Is factory farmed meat halal?

No. The ethical treatment of animals before slaughter does not determine whether the meat is halal or haram. Halal status is determined by the animal being permissible to eat and being slaughtered properly. However, the farmer or livestock owner who mistreats animals is sinful before Allah — the story of the woman who entered Hell for starving her cat to death is a warning. The consumer has the right to personally choose to buy from humane farms and to lobby for legislation against cruelty, but cannot declare the meat haram for others. The Sharia places the onus of ethical treatment on the producer, not the purchaser, and cannot raise the bar so high that affordable meat becomes inaccessible to the poor.

Does animal cruelty make meat haram in Islam?

No. The ethical treatment of animals before slaughter does not determine whether the meat is halal or haram. Halal status is determined by the animal being permissible to eat and being slaughtered properly. However, the farmer or livestock owner who mistreats animals is sinful before Allah — the story of the woman who entered Hell for starving her cat to death is a warning. The consumer has the right to personally choose to buy from humane farms and to lobby for legislation against cruelty, but cannot declare the meat haram for others. The Sharia places the onus of ethical treatment on the producer, not the purchaser, and cannot raise the bar so high that affordable meat becomes inaccessible to the poor.

Can Muslims eat meat from inhumanely raised animals?

No. The ethical treatment of animals before slaughter does not determine whether the meat is halal or haram. Halal status is determined by the animal being permissible to eat and being slaughtered properly. However, the farmer or livestock owner who mistreats animals is sinful before Allah — the story of the woman who entered Hell for starving her cat to death is a warning. The consumer has the right to personally choose to buy from humane farms and to lobby for legislation against cruelty, but cannot declare the meat haram for others. The Sharia places the onus of ethical treatment on the producer, not the purchaser, and cannot raise the bar so high that affordable meat becomes inaccessible to the poor.

Does the way animals are treated affect halal status?

No. The ethical treatment of animals before slaughter does not determine whether the meat is halal or haram. Halal status is determined by the animal being permissible to eat and being slaughtered properly. However, the farmer or livestock owner who mistreats animals is sinful before Allah — the story of the woman who entered Hell for starving her cat to death is a warning. The consumer has the right to personally choose to buy from humane farms and to lobby for legislation against cruelty, but cannot declare the meat haram for others. The Sharia places the onus of ethical treatment on the producer, not the purchaser, and cannot raise the bar so high that affordable meat becomes inaccessible to the poor.

Is it haram to buy meat from farms that mistreat animals?

No. The ethical treatment of animals before slaughter does not determine whether the meat is halal or haram. Halal status is determined by the animal being permissible to eat and being slaughtered properly. However, the farmer or livestock owner who mistreats animals is sinful before Allah — the story of the woman who entered Hell for starving her cat to death is a warning. The consumer has the right to personally choose to buy from humane farms and to lobby for legislation against cruelty, but cannot declare the meat haram for others. The Sharia places the onus of ethical treatment on the producer, not the purchaser, and cannot raise the bar so high that affordable meat becomes inaccessible to the poor.

Does the unethical treatment of animals make their meat haram?

Full Lecture Transcript (Cleaned)

The Question: Why Is Halal Only About Slaughter? — 25:04

Sister Amal from Austria, masha'Allah, emails and asks: she is confused about why we do not take into account the ethical treatment of animals in declaring something haram. She writes a lengthy email and then asks, summarizing: she does not understand why haram and halal is only linked to the last two minutes of how the animal is slaughtered. She asks: what if it was not treated humanely? What if it was cramped, put in a cage, and all of these things happened in a very negative way — why can't we say that meat is haram? Why should we say it is halal just because it was slaughtered properly?

Understanding the Sister's Concern — 25:48

This is a very good question. I feel your email is very passionate, and I feel you have some legitimate points. I understand you want to make this meat haram because you want to raise the standard of how animals are treated, and you want Muslims to have a higher bar.

But you see, dear sister, we follow the Sharia of Allah. It is Allah who sets the bars. It is Allah azzawajal who defines haram and who defines ethics, and what is discouraged and what is forbidden.

Why the Bar Cannot Be Raised This High — 26:22

When it comes to animals, I understand your point — but you have to also flip it around: if you raise the bar so high that ninety percent of animals would not be allowed to eat, it is simply not fair for the poor person who cannot afford the type of meat you are asking for. The most ethical, humane meat would be impossible for the average person to obtain. And therefore what the Sharia has done is absolutely amazing.

The Sharia's Design — 26:58

Listen carefully to this. The farmer is responsible to Allah for the treatment of the animals, and the one who purchases is responsible to Allah for the mechanism of slaughtering. The two together will bring about an ethical treatment of the animal. However, we do not put the onus of ethical treatment completely on the purchaser.

Rather, the purchaser — listen to the sister — has the option. You have the prerogative. You have the right to say: I am not going to buy from that farm because it mistreats animals. I am going to buy from that farm because it treats animals humanely. That is your prerogative. But to declare the meat haram for the rest of mankind is simply not fair, because you are raising your standards too high and not everybody can afford to do that.

The Producer's Accountability Before Allah — 27:55

Rather, what you can say — which is what the Sharia says — is that the farmer who mistreats the animal and acts in an inhumane manner is liable in front of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. If you are involved in the industry and you are an inspector, or you have the option to complain, or something of this nature, you have every right to complain and take legitimate means to put punitive measures on the farmer. But you cannot penalize the person who wants to buy — that is not fair.

We all know of the case of the lady who entered the Fire of Hell because she starved her cat to death. She starved her cat to death, and Allah caused her to enter Hell because of that one misdeed against an animal. So that person who keeps animals locked up, who does not feed the animals properly, who is cruel to the animals — that person is answerable to Allah. Allah azzawajal might punish him or forgive him depending on what he has done, and that is between him and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

The Minimum Obligation for the Consumer — 29:22

For us as consumers, you have the right to demand — but you cannot forbid upon other people what is basically the responsibility of the farmer. The Sharia is meant to be easy for everybody. The only thing you should be obliged to do is to ask: is the meat halal? Was it slaughtered properly? I cannot eat pork, and if I eat a cow or a goat or something, I have to ask. If it is clear it is from a halal shop, then I am assuming that should be fine.

As long as it is a halal animal that has been slaughtered properly, that is the bare minimum, and you cannot obligate more than what Allah has obligated. Whatever Allah has made haram is haram. We do not base halal and haram on our own whims and desires. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala knows best.