The
Captive Bolt Pistol
There are two types of captive bolt pistol: penetrative and
non-penetrative. Penetrative stunners drive a bolt into the skull and
cause unconsciousness both through physical brain damage and the
concussive blow to the skull. The bolt on a non-penetrative stunner is
'mushroom-headed' and impacts on the brain without entering the skull.
Unconsciousness is caused by the concussive blow. After the animal is
unconscious, it is slaughtered.
The bolt is described as 'captive' because it flies out of the barrel
but remains attached to the pistol. The pistol is placed on the centre
of the animal’s forehead and is either trigger-fired or fires
automatically on contact with the animal’s head
Electric
Head Stunning to the Brain
Electric head-only stunning with tongs is used to stun cattle,
calves, sheep, goats, rabbits and ostriches. The operator places a pair
of electric tongs on either side of the animal’s head and passes an
electric current through the brain - supposedly causing a temporary loss
of consciousness.
Water
Bath Stunning
The electric waterbath is widely used to stun chickens, turkeys, ducks
and geese. Birds are shackled upside down on a moving conveyor which
carries them to an electrified waterbath into which their heads are
supposed to be immersed. The shackles contact a bar which is connected
to earth. The strength of the electrical current has risen in recent
years - with the aim of ensuring that birds suffer a cardiac arrest and
die when they enter the waterbath.
Gas
Stunning
An animal is stunned by exposing them to a mixture of carbon dioxide
and air. This gas causes the animal to loose its consciousness, after
which it is slaughtered.
From an Islamic perspective, two main questions arise here:
1) Is using the method of stunning permissible?
2) Will the animal be considered lawful (halal) if it was slaughtered
according to the rulings of Shariah after being stunned?
As far as the answer to the first question is concerned, this depends
on whether stunning the animal reduces the pain or causes more
unnecessary pain.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said:
“Verily Allah has prescribed proficiency in
all things. Thus, if you kill (an animal), kill well; and if you
slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let
him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters”
(Sahih Muslim).
An
Interview with Medical Scientis, Dr Abdul Majid Khatme Spokemen
for Muslim council of Brtain -organised by islamonline.net The
topic on discuss was
Ban on Halal
Meat in Britain: Who? Why? Read the
Transcript of the interviews
