Assalaamu Alaykum
I'm in no way saying "meat is bad for your health". Wine has been proven to be good for your health, correct? But as the Qur'an says: "the bad outweigh the good". Meat isn't bad when it comes to health, but meat is a VERY shaky subject when it comes to Islam.
The mere fact that we don't know if our meat was killed by a Christian, Muslim, or Jew makes it questionable. The mere fact that most Western meat industries have ex-employees claiming that they abuse the animals (Allah (SWT) makes Haraam all animals who were killed with a violent blow and such; something Western meat industries usually do).
To brother Abdul Raheem - I didn't mean it as in "avoiding meat is best and do not eat vegetables". I just meant that it's the safest way.
I'm not making Haraam what's Halal. I'm just saying that it's a safe way to do things. HOWEVER, sin won't be on you when you eat meat.
Allah (SWT) has forbidden meat that had the animal killed violently (as Western meat industries do a LOT according to ex-employees and "undercover animal rights workers"). Allah (SWT) has also forbidden meat killed by someone who isn't a Christian, Muslim, or a Jew.
The Prophet Muhammad
saw
says: "What's Halal is clear and what's Haraam is clear. Avoid all in between lest ye fall into sin" (or something along those lines). Questionable meat, as is common around the world unless you yourself slaughter the animal or watch it get slaughtered, we should avoid (though no sin will be upon you if you take a risk) unless we accidently eat Haraam meat (but "Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful").
Also, I'm not complaining because animals get slaughtered. But, Allah (SWT) does forbid meat in which the animal was slaughtered in a way too painful for it (such as ripping it's head off, as the meat company Tyson sometimes does). I'm not an animal rights activist, but you must remember (and do NOT make fun of what Allah (SWT) has commanded) that Allah (SWT) has forbidden meat that was killed by a:
Violent Blow (ripping heads off animals, slamming them against walls (KFC sometimes does this), electrical shock, mutilating animals, etc.)
Carrion Meat (meat that has been killed, also known as "Range Meat" or meat that lets the animal die naturally first)
And other things. Look it up in the Qur'an.
We must remember that Allah (SWT) has approved of animals being slaughtered by slicing it's neck and esophagus. The reason? I believe the Prophet Muhammad
saw
said that it's because that is the way that gives the animal the least pain since it kills it off the fastest. Meaning that any animal which is killed in a slow, painful way would be either Makrooh (extremely disliked) or Haraam.
