Going by the book: Perryville slaughterhouse processes goats according to Muslim custom

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- When Qasim Al-Ganzawy and his brother Satar were fleeing for their lives from Saddam Hussein, they did not have much time to think about the future. In 1991 the two brothers fled the brutal attacks unleashed by the Iraqi dictator to quell a Kurdish uprising in northern Iraq. They feared for their lives and they mourned the family members they had lost in the attacks which largely targeted civilians in their hometown of Kirkouk.

"We just wanted freedom, we wanted peace, so we did what we could to get away," said Qasim in a voice that now has more of an American twang than an Arabic lilt to it. But if they did have time to think about the future, they could hardly have imagined that the twists and turns of life would lead them to Perryville.

But Perryville is where the two brothers now live and work. They have found asylum as U.S. citizens and have found employment from Ahsan Mohyuddin, the owner of Midwest Halal. Ahsan runs what he says is the only USDA-certified slaughterhouse in the Midwest specializing entirely in meat prepared according to Islamic dietary proscriptions known as halal.

Midwest Halal is unique in many ways. In an industry that favors quantity over quality, the Pakistani-born Ahsan, who has an MBA from Saint Louis University, has found his niche by sticking to antiquated methods. He slaughters goat, lamb, beef, and chicken using the methods laid out in the ancient text of the Quran.

As the population of Bosnian Muslims has exploded in St. Louis over the last 12 years, so has Ahsan's business. He ships meat weekly to markets in St. Louis and Chicago and is currently in negotiations to expand to Dallas.

Ahsan's Perryville slaughterhouse consists of a killing floor, two walk-in coolers, one freezer room, a meat processing area and animal holding pens. He will soon add a counter for walk-up customers.

Islamic law dictates that a prayer, called the takbir, be said before any animal is slaughtered. It also says that death must be carried out by hand, with a sharp knife as quickly as possible. Midwest Halal, however, goes beyond these basic requirements. "We like to keep our animals as pure as possible," Ahsan said. "That is why we use only chickens that are raised on grain grown by an Illinois Amish community. It is very important that all of our animals not be fed any animal products or growth hormones or chemicals."

These standards may cost a bit more, but for Muslim families celebrating traditional Muslim feasts like Tuesday's Eid ul-Adha, this year it's well worth it.

Halal Meats ships 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of chicken meat every week. During the holidays, Ahsan expects to ship hundreds of goats.

All this business will mean more time on the killing floor for Qasim, but he does not seem bothered by it. He is no stranger to violence. In Iraq he was once a heavy-weight champion boxer and traveled all over the Middle East. He also still bears the scars of bullet wounds he incurred during a robbery while working at an East St. Louis liquor store. By his own count he has been shot 16 times. Compared with this past, Qasim's current work is peaceful.

"I say to the animals 'Allah is the only God' and then afterward I say 'God is big,'" he said. "For me it's not violent, it is natural."

tgreaney@semissourian.com

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