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In an effort to increase Halal education, it is the the mission of STLHalal to disseminate authentic knowledge about “Halal.” Unfortunately, large amounts of misinformation have created confusion over such a crucial topic for Muslims. In order to provide justice to this topic, we draw our academic resources from a diverse set of scholars ranging over 1400 years and thousands of miles to show what all scholars have unanimously agreed upon as a universal standard for Halal. We extract our Academic Resources from the Quran, the statements of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the statements of the Sahaba (Companions), the Pious Predecessors (Salaf-us-Saliheen), the classical scholars (from the first 1300 years of Islamic scholarship), as well as today's contemporary scholars.

All readers are humbly requested to maintain an ‘open mind’ while engaging in Halal articles and discussions. Unfortunately, this issue has divided communities across America and drawn false ethnic notions. It is only through cultivated and unbiased engagement will this issue be addressed. Hence, it is a humble request for the reader to refrain from any preconceptions and genuinely aim to seek the truth in this matter.

Additionally, the reader is requested to remember that the best of the methods was the method of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The folllowing highlight the importance of the Sunnah:

• In the Quran, Allah the Exalted calls the Prophet (SAW) “a mercy to the worlds” (Quran, 21:107).
• In the third chapter of the Quran, Verse 31, Allah the Exalted instructs the Prophet (SAW) to say, “If you do love Allah, follow Me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins”.
• In authentic hadith in the book of Imam Bukhari, it is narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said, “None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself”.

Indisputably, the Sunnah method is the best of methods. Certain Sunnah, such as that of worship (عبا دة) are obligatory to follow. For example, the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was to pray 2 Sunnah rakat and 2 Fard rakat in Fajr. Could anyone change this and pray 2 Sunnah rakat and 4 Fard rakat in Fajr? By unanimous consensus, this would be impermissible.

Similarly, scholars throughout centuries have maintained that the actual process of slaughtering falls under the acts of worship (عبادة). Hence, despite where our opinions on this issue may fall, it should be the responsibility of each Muslim to look into this matter with great sincerity and desire prior to making any decisions.