Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If stunning with a blow to the head or an electric shock
kills the animal and it dies before being slaughtered properly, then it is
mawqoodhah (killed by a violent blow) and it cannot be eaten even if
its neck is cut after that. Allaah has forbidden it in the verse where He
says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Forbidden to you (for
food) are: Al‑Maytah (the dead animals — cattle — beast not slaughtered),
blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which Allaah’s Name has not been
mentioned while slaughtering (that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice
for others than Allaah, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which
has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow”
[al-Maa'idah 5:3]
The scholars of Islam are unanimously agreed that such meat
is forbidden. But if it is still alive after being stunned in the manner
described and is slaughtered properly, then it is permissible to eat it,
because Allaah says at the end of the verse, with regard to animals that are
strangled, dealt a violent blow, suffer a headlong fall, are gored by horns
or partly devoured by wild beasts (interpretation of the meaning):
“unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death)”
[al-Maa'idah 5:3].
So Allaah excludes from
these forbidden types of meat those that are reached when still alive and
slaughtered in the proper manner. They may be eaten because of the effect of
proper slaughter, unlike those that die by being stunned before being
slaughtered, in which case slaughtering does not render them permissible.
Thus it is known that the Qur’aan does forbid animals that have been stunned
if they die as a result of that stunning before being slaughtered properly,
because the animal that is stunned has suffered a violent blow, and Allaah
has stated in this verse that such an animal is haraam unless it is reached
while it is still alive and slaughtered in the proper manner.
Secondly:
It is haraam to stun an animal by striking it or giving it an
electric shock etc, because that causes suffering to the animal, and the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade causing
suffering and tormenting them, and he enjoined kindness and goodness in
general terms, and with regard to slaughter in particular. Muslim narrated
from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not take anything in
which there is a soul as a target.” And Muslim narrated that Jaabir ibn
‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade tormenting any kind
of animal to death. Muslim also narrated from Shaddaad ibn ‘Aws (may Allaah
be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Allaah has decreed kindness (or proficiency) in all things.
So when you kill, kill well, and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one
of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.”
If it is not easy to slaughter animals unless they have been stunned by a method that will not kill them before they are slaughtered, then it is permissible to stun them and slaughter them whilst they are still alive, in cases of necessity.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-‘Daa’imah, 22/456-457.