“I’m Sikh and I can’t eat halal”, confess many.
Photo credit: Sandy Austin
As the controversial Halal meat debate continues to be a hot topic on social media and in the news, it is important to hear the perspective of the Sikh community whose religion forbids the consumption of halal meat, something many people are unaware of.
‘Subway’ is planning to sell halal-only meat in 185 branches of their stores, including Bournemouth after strong demand from Muslim customers, but the reaction from the Sikh community is varied.
Some do not care, although many of them do and are eager for their voice to be heard.
There are many Sikh people who prefer not to partake in their faith as strictly as others, however those who do must not eat halal or kosher meat.
In fact, the religion’s code of conduct says Sikhs are strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner.
In their holy book it says: “you eat the meat of the goat killed the Muslim way but talk of piety,” implying that you cannot be a practicing Sikh if you eat halal meat.
Kuldip Singh Lall
Kuldip Singh Lall of Obiter Legal Solicitors from Birmingham has an interesting perspective.
He said: “Every faith must be allowed to practice their beliefs but this must not be at the detriment of other faiths. If subway wants to sell halal-only meat, that is their decision, if you don’t agree, don’t eat there? ”
A recent article by the Daily Mail states that: “big brand shops and restaurants sell ritually slaughtered meat – but don’t label it.”
Mr Lall continues, “I do think food labeling should be clearer. A moderate Sikh would not like to unknowingly consume halal meat no more than a Muslim would a pork product.”
In fact, Sikhs are supposed to eat meat that has been killed quickly, without causing suffering to the animal.
A Sikh woman from Bournemouth who wanted to remain anonymous had a strong view: “It’s strange that some Subway stores have actually banned ham and bacon. That’s something I don’t understand because people have a choice not to buy it so it won’t affect them if stores are selling it. Sikh people aren’t supposed to eat beef, but it would never be banned from a shop and I wouldn’t want it to be.”
Sikhs remain a minority population in the UK, particularly in Bournemouth where there is no Gurdwara, their place of worship; the nearest one is in Southampton.
According to the 2011 England census there were around 420,196 Sikhs living in England alone; that is around 0.8% of the total population.
Their opinion is one to take into consideration when following the halal debate, but has not been properly covered by news organisations.
Jaswinder Kaur, the President of the Sikh Society at Southampton Solent University said: “I think the lack of knowledge about Sikhism is one of the reasons for the lack of media coverage on this issue because it is a minority religion here in the UK, people don’t know what we stand for.”
She continues, “We do not agree with the method of halal as the animal is being unnecessarily tortured. I believe many Sikhs are not happy with Subway’s decision and many would feel like they don’t have a choice anymore.”
Rohan Singh Kalsi
Lastly, Rohan Singh Kalsi, 23, a Sikh from Coventry was a regular Subway goer: “If it’s in a commercial location where there is a large Muslim population it makes sense to sell halal-only food. However, by doing that Subway are isolating other religious communities or other people who don’t want to eat halal meat. I won’t be eating there now as a Sikh. Everyone should be given the choice and stores should have a halal and non-halal option like supermarkets do.”
However, many restaurants around Bournemouth selling halal-only meat, such as Lebanese or Persian cuisine do receive some Sikh customers.
Ashwin Chahal, a Sikh student at Bournemouth University said: “Lebanese food is one of my favourite takeaways. It doesn’t put me off eating there just because the meat is halal. If I like the food, it doesn’t really affect me. I eat at Lebanese restaurants already assuming they’re halal. It’s not like I’m unknowingly consuming it.”
The opinion of Sikh people widely varies depending on how seriously they practice their faith, however media coverage reflecting the point of view of the Sikh community seems to be scarce.
The highly controversial halal debate will undoubtedly continue but it is true that all religions should be able to freely practice their faith. It’s a situation where nobody will win.
Read the Halal V Factory farm debate here
European Elections 2014: Is Bournemouth registered to vote for the European Elections?
Great Britain is being swamped by alien cultures.. The killing of animals by slitting throats is, in my opinion, a barbaric activity largely promoted by primitive religions. and country sheep farmers, There are aspects of Muhammadanism that prohibit the taking of all life. I had a Muslim friend in Birmingham in the 60s who told me some Muslims wore a face mask so that they did not accidentally swallow insect life, so valued was life. The answer surely is to not kill or eat anything with a face, or that runs away!.
That’s Hindus, not Muslims.
Subway isn’t favouring muslims its generating its profits.Halal or Non Halal makes no difference for me , if you can’t eat it go to McDonalds.
-Killing Animals has pain in every way if thats by the sharpness of knife or the jolt of an injection
As u c that muslim tortured animal then we ate it.im very sorry for ur lack of knowledge.halal meat means we slaughter the animal in a way that it didnot suffer second as u c we invoke Allah yes we invoke Allah because he is our one N only creator.as u believe only one creator.go to the science website the way of muslim slaugter animal is the best way.its not muslim say that.it s ameican n European.
Thank you!
Only a Muslim could believe that slicing through a fully conscious animal’s neck and letting it bleed out in agony and fear causes no suffering to the animal. Sickening.
Once again, people are not reading their own holy books:
“He has only forbidden you carrion blood and pork and what has been consecrated to other than Allah. But anyone who is forced to eat, without desiring it or going to excess in it commits no crime. Allah is ever forgiving, most merciful
Qur’an 2:173”
The principal reason that halal is being pushed upon manufacturers is for cultural encroachment.
Can you not read lol this is why we eat halal
The whole point of halal slaughter is that the animal does not suffer. Halal meat is the cleanest, as all the blood is drained, and it is one quick cut to end the animal’s life, without torturing it. No religion that believes in a higher power would willingly try and cause pain to animals.
It leaves the spinal column intact so the animal feels pain while it is dying (bleeding to death). Jhatka is a Sikh way of killing with the head severed completely. Causes less suffering.
Mate you got it all wrong it’s the other way around halal meat is slaughtered in a way where the animal is put through pain
Fast food outlets, Supermarkets, and other places that sell any meat, should have easy to read signs informing customers if the meat they are buying is Halal…it’s abhorant to people like me who are appalled at the way the animal is slaughtered..
Halal is barbaric and should be banned.Why should animals have to die in agony to suit muslims and others in danger of eating it because it is not clearly marked.Go back to the strict laws we had on humane slaughter before the muslims came.
No, you have it wrong.
Firstly the whole point of halal is that the animal will not suffer. THAT is why Muslims only eat halal as they don’t want to eat meat that causes animals grief.
I am a Sikh and I have many Muslim and Christian friends. My views on this are that there should be options, or have halal only franchises or kosher meat franchises and have original meat franchises separate, So people can choose. it really is the best option.
Now your point… why is it pissing me off?
It is IGRONENCE that causes problems and for IDIOTS like you who believe EVERY DAMN thing they read. ISLAMOPHOBIA is NOT okay, and can never be justified. Views like this are the cause for islamophobia to be heightened. You have no idea what their religion is, but take bit and pieces and make your own views about what you think it is. you take honest and holy views and turn them into something else.
Did you even know Islam is the religion of peace? Did you know how identical Christianity and Islam really is? NO?
‘before the Muslims came’
YOU DISGUST ME. British people have done a shit more barbaric things, You just don’t want to bloody believe it.
‘Firstly the whole point of halal is that the animal will not suffer. THAT is why Muslims only eat halal as they don’t want to eat meat that causes animals grief.’
Your whole comment was nonsense but the very first statement takes the cake. Halal slaughter involves slitting the throat of the animal and letting it bleed out unstunned, fully aware, in agony, fear and confusion. I don’t think you’re a Sikh, if you are, you’re a disgrace.
You accuse people of ignorance yet your post contains many inaccurate statements.
To start with, there are only a few points of similarity between Islam and Christianity.
Islam rejects three core beliefs of Christianity, that Jesus is God, the Trinity and that Jesus died on the cross.
Also, Islam is not a religion of peace. Did you know there are at least 107 verses in the Koran that actively promote violence, violence that can be done in the name of, and the approval of Allah, their Islamic god.
It is not Islamophobic to oppose Islam when you consider that Islam has been spread by the sword ever since it was created by Mohammad in the 7th century AD.
With regard to halal meat. It is a cruel and inhumane way to obtain meat for human consumption.
It is an absolute condition that the animal has to be conscious when it has its throat cut, other wise it is not halal meat. If a Muslim has told you that you shouldn’t worry, we stun the animal first, they are liars!
brian saunders to prove your childish point why dont you qoute all the verses here. dont simply give numbers without fact. repent and seek forgiveness b4 it is too late 4 you.
is there any way that meat can be obtained without taking the precious life of an animal . Animal activist better to avoid consuming the meat itself because there is no way that animal will not be killed and meat could be obtained . Beheading the neck of hard core criminals was done to the criminals in ancient times ; but blood letting is more scientific method as the chances of getting blood borne diseases are minimises and the animal approaches a respectable death . BEST WAY TO SAVE THE LIFE OF THE ANIMAL WOULD BE TO PRACTICE PURE VEGAN DIET . BUT SCIENCE HAS PROVED THAT PLANTS ALSO HAVE LIFE AND CAN ALSO FEEL .
obviously you never grew up on a farm. we killed a cow the “halal” way buy slitting its throat. (the bolt gun tank was empty so we couldnt use it that time) it wriggled on the floor choking on its own blood wheezing for nearly 20 minutes… whereas with the bolt gun you just hold it to the cows head and press a button and the brain is dead.
btw halal is not about suffering it is about draining all the blood from the body as it is haram… before you speak about islam maybe you should atleast read the quran, even just a little bit
He has only forbidden you carrion blood and pork and what has been consecrated to other than Allah. But anyone who is forced to eat, without desiring it or going to excess in it commits no crime. Allah is ever forgiving, most merciful
Qur’an 2:173
How can you say you are Sikh and think halal causes less suffering?!
Halal cuts only the arteries and the animal bleeds to death with the spinal cord intact, feeling the pain.
Jhatka is the only approved Sikh way of slaughter which severs the head completely so the animal stops feeling pain.
I can’t believe you would say you’re Sikh and think this.
Probably because the person posting this is masquerading as a Sikh.
H D – I’m also a Sikh but the level of anger in your post is not acceptable.
Janice Brown has a perfect entitlement to her view – whether you agree with it or not – that’s the essence of freedom of speech. In the same way you or I, and I’m sure your muslim friends, don’t agree with the crazy views being expressed by the nut jobs who claim to represent their religion.
Now, to the point in hand, what stores like Subway actually do, is alienate all those who don’t want to eat halal for what is are perfectly valid reasons to them. Equally, many people won’t be bothered but strict/practising muslims won’t go to subway unless they do sell Halal meat. The problem you’re not seeing (and like you I too have muslim friends and neighbours) is that subway are effectively catering for a small minority of the population and in doing so disregard the rest, not only that, they don’t provide them with a choice. Therefore, you have this mutually exclusive situation which inevitably gives rise to the nonsense stories you quite rightly refer to but which also, chip by chip, erodes away at those who would normally consider themselves to be liberal in their view.
At the end of the day, it’s meat and we should ALL eat it or not, but it shouldn’t be focused at one section of the community based solely on THEIR belief system because this polarises even further what is already a very emotional base.
Agree.
Cleanly take off the head and let’s be done with the animal.
Why cut it’s throats just enough for it to bleed to death?
Deluded people.
This guy is a hater I know many Sikhs who prefer halal meat. Sikhs and Muslims who have lived together in places like Nairobi etc do not tolerate this kind of divisive behaviours or attitudes.
The nationalist Sikhs who care more about the world then what the Guru taught eat pork etc and avoid beef because they have never read their own books.
They follow leaders who cheered the 1984 massacre.
Halal is banned for Sikhs it is the highest sin to eat this this meat. Sikhs do not prefer it and would never eat it
Well said. Why people like to spread misinformation and lies I will never understand (I do understand, but that is another topic for another time)
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How can you say you are Sikh and think halal causes less suffering?!
Halal cuts only the arteries and the animal bleeds to death with the spinal cord intact, feeling the pain.
Jhatka is the only approved Sikh way of slaughter which severs the head completely so the animal stops feeling pain.
I can’t believe you would say you’re Sikh and think this.
Mate you ain’t got a clue. I suggest your speak for yourself and not for others.
Fact is we do not believe in religious slaughtering as life being taken cannot be justified by saying it was done religiously.
No1 yet knows if slitting a throaty and letting the animal die from beeeding to death is painful or not but it is definately very traumatic.
We believe takingvtye head clean off in a non commercial mass slaughter environment when the animal is not alware of what is happening is far better and many non Muslims will agree as they are not blinded by their faith like you.
Furthermore the issue here is more so of the fact that general non Muslims feel they are having halal meat shoved down their throats by the choice of veriety being taken away from us.
What Muslims fair to understand is that this will only alienate yourself s from the general british population and as a result you will attract more hate and resentment towards yourselves.
U want halal? Stick to halal restaurants, buy halal meat and make it at home. Don’t be trying to bully our places of dining into serving your preference of meat which we are totally against.
Mark my words, you guys are demising yiur own destruction.
Well said. There are nut jobs on all sides.
No Sikh eats halal if they are a Sikh as it is one of the 4 things sikhs cannot do or they can’t be a Sikh.
Well said. Have a reply.
You have no other choice? the large majority of subways are non halal. Halal subways would indicate they are halal. On shop front menu or website listing the 185 that are halal catering 2Muslim population of 3m plus
Somebody who can’t spell ignorance trying to argue that the Halal slaughter method is humane?
Righto.
Unfortunately we SIKHS are used to being marginalised and ignored. Unless of course there’s a World War on..
A practicing Sikh doesn’t eat any kind of meat. No eggs no fish no meat. People who follow the Sikh choose to eat meat. Quoting Sikh scripture when its stating you shouldn’t eat meat. Halal or non halal makes little difference.
Personally i choose not to eat an animal killed in the name of a God i do not believe in. I disapprove that often meat is not labelled halal in much the same way i disapprove of being sold horsemeat labelled as beef. Its the lack of transparency that bothers me. I visit turkey regularly and gladly accept that the meat there is halal. When in Rome etc. The halal way does not offend me but the fact it is becoming the norm in a country as diverse as the uk, on the armed forces and the schools, because it is cheaper – and its not always labelled clearly is just not acceptable
Title should have read. “Will not eat Halal” apprised to “can’t eat”. Can’t eat gives the impression that you want to but are restricted by your religion. Sikhi doesn’t restrict you on anything it educates you to make better choices. Hence you “will not eat halal” is an educated choice.
Very stupid comments abt halal lovers.aAs a sikh i find halal is not only unaccomodating but extremely forcefully divisive.
I do not frequent moslem shops or foods as it is very imposiveto expect to eat,that they will never.
I do not befriend imposive fanatics.
The foods should be labelled for non halal.
The woman who says that Sikhs are forbidden from eating beef is ill informed, there is no distinction between animals, lets not get culture (Hindus in Punjab) confused with religion. Sikhs are forbidden from eating halal/ kosher meat, why cant muslims just accept this and call for clearer labelling rather than arguing why this method of slaughter is the best, that is not the point of this arguement, instead of always trying to impose and convert, learn to integrate and just accept that other faiths have their own set of beliefs, the same way other faiths accept your beliefs.
Spot on
Sikhs can eat both Beef and Pork, but cannot consume halal meat to add the Sikh perspective, most of the views are correct except for a portion of the anonymous women’s comment about Sikhs not being able to eat beef, when they clearly can, she is simply a very Hinduized person.
My view is that Sikhs should only be eating meat where the animal is slaughtered with a Jathka ( one swipe to severe the head from the torso) The next best way that is acceptable is at a meat plant where the animal is stunned and rendered unconscious and then on the next machine in the assembly line the head is severed from the body. Stunning the animal prevents any further suffering of the animal.
Then there is a saying that halal is the best way to drain the blood. Once the whole head is severed, the heart is still beating and it can drain the animals blood. By halal, the animal will still be feeling the pain and die only after the blood is drained and renders it unconscious due to loss of blood. I believe if the animal is stunned before the artery is cut, then the animal will have no feeling of pain. Stunning the animal beforehand will prevent any further suffering to the animal.
I have a question for all the people who believe in halal. If you (yourself) were to be on the menu and you knew you were going to be killed, which method would you employ on yourself and why. This has to be answered without any link to any relegion.
Get over it has ever any chicken, goat or cow come back and told you they’ve been tortured or felt more pain on one technique then the other. Respect all life and only take what you need. The problem isn’t the way it’s killed more waste less and less animals lives have to be taken. Stop hating and start integrating #respectforall
I think there is a lot of ignorance frim the comments I have read.
I respect all religions and people whether they wish to eat kosher, halal or non halal. It is a personal choice influenced by religion/family/culture.
However, I would like to state that I am quite shocked at the amount of ignorance not to forget the the a part of the article that states halal slaughter causes the animal the most pain
This is not true.
Halal slaughter is carried out with a sharp knife and cuts of the artery, jugular vein and wind pipe in an instant. immediatley killing the animal causing the least amount of pain. It is clean too as all the blood is drained out.
I hope people can stop attacking other religions and instead research before stating thier opinion without justification.
Please substantiate your claims with evidence, rather than trying to pass your opinion as fact.
I would beg to differ that the halal method is causes immediate death.