Halal & Back: the Sequel

I was thrilled to bits to come across the piece from Arab News (via Myrtus' blog) which acts as a sequel of sorts to my posting from February.

These rather ominous-looking Muslim women (they do look like a triumvirate of grim reapers) demonstrated outside the Australian Embassy in Washington to protest the mistreatment of animals exported from Australia to Egypt & the Middle East for slaughter. It's one of the first images I've seen of Muslim activism that seeks to address issues outside of Islam (although, admittedly, these animals are targetted for halal abattoirs).

The protesters said that the horrific abuse of these sheep and cattle is in direct violation of halal slaughter laws as well as against the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who taught that one must minimize the suffering of animals being prepared for slaughter.

Bina Ahmed, a Muslim American and an attorney for PETA added:

"I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, and I have seen firsthand the abuse of animals for food there. As a Muslim, a woman, and a human being, I am very disheartened that we allow such abuses to take place."

Right on sister! She continues:

“It is un-Islamic to drag these animals off the transport ships by their ears, kick them in the face, and stab them in the eyes, and then slit their throats several times and let them slowly bleed to death in front of other sheep, which is also against halal rules.”

Oh thank god for a voice of reason! Even the Council of American Islamic Relations agrees. This affirms my faith in the world (at least for this micro-second). Cat in Rabat offers her kudos to the the women pictured above, but admits that she would be doubly thrilled to see protests pop up outside of North America ...