He faces east, toward Mecca, gently lifts the animal's head in the same direction and under his breath he quickly says a prayer - bismillahi allahu akbar, or 'in God's name' - before swiftly cutting the lamb's throat.Įganwa, a practicing Muslim, performs this slaughter almost 900 times during each shift at Superior Farms slaughterhouse in Denver so that the meat is halal, meaning it's prepared according to Islamic law. Wearing a heavy smock and rubber boots, Amadedin Eganwa stands over a large conveyor belt that's carrying unconscious lambs. Cuts of halal lamb shoulder sit on a shelf at the Superior Farms plant in Denver, waiting to be sold to small specialty stores that cater to Muslim consumers.
