Terminology

 

  • Halal – Permissible or lawful. In the context of meat and poultry it means the animal is permissible to eat and has been slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law. 
  • Haram – Not permissible or forbidden. In the context of meat and poultry it means either the animal does not fit the requirments for Halal consumption or is not slaughtered in accordance with Muslim dietary laws.
  • Shariah – Islamic law deriving from the Qu’ran or Hadith.
  • Najis – Impure, unclean.  
  • Sunnah – the traditional portion of Muslim law, based on the words and acts of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and preserved in the traditional literature.
  • Tasmia – reciting “Bismillah Allahu Akbar” (In the name of Allah and Allah is the Greatest).
  • Zabihah (Dhabh) – The Arabic word meaning slaughter. This word may often be used to reference whether poultry has been hand slaughtered as opposed to machine slaughtered. Its use is mostly a North American reference and is not widely referenced globally.
  • Penetrative Captive Bolt Stunning- Hand held unit used on cattle for non-Halal slaughter. The captive bolt gun shoots a retractable steel rod into the head of the animal puncturing the skull and brain causing the animal to die from brain hemorrhage. This process is the most common method used in the US beef industry today. Captive bolt stunning kills the animal. The use of penetrative captive bolt stunning in any capacity negates the Halal slaughter process.
  • Pneumatic (Mushroom) Stunner- Hand held unit used by a minority of beef slaughter facilities in the US. This form of stunning does not kill the animal and when used properly the animal is rendered unconscious immediately. This process is sometimes used in Halal or kosher slaughter facilities immediately prior to or post Halal or kosher slaughter. Once stunned, if the animal is not slaughtered it will revive within a 2-3 minute period with no permanent side effects. The use of a pneumatic stunner is generally a globally accepted practice however there are some Halal consumers who prefer no stunning of any kind.
  • Mechanical Slaughter - A method of slaughter generally utilized in the US poultry industry. A mechanical metal blade performs the actual slaughter of the animal by cutting the neck of the animal without severing the head. For Halal purposes there is considerable debate as to whether and what type of Mechanical Halal slaughter is acceptable and what type is not. Some methods are globally accepted while others may be categorically rejected.
  • Stunning- Most often referred to the process of rendering an animal unconscious or insensible to pain before or directly after the slaughter. Stunning may or may not be a Halal practice depending on the stunning tool utilized during the slaughter process.
  • Harvest - A term regularly used in the meat and poultry industry as a replacement for the word slaughter. This is often done by facilities that perform penetrative captive bolt stunning where the animal is not slaughtered by traditional slaughter methods.
  • European Cut - A method of killing larger animals such as beef cattle when traditional Halal slaughter cannot be performed. This practice is carried out by performing a penetrative captive bolt stun and cutting from the chin down versus horizontally with one cut across the neck in accordance with Islamic law. Global Halal standards do not recognize this method of slaughter as being in accordance with acceptable or compliant Halal practices whether performed by a Muslim or not.
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