Should I only eat HMC approved meat or is it okay to eat from other sources?

Bismihi Subhanahu Wa-ta’ala
Assalamooalaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Respected Sister or Brother

Certification
It should be understood that just because a butcher stored does not have certification, it does not necessarily follow that their meat is Haraam or even doubtful. Since, you have HMC accrediting quite a few of your butchers, you should endeavour to buy from those certified by an Ulama co-ordinated organisation. Without doubt, non-stunned meat is more wholesome than stunned.

With reference to HMC, they follow a policy to provide certification process to those not stunning. The reason may be to make the public more determined and resolute consequently forcing Muslim companies to abandon stunning altogether which is a good thing. Nonetheless, though the act of stunning animals is in itself Makruh-e-Tahrimi (where there is no need) though it does not necessarily render the meat Haraam. It would of course depend on the animal being killed or not in the stunning process to render it Haraam however if the voltage is low then poultry would not die in the process. They would simply become groggy enough for the slaughterers to complete the Islamic Dhabah. The issue with poultry and stunning is prominent as they are small and if the current is high then the chicken may die in the stunning process which would prove problematic.

From www.Halalmc.co.uk
Q. Do you consider non-HMC certified meat and poultry to be haram?
A. No. we do not comment on non-HMC certified products. We can only say it is not certified by HMC as it does not adhere to our standards.

Eating at relatives
If there is no strong reason to doubt your In laws or other family then why should you not eat there? A legal maxim may apply here: “Permissibility is assumed in things unless proved otherwise.” If there is reason to doubt, one must utilise utmost tact and wisdom to ascertain the facts. Do your best to explain to the children what is required and Insha-Allah Ta’ala they will be fine. With children, it does take time for information to “soak though” but they understand through constant tarbiyah (training)

Freeman’s
Freeman’s is not Haraam. The Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence UK have certified Freeman’s. They are satisfied with the level of their standards. They do stun but at a low voltage (which means that the chicken is not killed in the process) hence Halaal. Though of course the non-stunned chicken is certainly preferable. The Scholars have made sure that there is a strict demarcation between the Haraam and Halaal meats in Freeman’ so that contaminatation is not possible.

Freemans:
http://www.gmwa.org.uk/foodguide2/viewquestion.php?foodqid=28&catID=1&compID=13

HMC and Stunning:
http://halalmc.co.uk/stunnning.htm

Was-Salaam
Request for Du’aas

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(Mufti) Abdullah Patel
Halal Food Guide