Having returned from the Gulf-food show Feb 2018 I asked myself a number of questions. One was more significant than all the others put together.
Why is the Halal market such a mess?
Now such a question can have a profound affect on individuals and organisations who, care passionately and sincerely about the Halal Market. When I use the word Halal market for all intense purposes I mean the Halal food market. However, one can argue that the state it is in can imply the halal market in its entirety.
The bottom line is that the word Halal sells and sells like nothing else. In all the various markets (tourism, food, cosmetics, drinks, lifestyle) add the word halal and demand grows. At the Gulf-food show I met with suppliers (meat) for obvious reasons from America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, and Russia and got different answers from everyone regarding their Halal policy.
The Americans were very vocal about the fact that all their halal meat is stunned and they only do unstunned slaughter for the Jewish community. They then informed me that unstunned slaughter is very cruel and inhumane. So divine law is cruel and man knows best Subhaan-Allah. At this point I must stress that I am not here to discredit stunned slaughter at all. I am just arguing that how can a non Muslim have the audacity to say to me that the way we have been taught, by the sharia and shown by our beloved Prophet May Peace be Upon him, is a cruel way. Especially when we are having this conversation in a Muslim country. I have taken enough flack living in the west being told this and that about the Muslim faith. It is about time we stand up for what is right and correct. We are very fortunate that the country we live in allows us to practice our faith openly and correctly. So why should we compromise at all.
The focus here is not on the abattoir, halal bodies, butchers or the restaurants. The responsibility is on us the consumers as it is only our fault. There is far too much dependency on the other. We as consumers have to demand the very best halal food. We have to demand halal and authentic halal, we have to demand quality meat. We have to know where the meat is coming from what it has been fed, how it is being bred and reared. This information is available; price should not be an issue. If the meat is expensive then eat less but buy pure.
Being directly involved in the meat business for almost 2 years it seems it’s a well-known secret that the halal meat is of poor quality. I am now very aware of this fact and quite ashamed. I used to make decisions based on cost but those days are long gone insha-Allah. The difference in the taste, tenderness and smell is huge. Why is this not common knowledge, why do we not talk about this? We have to make a change. After speaking to many restaurants , butchers and wholesalers over the last 2 years their fear is that they will lose business if they buy more expensive meat, as customers will go elsewhere. To be honest unfortunately this is true. It is well known that the animals that can’t be sold are not a problem because the halal meat market will gobble it up literally. The scraps are what we get. I say enough of this, it has to change we have to make a stand and we have to make a difference. We need to be examples in this community a beacon to show we will only eat what is quality and will not compromise in this.
At Hill Farm Finest my commitment to all of you is to provide you with the very best quality of animals that this country has to offer. We provide a true farm to fork experience, directly delivering to your doorstep. We have four generations of experience of breeding animals and are proud of what we do with complete transparency. We also slaughter our animals just as we have been taught by our Prophet May peace and blessings be upon him without compromise. If you have any questions about our process or anything else I am just a phone call away.
I am not saying buy your meat from me, but what I am asking you all is that besides the slaughter process be aware of the quality you eat, be proud like other communities of having the best that is available and demand it. You have the power to make a difference it is about time we do.
Thank you
Usman Rauf
Co Founder
Hill Farm Finest
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