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Is stunned meat halal?

Whether stunned meat is halal is the most argued question in UK halal food, and the honest answer is that it depends on the stun and on which scholarly opinion you follow. Every certifier agrees that an animal killed by the stun itself is not halal. The disagreement is over a recoverable stun, where the animal is unconscious but alive when slaughtered. HMC does not accept any stunning; HFA accepts a recoverable stun. At Ikhlas everything is HMC certified, so nothing we sell is stunned.

What does stunning mean?

Stunning is rendering an animal unconscious before slaughter, usually by electric current for sheep and poultry or a captive bolt for cattle. UK law normally requires it, with a specific exemption for religious slaughter by Muslims and Jews. Stunning is defined in the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing regulations.

Why do some scholars say stunned meat is not halal?

Because a stun risks killing the animal before the cut, in which case it is carrion, and because there is no way to be certain at the moment of slaughter that the animal is alive. Scholars who take this view say the safe course is to avoid stunning altogether. This is HMC's position.

Why do other scholars accept a recoverable stun?

Because the condition for halal slaughter is that the animal is alive at the time of the cut, and a recoverable stun does not kill it. Certifiers who accept this require the stun to be set so the animal would recover, and they audit that. This is HFA's position.

Is non-stunned slaughter legal in the UK?

Yes. UK law permits slaughter without stunning for halal and kosher meat under a religious exemption, in licensed slaughterhouses with a vet in attendance. HMC-certified meat is produced under that exemption.

What does Ikhlas sell?

Ikhlas Halal Butcher sells only HMC-certified meat, which means no stunning of any kind and hand slaughter by a Muslim slaughterman. If avoiding stunned meat matters to you, every product on our counter in Bradford meets that standard.

Everything on our counter is HMC certified

Chicken, lamb, mutton, beef, goat and turkey, hand slaughtered and cut to order at 26-28 City Road, Bradford. Order online for collection in about two hours or local delivery within seven miles.

Order onlineSee our HMC certificate

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