It will be difficult for Muslims living in predominantly non-Muslim countries to find halal-labeled meat.
Therefore, some often replace it with kosher meat that follows Jewish dietary laws. The following is an explanation of whether kosher meat is halal for Muslims.
Is Kosher Meat Halal or Haram?
Kosher meat is Partially Halal.
“Both halal and kosher meat follow the same slaughter procedure, in which a ritual slaughterer quickly slits the throat of the animal, says a prayer, and the animal’s blood must be drained out. In terms of slaughtering, kosher meat can be categorized as halal and can be consumed by Muslims.
However, there is a small difference on the issue of tasmiya, where the opinion of the majority of Islamic scholars requires the utterance of tasmiya before an animal is slaughtered.
Although halakhic law also requires a shochet (a jewish man trained in the practice of slaughter) to bless the act of slaughter with specific blessings because the Jewish faith insists that the name of God can only be invoked with good cause, the sochet does not repeat this blessing for every animal and considers that one blessing which is read at the beginning of the slaughter is sufficient for a series of animals provided that each animal is slaughtered without pause.
Therefore a shochet could sacrifice several cows or hundred chickens with one blessing. For Muslim minorities who do not require tasmiya (especially the Shafi’i school) or those who consider one tasmiya to be allowed for multiple slaughters, kosher meat is halal.
As for Muslims who require special tasmiya for each animal (especially in Hanafi schools), then kosher meat is not halal unless it is inevitable that blessings are given to each animal. “
Evidence
- Official fatwa from Dar ul Ifta Australia.
Is It Safe For Muslims To Eat?
For Muslims who do not require tasmiya to be read for each animal, kosher meat is halal (permissible) and safe to eat. Still, conversely, for Muslims who require tasmiya to be read for every anima,l then kosher meat is better avoided,d and they try to look for zabihah halal meat.
Ending Note
Kosher meat can be categorized as halal, considering that they also undergo the same slaughtering procedures as sharia law. But the choice to consume kosher meat is entirely the choice of each Muslim.
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