Zabiha vs Halal: Difference and Comparison

Zabiha and Halal are lawful acts prescribed in Quran. Zabiha is the most appropriate way of slaughtering animals as per the rules mentioned in the Quran.

Halal means a permissible way of living which is applicable to food, meat, and clothes that Muslims are allowed to do, as per the Quran.

Key Takeaways

1. Zabiha refers to the Islamic method of slaughtering animals, whereas Halal refers to the overall concept of permissible actions in Islam, including food.
2. Zabiha requires the animal to be conscious and slaughtered with a sharp knife by cutting the throat, whereas Halal prohibits certain foods like pork, alcohol, and blood.
3. Zabiha is a more specific term related to animal slaughter, while Halal is a broader term that encompasses various aspects of Islamic law.

Zabiha vs Halal

Zabiha is a term used to describe meat from an animal slaughtered specifically according to Islamic rituals. Halal is a broader concept used to describe any food or beverage that is prepared and consumed according to Islamic guidelines and is considered lawful for Muslims to consume.

Zabiha is considered only for meat products, unlike Halal. It has been specified in Quran that the prey has to be slaughtered through the jugular vein using a sharp knife in a way that does not cause grave pain.

It does not allow a few creatures, such as sea creatures, locusts, and camels, to be considered for human consumption.

Halal is also known as an allowable or permissible way of consumption of other living organisms. It includes not only meat consumption way but also includes wearing clothes and other ways of their life as specified in the Quran.

Halal is strictly followed by all Muslims. The opposite of Halal is impermissible, considered a punishable offence.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Zabiha	Halal
Definition	Zabiha is a set of lawful acts specified in the Quran that instructs ways of slaughtering animals or any living organisms for consumption.	Halal is an allowable way of slaughtering prey for consumption and also includes the wearing of clothes as per the Quran. Haram is the opposite of Halal.
Animals to be slaughtered.	Zabiha restricts the slaughtering of camels, locusts which are considered bad and should not be consumed.	Halal is a humane way of slaughtering any living creatures under Islamic Law.
Slaughtering Methods	Zabiha slaughters animals using a sharp knife through the jugular vein with only that particular prey to be present in the place of slaughter.	Halal is the way of slaughtering animals with minimal pain. Pork is considered to be haram. Prey is slaughtered without causing grave pain through the throat.
Unlawful acts in Islamic law	Zabiha has must not start the slaughtering of animals without invoking the name of God. They must not let the prey given to further cooking process with bleeding.	Halal is done only by mature and sane Muslims who follow proper steps of slaughtering causing minimal pain and suffering.
Usage of Knife	Zabiha ensures to use the knife that is not damaged so that it does not cause much pain during slaughtering.	Halal ensures to use of sharp and cleaned knives during slaughtering.

What is Zabiha?

Zabiha revolves around the slaughtering of meat products. It defines a permissible way of killing or slaughtering animals without causing grave pain and suffering.

The rules for slaughtering animals are prescribed in Quran. The rules are much simple and define the usage of the knife, the slaughter place in which the prey is killed.

Zabiha ensures that the person performing it must invoke the name of God before slaughtering the prey. They must ensure safe and secure slaughtering of the animal.

The cut is swift and deep in their throat in a swift motion through the jugular vein, esophagus, and windpipe. They must ensure that the pain must be very little as possible.

Zabiha restricts the slaughtering of animals such as camels, locusts, and some sea creatures.

A mature and adult Muslim is slaughtering the animal or the prey with a sane mind only when it is considered to be Zabiha. The knife used for slaughtering must be sharp and clean.

Zabiha has humanity aspects in it, which ensures the slaughtering of prey only in the absence of other animals. The knife used for slaughtering should not be sharpened in the presence of the prey for which the slaughtering is yet to happen.

Zabiha allows the prey to be comfortable and happy before they are slaughtered. It also sets restrictions on cooking the meat slaughtered, which has not yet stopped bleeding.

What is Halal?

Halal is a term that has originated from Arab, which means the allowable or permissible opposite of Halal is Haram which means impermissible or offensive according to Islamic Law specified in the Quran.

Halal is not only for meat or slaughtering of living things for consumption but is also applicable to wearing clothes, the way certain words are spoken, and leading a genuine life.

Halal has its understanding and rules specified in the Quran and Sunnah. Marriage is halal, whereas fornication is haram. When it comes to food, consuming pork is haram.

Halal ensures the slaughtering of any living organism with minimum pain and suffering from a systematic procedure to be followed during slaughtering.

Halal living is one in which a person earns in a way that is considered to be unlawful according to Islamic law, and they are said to be surviving a haram living and haram earning.

Halal earnings are considered to be a form of worship that is said to be working for a good reason. Halal is also considered in the food and ingredients used in the preparation. Pork and alcohol are considered haram.

Certain types of preservatives used for preserving food products, such as certain enzymes and food colors are considered haram if they are produced in a haram way.

Main Differences Between Zabiha and Halal

1. Zabiha is a careful and safer way of slaughtering living organisms in a humane way that includes restrictions on a few animals like camels, locusts, and sea creatures, whereas Halal is intended to slaughter any animals with minimal pain and suffering.
2. Zabiha includes only meat and slaughtering of animals, whereas Halal includes the slaughtering of animals, way of living, wearing clothes, and so on as per the specifications in the Quran.
3. Zabiha ensures that during the slaughtering of animals, other animals are absent in the slaughter place, which is considered a priority, whereas Halal ensures the slaughtering of animals with a sharp knife, and it has its own procedure without causing much pain.
4. Zabiha ensures invoking the name of God at the beginning of the slaughtering process, whereas Halal ensures living in a way that is not haram and eating in a genuine and good way, as it is mentioned that earning for a good cause is similar to worshipping God.
5. Zabiha ensures that the slaughtering is done by mature and adult Muslims with a sane minds, whereas Halal ensures the way of living as a whole according to the Islamic law and their epic script Quran prescribed acts that are halal and haram as well.

References

1. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.18574/9781479862634-013/html
2. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/17590831011055851/full/html

Last Updated : 18 August, 2023