There are many people who claim to know best what products and actions are halal (allowed) or haram (forbidden) by Islam law. Unfortunately not all people, even ones that appear important, necessarily have the expertise or the experience of what is taking place on the ground to justify having such strong and self-assured opinions. Many of these strong opinions are simply personal interpretation or fuel for one’s own ego, and should not be mistaken to represent the truth or the essence of halal and haram. Dr. Katme, from the UK, is a major influencer and often guest speaker on Islamic opinions related to halal medicine and slaughter. He regularly speaks out very loudly against rendering animals unconscious before slaughtering them. He prefers that animals be alert and conscious and perfectly sentient during the process of restraint and throat-cutting. Asalet, our inspector in Turkey, has inspected more than 100 slaughterhouses in Islamic countries, as well as Halal certified abattoirs in Germany and the Netherlands and, on top of knowing the Koran and Hadiths well, also knows very well what happens to animals inside slaughterhouses. Overall there is animal suffering and focus on speed and profit, but by far the worst cases of suffering he has seen when animals are completely sentient during the entire restraint and bleed-out process. Asalet has written rebutals to the arguments Dr. Katme makes against stunning and this can all be read in English HERE.
