Madina Halal Meat goes over different ways to prepare halal meat, and the dishes associated with it. Video produced by Aamara Khan.
The term “halal” means permissible in Arabic, and the term “haram” means impermissible. Iqbal Gora is an Islamic scholar and he explains what is halal from an Islamic perspective.
“In order for meat to be considered as halal for us Muslims, certain conditions need to be met. So firstly, the words of God have to be recited over the meat. Secondly, the animal has to be slaughtered with a sharp knife and the blood of the animal has to flow out.”
Gora emphasizes that the animal would not be permissible to eat if it were killed by traditional methods used here in Alberta, such as the stun gun or a violent blow.
It would also not be permissible to eat if it were hunted by other animals and that meat was found.
Gora elaborates, “If you use dogs for example to hunt it and the animal was dead before you had the chance to slaughter it. The animal ideally should not be slaughtered in the presence of other animals. We,as Muslims, believe this to be a form of mercy for the animal as well.”
Muslims believe that every animal’s life is sacred and if they take an animal’s life, then they should do it in a manner that is professional and honorable to the animal and take into consideration its feelings as well.
Madina Halal Meat started their business in 2004, a time when businesses were booming.
Mohammed Siddiqi, the owner’s son, explains where he gets the meats for his shop and he explains that they get it at various meat plants all across Calgary and Okotoks as well as farms.
“Halal is based off our religion. It is our way of blessing the meat and we usually hand slaughter the meat and that insures more of all of the blood to come out so there’s nothing toxic left inside the animal,” Siddiqi said. “Usually all the meat we get is antibiotic free and it’s all clean meat.”
Jen Price | jprice@cjournal.ca