Islam is the most effective developing religion in the world. Individuals from all over the world are impressed and getting into Islam by acknowledging all the conditions of Islam even the eating habits of a non-Muslim. In addition to the many other religious features and prerequisites, the restriction of Muslims to the halal foodstuff also holds many advantageous elements for the well beings of Muslims and the mankind.

There are several kinds of meals taken in the various parts of the globe. Some are non-meat eaters as for instance in China and India, and some are omnivores who eat both beef, fresh vegetables, etc. The beef is provided from various resources for example; lamb meat, beef and pig’s pork; the red meat, while seafood and poultry are popular as white meat.

There are many times we listened the word halal foodstuff or halal beef in restaurants, but not all of the people are acquainted with the real idea of halal meat. It is a type of meat which is permissible for the Muslims to consume or eat. The concept of halal and its opposite haram is almost at par with the principle of the term “Kosher” from which the Jews are abide by.

There are some circumstances on the slaughter of the pet animal which make it halal or allowable religiously for consuming by Muslims. These conditions are summarized as follow;

1.           Pet animal should be slaughtered by a Muslim following a few particular prayers for the almighty Allah. The beef will not be regarded as halal if the pet animal is slaughtered by non-Muslim, or the person who left Islam.

2.           Slaughtering should be carried out with a well-defined cutting knife or blade and things like gazelle, bones, stones are not permitted to wipe out the animal, or to slaughter it.

3.           It is very essential to cut the gullet and the windpipe of the pet with a well-defined cutting knife, if it is not cut, then the meat will not regarded as halal.

4.           if  the gullet and windpipe are cut after killing the animal (when it is dead), it would certainly not be regarded halal.

5.           The butch should slaughter the animal quickly without having causing it more soreness.

6.           The animal’s face should be in the direction of the house of Allah in Mecca at the time of slaughtering.

7.           Species of fish is not needed to be slaughtered and is regarded halal. Seafood can be used without these procedures.

8.           The cutting knife or slaughtering tools should not be dull.

9.           It is also suggested though not essential that the animal ought to be given well and should not dehydrate before the practice of slaughtering.

10.         The slaughtering should be begun with the name of Allah called Bismillah.

The Muslims in non-Muslim nations are experiencing issues to find the halal foodstuff because there are very few dining places which are taking care of all these parameters, but in Muslim nations it is not a big deal to locate the halal food items.

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Global halal food industry is said to be worth over  $600 billion.  Japanese food and tourism companies are slowly starting to tap into this huge market for halal food and other halal consumer products for the Muslims all over the world.  As the Japanese population is aging, both the public and private sectors have started thinking of ways to offer halal products to the Muslims living in Japan and elsewhere.

The recent surge in the demand for halal food products in japan is attribbuted to the following .

• Muslim population in the country is slowly but steadily increasing
• Muslim consumers are becoming vocal
• More and more Muslims are visiting japan for business, studies or other purposes
• Due to the sluggishness of the domestic Japanese economy, Japanese food companies are trying to grab

Recently, a member of parliament approached few Muslim organizations based in Tokyo to get basic information about the concept and find out ways Japanese companies could cater to the necessities of the Muslims living in the country. A non-profit organization recently planned to hold the first-ever halal food fair in Fukuoka.

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A candidate for Bob Katter's fledgling political party declared his preference for buying ''guaranteed non-halal meat'' so his money does not ''go to the Muslim community''.

Jamie Cavanough, who is standing for Katter's Australian Party in Sydney's most marginal federal seat, Greenway, is under fire for the apparently divisive comments he made to a community forum in one of the city's most ethnically diverse areas.

Katter's Australian Party played down the comments on Friday, describing them as a non-issue.

Mr Cavanough made his comments on Saturday, less than a fortnight after controversy in the Greenway community over plans for a supposed Muslim enclave, dubbed ''Halal housing'', in Riverstone.

Mr Cavanough posted on the Riverstone Community Group forum, which has 732 members on Facebook: ''Can anyone advise me where I can buy Guaranteed NON halal lamb for Australia day.''

When a forum user suggested he might try a butcher, Mr Cavanough replied: ''have not asked yet, just wondering if anyone new [sic] of any, I would prefer to always buy non halal as proceeds of halal goes to the Muslim community.''

And in a separate post, Mr Cavanough called on people to sign a petition against a supposed plan by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, to scrap the name Australia Day in favour of Harmony Day, saying ''the Muslim church is in favour of this''. The Prime Minister's office confirmed there was no such proposal.

Mr Cavanough told Fairfax Media he was simply looking for a better deal on meat and his comments were not racially motivated.

''In my view, and it's not the view of any party, I want to be able to purchase a product that has not been faced to a god that I don't believe in and blessed,'' he said.

Sydney Morning Herald, 25 January 2013

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A new bill on the amendment to Poland's animal rights law to make kosher and halal slaughter legal in Poland has been submitted for public consultation, a spokesperson for the Ministry of agriculture has announced.

Spokeswoman Małgorzata Książyk says the public consultation period will last one week, following a Constitutional Court ruling late last year which said that ritualised slaughter of animals for religious purposes was inconsistent with Polish animal rights law.

The court concluded that a 2004 amendment that introduced exceptions to an animal protection law that forbade the slaughter of animals without prior stunning was "unconstitutional."

Last week, the new draft law, which would make Polish law compatible with European Union regulations, was considered by the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers, and the bill has now been passed on to social and trade union organizations for consultation.

TheNews.pl, 24 January 2013

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A curry maker was left stunned after being refused a market stall – because his products were halal.

Jeff Thomson, founder of Curried Away, asked for a plot on Bury's Artisan Markets. But he was shocked when Paul Barrah, who operates the markets on behalf of the town's council, replied to his email simply saying: "Hi, I'm sorry but my markets don't use halal products. Regards, Paul."

Bury council has now launched an investigation into the matter and say they will meet Mr Barrah who organises the market days in Ramsbottom, Prestwich, Radcliffe and Whitefield, to discuss the issue.

Jeff, 62, described how he contacted Mr Barrah, saying that his business was an Asian food market selling curries and snacks to take home or eat on go.

He wrote that all his food was halal – food prepared to make it permissible to eat under Islamic law. Jeff, who is Scottish, said: "I was looking around for markets to host my stall for next year. I picked this market, emailed them and got the response back that they don't do halal.

"I was shocked because I have not come across this before. All the markets I have dealt with in the past, this hasn't been an issue. In these days of ethnic, cultural and religious integration it surprised and disappointed me to find a market operator who doesn't accept halal products. I am pleased Bury council seems to have taken the matter on board and plans to meet their market contractor."

Jeff, who used to live in Bolton, and now lives in Burnley, launched Curried Away in 2009 after retiring from a 40-year career in PR and marketing. He already trades at markets in Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and Ashton-under-Lyne – and was looking to expand by selling his food in Bury.

A council spokesman said: "Bury council currently has a contract with Mr Barrah who operates Farmers Markets in Ramsbottom, Prestwich, Radcliffe and Whitefield. The current contract runs until March 2013. We will be investigating this matter and will be seeking to meet with Mr Barrah before the next market on January 13 in Ramsbottom to discuss the issue and seek his views.

"Although it is considered that he is not in breach of his existing contract we would consider assessing the wording of any new contracts issued after March 2013 to ensure that they fall in line with the council's equality policies."

Mr Barrah declined to comment.

Manchester Evening News, 24 December 2012

You'll note that the report is headlined, in typical taboid press style, "Fury as Bury market boss tells halal curry maker: Sorry, you can't have a stall". It seems that nobody can express concern about anti-Muslim discrimination, even in the mildest and most reasonable terms, without being accused of reacting with "fury".

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The Collectif contre l'Islamophobie en France reports that last night vandals sprayed Nazi graffiti on a halal butcher's shop in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in north-central France. The CCIF notes that last year the municipal council broke off negotiations over the sale of public land to an association that planned to build an Islamic cultural centre there, following an Islamophobic campaign.

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The Collectif contre l'Islamophobie en France reports that last Thursday night a halal butchers at Chalon-sur-Saône in eastern France was defaced with Islamophobic graffiti. When the owners went to the police to file a complaint on Friday morning they found that other businesses had been similarly targeted.

See also Al-Kanz, 29 September 2012

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Veteran neo-Nazi Richard Edmonds addresses the NF rallyThe company behind a controversial Halal abattoir say they want to be a large employer for the coast.

Premier Halal Meats, who are behind an application to open up a Halal abattoir on Heath Road industrial estate in Skegness, hope to create between 40 and 70 jobs for the town.

A spokesman from the company, who would not give his name, said: "About 50 people have applied for a job with us and we expect more applications to come in. We will be employing a lot of people and hope to be one of the biggest employers in Skegness."

On Saturday, the far right National Front held a demonstration in Tower Gardens. They used a loud speaker to address around 50 people and a small leaflet drop on Grand Parade.

Tess Turner from Alford has set up online petitions and a Facebook page Say NO to Halal slaughter in Skegness. She said: "I am getting more 'likes' on Facebook for the campaign and there are petitions all over the place. I had nothing to do with the demonstrations by this political group but possibly the only good thing from it was that they did bring it to the attention of more people."

East Coast Target, 19 September 2012

Meanwhile, the British National Party are also trying to exploit this issue for their own political gain.

Update:  See also the Skegness Standard, 19 September 2012

The latter report notes that "East Lindsey District Council is keen to point out it has no role to play in the site's licensing". That hasn't prevented someone organising an online petition calling on the council to block the abattoir. At present it has over 900 signatures and this is a selection of the comments that have been added:

"How come foreigners can come to this country and kill animals inhumanly"

"anyone using religon to justify this torture should return to their own countries and carry out their practice away from us... that is not a racist comment... its FACT"

"in my opinion halal is a form of torture, evil cruel and barbaric, we are a civilized nation and that is the way we should stay!"

"This is a Christian Country and so anyone coming to live here should follow Christian Law."

"this is totally barbaric!!!!......hang them up and do the flippin same and see how they like it!!!!"

"Go back to your own country if you feel the need for Halal meat"

"we Non-Muslims don't need Meat that's been dedicated to ALLAH"

"there are laws in this country for us and they should abide by them they want halal meat go home"

"I'm sick of this country making allowances for other religions & minorities. Don't like it....Go back home"

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A nationalist political organisation opposing multiculturalism and immigration has planned a demonstration against proposals for a halal abattoir in Skegness.

The National Front has invited its members to walk through the town distributing flyers and displaying banners opposing the Muslim practice of slaughter on Saturday, September 15.

Deputy chairman Kevin Bryan said: "We are against halal and kosher slaughterhouses full stop – it's alien to this country and we don't want to see it here. Islam is an alien religion to our shores and we don't think we should have them in this country."

The group insists it is not racist, claiming to oppose immigrants of all races, "to return this county to its genetic make-up of the 1940s."

Skegness Standard, 31 August 2012

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The expression ‘Magic’ refers to a very old practice still performed in present by the magicians for the purpose of harming humanity or in order to amaze the audience by creating unbelievable illusions. However, with reference to the Islamic teachings, it is strictly forbidden and one who is pleased by magic or practices magic is said to be a disbeliever to Islam.

Magic has been defined in two ways, that is, ‘Real’ and ‘Illusionary’. The ‘Real magic’ refers to the tricks that are being performed on someone so as to cause that targeted person’s death, to make him sick or to cause abnormal mental state.  This type of magic is casted on any specified person through magical spells, potions and rituals which cause serious harm to the targeted person, however, various ways are also being defined in the Quran to get relief from such false acts.

The later kind ‘Illusionary magic’ refers to the magic performed by the street magicians  in order to entertain people with such tricks that make them astonished as what they are being shown is next to impossible. Some of the tricks performed as illusionary magic are: getting disappeared with the blink of an eye and then returning from somewhere else within seconds,  cutting anybody’s head off and within no time presenting that person alive, display of cards trick etc.

The term ‘Magic’ has appeared several times in Quran and considered to be as ‘shirk’. It is being strictly prohibited in Islam as it has been stated that the one who tends to learn or teach magic, let it be the real one or the illusionary one is said to be a disbeliever and will not be forgiven for his false act.

“They followed what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut and Marut but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, “We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)” (Surah Baqrah)

With reference to the above verse taken from the Holy Quran, it is clearly stated that magic was performed by the two angels Harut and Marut, sent by Allah for the purpose of trial, so as to test the mankind. The people were also warned and advised by Harut and Marut, not to learn and teach magic, because if learned, they will then become the disbelievers of Islamic teachings and would not be forgiven, however, the Shaytan disbelieved and taught magic to mankind.

According to some of the Islamic scholars, it has been stated that the person who practices magic should be killed for his act of deceiving people without even asking him to repent as the knowledge of magic cannot be erased out from his heart, and the one who deceives people through magic is an apostate.

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Islam teaches us the difference between halal and haram. Halal means what is obligatory in Islam, while harm means what Islam stops us to do. The religion Islam teaches Muslims the way of living and gives guidance in every path of life.

Every person must learn Islamic teachings by getting in some Muslim academy where they should learn Islam, learn Muslim culture and Arabic language.  These teachings extend in all areas of life, both for personal lives and for professional or economical lives. Islam gives detailed regulations of follow halal way of doing business that is fair and balanced. Muslims must recognize that material goods, earnings and wealth are all the properties that belong to Allah, and they are just his trustees. There are certain fundamental principles in Islam that teaches us to behave honestly and responsibly to follow proper economic system that is proposed by the religion Islam.

The first fundamental principle of the halal way of doing business says that Muslims should not earn interest in business. It means earning money in a wrong way is restricted in Islam. Usury is strictly forbidden in Islam, and those who are getting usury in their business will allow them to get the blessing of Allah. Being Muslim, this is the only halal way of establishing a business where there is no usury and no doubling or multiplying of investments. Islam prohibits all the transactions that are interest based.  The second fundamental principle says that Islam forbids the gaining of wealth or any property by making frauds, cheats, and by deceiving someone. Injustice is not allowed in Islam, and so people must play good and true in their business.

The third fundamental principle of halal way of doing business says that it is the guardian must not take the property of an orphan. People must not cheat them for making their own business. That means for getting money for your business, you cannot deceive anyone who has no one for the support. It is considered a sin in Islam. The fourth fundamental says that people who are doing business of gambling, sales of alcohol, or doing business of lotteries, are all bad means of earning. Gambling, lotteries or production and sales of alcohol are considered haram means of doing business. According to the next fundamental principle, Muslims must behave responsibly and carefully while spending money in the business. They should not waste money in haram things or in unnecessary things.

The next fundamental principles of halal way of doing business say that people who are doing some businesses and are economically strong, they must pay Zakat. Those Muslims who own their own business and are financially strong must always pay some fixed amount of money in the form of Zakat. Zakat can be given to needy people and those who are disabled. There are so many Arabic quotes you can learn in the Quran which will give an evidence of all these principles.

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