Halal vs. Zabihah

I am a member of an Islamic Mailing list for women and when I woke up this morning to check my email, there sits an interesting factoid to a website that claims to have certified Halal/Zabihah Beef Jerky. Now perhaps you are not as confused as I was if you do not know what Halal or Zabihah are. What's the big idea you are asking? Why was I so confused?

Well Islamically for the past decade or so, there has been this concern about Halal and Zabihah meat available for American Muslims. Many stores and or meat producing company claim to be Halal Certified, Zabihah Certified, and or both.

WHAT IS HALAL MEAT?

Halal is an Arabic word meaning permissible. And in the Quran he tells us what is permissible and what is impermissible to eat.

Allah says in the Holy Quran:

"This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them."(Quran 5:5)

This means that food that Jews and Christians have slaughtered is permissible for Muslims to eat. However there is a difference of opinion amongst Muslim scholars at to exactly what the regulations are.

Allah also says in the Holy Quran:

"For every nation We have specified a rite (for slaughtering) so that they may take the name of Allah Ta'ala upon (the slaughter of) the animals granted to them as sustenance." (Al-Hajj 22:34)

"And consume not of that whereupon the name of Allah Ta'ala was omitted (at the time of slaughter). Indeed it is a transgression. Verily the Shayateen inspire their friends to cause division with you. If you obey them, you are indeed Mushriks (ascribing partners to Allah)." (Al-An'am 6:121)

This makes things very difficult to understand. Can we or can't we eat food that has not been blessed in the name of Allah (swt) ?

BLESSINGS OF HALAL MEAT

Many scholars agree that the stipulation requires that the food was not blessed in any name of other than God. So that makes Jewish, Kosher food permissible; however many Christians bless their food in the name of Jesus, not God. Therefore it makes the food impermissible for Muslims to eat.

The next question however would be, what if said Muslim did not hear any blessing, say for example when you buy the meat out of the store? How do you know if it was blessed in the name of God, Jesus, or anyone else for that matter?

WHAT PROPHET MUHAMMAD HAD TO SAY ABOUT HALAL MEAT

"It has been narrated from Aisha, Radi-Allahu anha, that some persons said to Nabi Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam 'People bring to us meat. We know not whether the name of Allah Ta'ala has been taken (upon its slaughter) or not? Nabi Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam replied, 'You people say Bismillah and eat it.' Aisha, Radi-Allahu anha, says, 'the people referred to (in this Hadith) were new Muslims.'" (Bukhari vol.2 pg.828; Deoband)

And so my understanding is that, yes the meat that which we buy in the store is permissible as long as we say Bismillah. In the name of Allah, when we eat it. We have not heard any blessing be made over the food, but if we had, and it was in any name other than Allah(swt) than no, it would not be permissible.

WHAT IS ZABIHAH MEAT

Allah (swt) says in the Quran

"For every nation We have specified a rite (for slaughtering) so that they may take the name of Allah Ta'ala upon (the slaughter of) the animals granted to them as sustenance." (Al-Hajj 22:34)

And just as Jews have Kosher meat, Muslims have Zabihah meat. Kosher meat is slaughtered according to the laws of the Torah, and just like Jews and Christians, Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, and or animals that have just died.

Allah(swt) says in the Bible

Leviticus 11:7-8 (King James Version)

7:And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
8:Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

And Allah (swt) says in the Quran

"Forbidden to you are Maytah (carrion), flowing blood, the flesh of swine and that slaughtered for other than Allah as well as the (animal) expiring by strangulation, illness or pain, falling (from a height), by a wound (sustained through fighting) and by falling to a predator and (about to be consumed), excepting those (animals) upon which you effect Zakah (Shar'ee slaughter)." (Al-Maidah 5:3)

So in order for meat to be considered Zabihah, it need be not meat that is forbidden, but also slaughtered In the Name of Allah (swt)

Now back to my original question. This website claims that its meat is Halal/Zabihah certified. In my opinion it can be Zabihah and Halal, because if it is Zabihah than yes it is permissible, but just because it is Halal does not make it Zabihah.

MY OPINIONS ABOUT HALAL MEAT

Now what Zabihah is, is clearly stated and understood; however there are many opinions and concerns about what is Halal in today's society. A lot of foods that we buy from the store are genetically altered, and even clones made in labs, with artificial flavors etc. I often question if the foods that we buy in the store, would any longer be considered Halal by the standards of Allah (swt). They are no longer grown organically they way food was grown and produced during the times of our Prophets Moses, Noah, Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad, or any other. Times have changed, the food has changed, the people have changed, and our values and standards have changed. Halal (permissible) just is not what it used to be.