Applying an electric shock before slaughter

Question

Question: In Bombay, goats and sheep are given an electric shot before slaughter. As soon as the shot strikes, the animal loses consciousness and falls, its legs go rigid, and no one can say whether the animal is alive or dead. As soon as the animal falls, it is slaughtered at once. Some animals convulse before being slaughtered and some not at all. Immediately after slaughter, without letting it cool, it is hung up on a crane and skinning begins. In such a case is the slaughtered animal halal or haram?

Answer

By this device the animal is, in effect, put to death before its death; as a result a large quantity of its blood also dries up, the meat no longer remains tasty, and the strength of the meat is lost as well. This method is contrary to the inherited sunna (sunna mutawaratha) and to the way of the Shari‘a; it is makruh tahrimi.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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