I need more education on halal foods

[amal 4]

If it were a bigger issue with hubster, I'd do what I could to accommodate (sp). Luckily after just a short while, he learned that the food situation/availability is different here when it comes to halal so when he was told by a sheikh to say bismillah over everything he eats, he was satisfied with that and slowly has come around on his own as to what he accepts and doesn't accept. We do buy halal when it's available to us to do so but it's not something we go crazy trying to do.

We definitely look for the "no gelatin" or "kosher gelatin" and lard etc etc Those are easy to spot. There are some things that are more difficult such as ... just because it says turkey or chicken hot dogs doesn't necessarily mean that it's not "cased" in pork intestine. For this reason, we choose to VERY SELDOM eat hot dogs (if at all anymore) or other meats that are prepared the way hot dogs are. This is just our own personal choice though.

[sara..... 371]

uff its so hard here to find halal meat, so what we have done is we have one slaughter house that we use and he will slaughter the correct way for us, we also live on a small farm and many times other muslims that live in the city will put an animal here for their use they just have to take care of it as in pay for the food stuff like that they also do their own slaughter when its time.......its an option to think about but u will need a really big freezer...........

at times we had had to purchase chicken or something from the regular market because there was not any available,

also its a good idea to say bismillah if u eat out anyplace that tells u its halal because we found out once that it was not after being told it was...........hope this helps some

sara

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Except that we don't know that the meat in the supermarket was actually slaughtered by a person of the book. That's my (main) issue with supermarket meat. It may be, but who's to say the guy at the slaughterhouse is a christian? That's what I mean by scholars back home don't quite understand our situation here. Sure, the US is a christian majority country, but by no means is everyone a christian. I think they believe since the US is a 'christian country', that the slaughterhouse staff is christian, but do we really know?

I would have no problem purchasing meat from a butcher I knew was a practicing christian or jew, and he slaughtered the meat in an appropriate manner (without electric shocks or metal rods shot into the brain, which are other reasons I can't eat supermarket meat). In fact, I'm looking at the organic/free range ranchers in the area for someone who is, so we can purchase meat directly from them once we have a house and a big meat freezer inshaAllah. Haven't found one yet, but we have a year or 2 until we get that big meat freezer

Edited February 11, 2009 by UmmSqueakster

[MrsAmera 41]

Except that we don't know that the meat in the supermarket was actually slaughtered by a person of the book. That's my (main) issue with supermarket meat. It may be, but who's to say the guy at the slaughterhouse is a christian? That's what I mean by scholars back home don't quite understand our situation here. Sure, the US is a christian majority country, but by no means is everyone a christian. I think they believe since the US is a 'christian country', that the slaughterhouse staff is christian, but do we really know?

I would have no problem purchasing meat from a butcher I knew was a practicing christian or jew, and he slaughtered the meat in an appropriate manner (without electric shocks or metal rods shot into the brain, which are other reasons I can't eat supermarket meat). In fact, I'm looking at the organic/free range ranchers in the area for someone who is, so we can purchase meat directly from them once we have a house and a big meat freezer inshaAllah. Haven't found one yet, but we have a year or 2 until we get that big meat freezer

Well knowing the slaughterhouses back in the Midwest odds are pretty decent the person doing the slaughtering was even Muslim! I'd be interested to know if Muslims who work in slaughterhouses tend to say a blessing or just go forward with the killing.....hmmmmm

[amal 4]

That is the other thing my husband was told but I can't remember the exact content. It had to do with being in America, which is a primarily Christian based country so that had something to do with the meat being "ok" and to say bismillah before u prepare or eat it. Rahma, can you shed some light on that?

The way I feel about butchering is...if you are told it is halal, and you do feel at the time that the person is being truthful.....if it ends up NOT really being halal, YOU are not punished because you went with what you were told and made to believe. Now, if you were to go back to the same place and get the same food again, fully knowing that it wasn't halal...that's when there would be 'issues'. It's all about the pure intent inside yourself rather than if the food was REALLY slaughtered in a halal way. That's what I love about Islam is that it's about your intent on the inside that counts

[notime4haterz 0]

I'm shocked to the core that imams and sheikhs have said that eating non-halal meat under any circumstance is allowed. Meat is not a necessity. It's a luxury. There are other protein options such as beans, fish/seafood, and eggs. Of course most Muslims eat whatever and don't care. But for someone to issue a fatwa about it...

I'm still shocked...

[notime4haterz 0]

That he does not slaughter it by the way specified by shari'ah as is the case if he chokes it or electrocutes it until it dies or drowns it in water until it dies or kills it by a bullet, etc. In this case there is no doubt that eating it is forbidden since it is maita (meat of an animal that has died without properly being slaughtered) and Allah has forbidden it in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning): "… and forbidden unto you is maita…" (al-Maa'ida:3)

The above fatwa comes from Al-Munajid's website.

Also, see below for the slaughter process in the US which states that the animals are electrocuted and then shot in the head with a bullet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse

[sara..... 371]

That he does not slaughter it by the way specified by shari'ah as is the case if he chokes it or electrocutes it until it dies or drowns it in water until it dies or kills it by a bullet, etc. In this case there is no doubt that eating it is forbidden since it is maita (meat of an animal that has died without properly being slaughtered) and Allah has forbidden it in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning): "… and forbidden unto you is maita…" (al-Maa'ida:3)

The above fatwa comes from Al-Munajid's website.

Also, see below for the slaughter process in the US which states that the animals are electrocuted and then shot in the head with a bullet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse

thats why its good if u can find a slaughter house that will do mobile kill so that u can watch to make sure it is done right

sara

[notime4haterz 0]

That he does not slaughter it by the way specified by shari'ah as is the case if he chokes it or electrocutes it until it dies or drowns it in water until it dies or kills it by a bullet, etc. In this case there is no doubt that eating it is forbidden since it is maita (meat of an animal that has died without properly being slaughtered) and Allah has forbidden it in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning): "… and forbidden unto you is maita…" (al-Maa'ida:3)

The above fatwa comes from Al-Munajid's website.

Also, see below for the slaughter process in the US which states that the animals are electrocuted and then shot in the head with a bullet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse

thats why its good if u can find a slaughter house that will do mobile kill so that u can watch to make sure it is done right

sara

Oh, I'm not telling people what they should eat. I'm just shocked that someone would issue a fatwa saying it's okay.

Actually I'm not going to eat meat until we find an organic farm that will allow my husband to do the slaughter himself. For me to eat it comfortably, it has to be organic and halal. That's why I mostly eat (wild caught) seafood and eggs. There are lots of organic farms within a day's drive. Whether they would let us do that, I don't know. I did see one that advertised "custom slaughter" so maybe I'll give them a call when the time comes.

[Nothing1234 2]

I knew this would turn into the "I'm more Algerian than you" type of debate.

Best advice talk with your hubby and call a local mosque. Best of luck!

[MrsAmera 41]

That he does not slaughter it by the way specified by shari'ah as is the case if he chokes it or electrocutes it until it dies or drowns it in water until it dies or kills it by a bullet, etc. In this case there is no doubt that eating it is forbidden since it is maita (meat of an animal that has died without properly being slaughtered) and Allah has forbidden it in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning): "… and forbidden unto you is maita…" (al-Maa'ida:3)

The above fatwa comes from Al-Munajid's website.

Also, see below for the slaughter process in the US which states that the animals are electrocuted and then shot in the head with a bullet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse

Not every can be as perfect as you....

Also pretty sure you need a special permit to slaughter it yourself. Having grown up in farming communities many farmers are very hesitant to allow people to slaughter themselves as meat sold in the US is required to be killed in licensed and approved slaughterhouses.

Edited February 11, 2009 by MrsAmera

[sandinista! 1,816]

ad hominem attacks don't make her any less right.

Edited February 11, 2009 by chemaatah

[amal 4]

ad hominem attacks don't make her any less right.

when I read that, I got a hankering for hominy...

[Nothing1234 2]

ad hominem attacks don't make her any less right.

when I read that, I got a hankering for hominy...

[dimanuni 1]

My family is the same, they cook with pork products ALL the time. I moved back here from Morocco (after 3 years there) only 6 weeks ago and I'm shocked at how much pork my family eats. I love a piece of bacon or ham as much as the next guy, but my mom will put salt pork in green beans! WHY?? Totally unnecessary, but God love her. I keep telling my mom she'll have to try and be more careful when Ahmed gets over here. Luckily I was a vegetarian for 15 years before moving to Morocco, so my family is already aware of issues about cooking with meat. I'd tell your family that you're both eating vegetarian, so ask if they could just be careful when cooking the non-meat parts of a meal so you can avoid hidden meat. You could even start that with them before he gets here. To give you time to work it out.

Also, I think you're supposed to say "Bismillah" before you eat anything. Even halal meat. In Morocco, pepole would say it whenever they started anything, got in a car for a trip, ate, began to watch a show, everything. Everything is in the name of God! = )

Thellau f raskum (take care of yourselves!)

Rebecca