims to be a Muslim/halal restaurant / meat
shop)

It's the equivalent of, say, most Americans / English not knowingly willing to eat dog meat or monkey meat even though it's eaten in other parts of the world.

Now if one claims to be a Muslim, then there is no excuse for knowingly eating non-halal food, and that includes non-halal chicken, if there is other food available, whether that be vegetarian or seafood.

Having lived in both the Uk and the USA, I've noticed that British Muslims are much more reluctant to eat non halal meat/chicken and will go veggie/seafood if halal meat is unavailable, whereas Pakistani Americans as well as those newly arrived from Pakistan, in comparison to British Muslims, are far more likely to go the non-halal route, sometimes even when halal is available nearby.

Completely agree with your statement there. Same goes for Canadian Pakistanis too.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Is Halal slaughter in places like Britain genuinely halal?

Now I'm no fan of religion however halal slaughter, according to the way it's described in Islamic texts, actually seems like a bloody good idea to me excuse the pun. It's more humane and probably more healthier than others slaughter methods and tastes better imo BUT can animals which are killed within metres or even cm's of each other be classified as halal?

One of the major aspects of halal slaughter (as I see it) is 1 - how animals are treated prior to being killed and 2 - whether the animal is killed gently, and in isolation so that they do not see their fellow animals being killed. I mean the animal itself is not even meant to see the blade that's about to kill it.

Hand on heart do people really think the above happens in western slaughter houses? The sheer numbers which are killed per day would suggest not.

Going off on a tangent a bit I know but any thoughts?

(Ps I eat halal meat regularly so don't have a dog in this fight).

It comes down to common sense I feel. Britain is not an Islamic country, if we get a decent halal supply of food it's a bonus. I know some folk are super fussy about certificates and the rest, and good on them, but I think in the UK we are pretty well served in this regard. It's entirely down to the individual how far they want to take it. Personally, if the place looks clean and it advertises as halal that's good enough for me.

 

[srh]

Either its halal or not.
People living in major Canadian cities, such a Toronto (GTA), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal should have no excuse not to eat halal. There are all kinds of cuisine that are halal there days. In Toronto, every intersection have a halal restaurant (alhamdulillah).

Same goes for those in the UK. London, Birmingham, Manchester have plenty of halal places.

I was discussing with my wife on the topic, and both of us have Pakistani/Muslim friends who eat haraam meat. Both of us agree that these days it shouldn't be an issue. And its only permissible when there is nothing to eat in your area, like the Canada of the 60s.

I will disagree with the bolded part. Its never permissible. If halal meat is not available then what is stopping us to eat veggie? My relative migrated to Canada in the 60s and lived in Waterloo area where muslims were way more rare than in Toronto area at that time. Alhumdulillah he and friends go to farms, buy animals there, slaughter the animals themselves at the farm with farm owners permission, bring the meat home, save in deep freezers and use it when needed. Usually one trip was enough for 1 month at least.

 

[Badsha]

The "halal" slaughter places are scams. For some reason Indian/Pakistani Muslims are huge on zabiha meat and what not. Myself and most of my other muslim friends don't really care and I think it's fine.

 

[shaz619]

Same here. I'm not especially devout, don't read namaaz 5 times a day or anything like that but keeping a halal diet isn't exactly difficult. Even growing up before Birmingham was full of halal restaurants everywhere you could just go with the veggie or fish options. Nowadays it's really easy to keep to a halal diet thanks to stupid hippies resulting in pretty good veggie/vegan options being available everywhere you go.

Anyone making an excuse along the lines of "It's too hard to keep halal in Western society" is full of crap, just be honest and say you don't want to do it.

The rare exception was when, as a kid, I was munching away on fruit pastilles or fruit gums and I hadn't realised they had changed the recipe to include gelatine. That was a killer because they were some of my favourite sweets



As a personal rule of thumb, if the place serves alcohol (or is BYOB) then I only order the veggie items. Also, it doesn't matter how many people tell me "Kasme bro, Nandos is halal" there's no way that's legit. HMC website makes it easy to find halal places in England.



Same, everytime we go to Karachi I grab a Big Mac or some KFC then realise I'm not missing all that much. Just give me a nice chicken tikka with naan hot off the grill instead.

Not everyone is lucky like us it is so easy to maintain a halal diet in brum but there are many regions across the UK with small muslim populations which don't have the same luxuries

 

[bleaf27]

im a food lover and a big meat lover, but never been tempted to eat haram.

Its halal or no food.

Thing is, you have a big variety of veggie and fish items available that if you dont find halal anywhere, you could easily get a tasty veggie or seafood.

I remember having a veggie sandwich from Mckay Pizza in Brampton, even their cheese Pizza was the best.

Subways Tuna i enjoyed alot.

In brampton you can get enough veggie Indian food or pizza shops in every place ....meat/no meat is never a concern ! haha

 

[ahmedzee]

I will disagree with the bolded part. Its never permissible. If halal meat is not available then what is stopping us to eat veggie? My relative migrated to Canada in the 60s and lived in Waterloo area where muslims were way more rare than in Toronto area at that time. Alhumdulillah he and friends go to farms, buy animals there, slaughter the animals themselves at the farm with farm owners permission, bring the meat home, save in deep freezers and use it when needed. Usually one trip was enough for 1 month at least.

I agree with you and the situation u provided. I meant only when u r dying of starvation and have nothing around except haram chicken that you are unable to slaughter yourself.

 

[Big Mac]

Not everyone is lucky like us it is so easy to maintain a halal diet in brum but there are many regions across the UK with small muslim populations which don't have the same luxuries

We didn't always have a lot of halal food in Brum though and it was never difficult to keep to a halal diet. There are people who stick to vegetarian/pescetarian/vegan diets all over the globe. "But it's haaaaaaaaaard" is not an excuse I want to hear from anyone, especially not in the US/UK.

Just be a man and admit you want Nandos because the rest of your mates go there or you just think bacon is delicious.

 

[shaz619]

I once had this conversation with a friend about KFC's chicken being halal or not. He said as KFC sources its products from one supplier then all their chicken would be halal. They have alot of shops which has halal written in a sign but most shops don't . His argument was, why would a company use two different suppliers for same product? It depends on which area they are based and who owns the franchise . Same like pizza express, all their chicken is halal but they don't mention it anywhere because some people don't like to see the word "halal " ! It came in the news a few years ago.

The biggest doubt in my mind regarding HFA is the suppliers are normally larger non muslim owned business's based out of Ireland and the majority of their revenue stream is the distribution of non halal meat and poultry to the UK, The HFA cert just allows them to tap into the halal meat market.

Just does not fill me with confidence that the correct practices are adhered to in these slaughter houses. If they have sold horse meat to the general British public in the past, they won't really care too much about what is and is not deemed suitable for Muslims if they have targets and quotas to meet.

Spot on AFG good point, KFC is also certified by HFA and they have a very bad track record in general regardless of whether you deem their methods to be halal or not. With relatives who have worked in fast food and owned various takeaway/restaurant business, they have said that halal/haram is often contaminated and the business don't go out of their way to make sure the meat is halal; this has been common across HFA certified products. HMC is definitely the better option and their inspection procedures are superior however they're not perfect either, I've heard the condition of their slaughter houses in appalling although am not sure what it is like now. But more often then not regardless of which route we take, there is always going to be some doubt unless you do everything yourself

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION] a lot of non-muslims don't eat the pig either

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Most UK takeaway chicken is from Netherlands and haram.

But would never knowingly eat haram. The idea repulsed me.

 

[shaz619]

Most UK takeaway chicken is from Netherlands and haram.

But would never knowingly eat haram. The idea repulsed me.

Outside places like Bradford, Birmingham and maybe London to an extent it's probably true

 

[Little Master]

I usually eat chicken (whether halal or otherwise) when I travel, never been tempted to ear pork though. My wife on the other hand is a bit more particular and sticks to vegetarian options. An essential part of travelling is to enjoy the local cuisine so I try to do that as much as possible.

 

[Yossarian]

So Allah made you the judge of who is Muslim or non-Muslim?


Good on you mate for eating halal but don't call others kaafir if they don't do it.

He is not doubting that people are Muslims or not. But please try to understand him. Calling a meat halal when its not just so one can eat without guilt is also wrong. No one should try to change the definition of halal. Those eating haraam chicken or beef and other meats are trying to change that definition. Instead, those people should try to eat halal, rather than eat haraam just for the sake of cuisine change. If halal is not available, try kosher. If there is no kosher and halal in your city, then yes, it is justified as there is no choice and one can't survive without food. Though seafood and vegetables are 100% halal too if one wants to indulge in that.

Pity that the likes of [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] are unable to understand the gist of the post, but thankfully an enlightened poster like [MENTION=2551]ahmedzee[/MENTION] is able to explain it to them.

Perhaps those claiming that Muslims eating non-halal food is not such a big deal first need to understand the meaning of 'halal' before making silly comments.

If they wish to eat non-halal food then fine, that's their choice. But don't try to make out that they're not going against the tenets of Islam when Islam completely forbids it except under certain conditions (ie when there's nothing else to eat)

DEFINITION OF HALAL

The word ‘halal’ literally means permissible- and in translation it is usually used as lawful.

http://halalfoodauthority.com/definition-of-halal

 

[Syed1]

I don't argue religious matters over the internet. To each his own. Religion is something personal. I have an issue with folks that start calling others as kaafirs if they don't follow Islam exactly how they desire.


I eat non-halal meat not because halal meat isn't available, but because there is only so much desi/arab food one can consume. I'll do whatever I feel like, only answerable to Allah not some people who think they have official decree from Allah to judge on others.

 

[IMMY69]

I don't argue religious matters over the internet. To each his own. Religion is something personal. I have an issue with folks that start calling others as kaafirs if they don't follow Islam exactly how they desire.


I eat non-halal meat not because halal meat isn't available, but because there is only so much desi/arab food one can consume. I'll do whatever I feel like, only answerable to Allah not some people who think they have official decree from Allah to judge on others.

Good for you Bro!

Personally, I eat everything except pork.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

There are plenty places that do not ethnic halal ... Hmm

 

[ahmedzee]

I don't argue religious matters over the internet. To each his own. Religion is something personal. I have an issue with folks that start calling others as kaafirs if they don't follow Islam exactly how they desire.


I eat non-halal meat not because halal meat isn't available, but because there is only so much desi/arab food one can consume. I'll do whatever I feel like, only answerable to Allah not some people who think they have official decree from Allah to judge on others.

No one is judging bro. I am sorry if you thought I was. I was just trying to explain the meaning of the word "halal". It is indeed your life, you are free to do anything and no one but Allah is to judge people.

 

[Strike!]

I'm thankful I don't have to worry about this problem where I'm from.

 

[dildildalwalla]

wait, does op think KFC is only hala in Birmingham? Mate theres a bigger city with more muslims called London, dunno if you've heard of it.

Anyway, I only eat halal and from establishments that showcase their HFC/HFA certificates. Beyond that, I don't investigate too much but like I said, living in London, theer are halal places everywhere. TBH KFC is trampy and the chicken tastes like how a public toilet smells.

 

[Yossarian]

I don't argue religious matters over the internet. To each his own. Religion is something personal. I have an issue with folks that start calling others as kaafirs if they don't follow Islam exactly how they desire.


I eat non-halal meat not because halal meat isn't available, but because there is only so much desi/arab food one can consume. I'll do whatever I feel like, only answerable to Allah not some people who think they have official decree from Allah to judge on others.

Couldn't care less what anyone eats. It's their personal choice. However but to then imply that certain aspects of what one consumes are not forbidden by a particular religion, when they are clearly against the tenets of that religion, is simply trying to somehow justify their choice by trying to present feeble excuses when it is just that - a personal choice, religion or no religion.

 

[Black Zero]

I don't argue religious matters over the internet. To each his own. Religion is something personal. I have an issue with folks that start calling others as kaafirs if they don't follow Islam exactly how they desire.


I eat non-halal meat not because halal meat isn't available, but because there is only so much desi/arab food one can consume. I'll do whatever I feel like, only answerable to Allah not some people who think they have official decree from Allah to judge on others.

it would be appropriate if we say that you are only answerable to yourself in this matter.
And that's perfectly alright.

 

[Black Zero]

I eat only halal though I am not a believer.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

I eat only halal though I am not a believer.

why ?

 

[aloo paratha]

So Allah made you the judge of who is Muslim or non-Muslim?


Good on you mate for eating halal but don't call others kaafir if they don't do it.

He is not the judge but if he is saying something right according to Islam, and you don't want to follow it, the best you can do is just say quiet.

Maybe I'm blind but I didn't see the word kaafir once.

 

[aloo paratha]

Never have(unless I have been lied to), and Inshallah I never will.

 

[aloo paratha]

why ?

I'm not him, but I can guess. If you notice, everything that is declared haraam has big negatives. Alcohol, causes lots of deaths. Same with drugs. Pig is a very dirty animal. They are there to protect you. Now someone will probably be like "rice is high in carbs, it's bad for you, why is it not haraam?", but there are still positives, and less negatives. What positives in drinking? Being hungover? what about pork? tasty meat? Is it worth the health risks? a no IMO.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I don't argue religious matters over the internet. To each his own. Religion is something personal. I have an issue with folks that start calling others as kaafirs if they don't follow Islam exactly how they desire.


I eat non-halal meat not because halal meat isn't available, but because there is only so much desi/arab food one can consume. I'll do whatever I feel like, only answerable to Allah not some people who think they have official decree from Allah to judge on others.

You are right it is your life.

But here's what Quran has to say about eating Non-Halal.

"He only prohibits for you the eating of animals that die of themselves (without human interference), blood, the meat of pigs, and animals dedicated to other than God. If one is forced (to eat these), without being malicious or deliberate, he incurs no sin. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful" 2:173

So unless you believe you are forced to eat meat that is not Halal you really should be avoiding it as mentioned in the Quran.

Furthermore

"You shall not utter lies with your own tongues stating: "This is lawful, and this is unlawful," to fabricate lies and attribute them to God. Surely, those who fabricate lies and attribute them to God will never succeed." 16:116

So you can't say that eating non-Halal meat is allowed because there is just so much of Halal you can take. Clearly the rule is IF YOU ARE FORCED.

Now listen.

I really don't care if you eat anything or drink or smoke or do weed.

After all it's your life.

You are responsible to answer before Allah.

But tomorrow you will tell me that I don't need to pray and it's my life and there's no need for anyone to pray 5 times a day and it's their life.

But unfortunately according to Quran 5 prayers are obligatory.

So sure.

Go ahead and live your life.

But don't try to justify things which are clearly prohibited to quench your own thirst and then say it's my life.

You are misguiding people by trying to say everything is acceptable and religion is personal matter.

When you are doing it behind closed doors, it is.

When you are openly eating pig's meat (I know you don't eat it, just a metaphor) in front of 50 other Muslims and trying to say it's between me and God, well I got news for you.

IT IS NOT.

Thank you.

P.S This is not a lecture, just friendly advice as one brother to another.

 

[Varun]

I agree with you about the pig, it's a very filthy animal; even a lot of non-muslim friends of mine don't eat it. I have been repulsed by the smell of alcohol and probably will never drink it because a close fam member abused it a lot much like CM Punk's abah rofl. Would you say what you drink tastes better then a fanta or coke? or is more about the intoxication then anything else

You can have Vodka with Fanta or Coke. Best of both worlds, etc. etc.

In fact if you're a first-timer I would recommend a small shot of Smirnoff with RedBull. Try it out this Saturday night.

To Russia with love!

 

[shane]

Can someone tell me how Islam purports to justify the concept of "Halal"? I am not saying that it needs to be justified, but an explanation would be good. And the same with pig meat please? (I know I could just google it, but I am more interested in whether ordinary Muslims actually know the answer)