The Book of Foods

Proper Slaughtering

باَبُ الذَّكاَةِ

Glossary

Chapter on Proper Slaughtering ¹⁴⁸⁴

All sea animals are permissible (to consume) without proper slaughter (dhakât) because the Messenger of Allah (SA) said concerning the sea, “Its dead is permissible.”¹⁴⁸⁵ Excluded from this are the amphibians that (also) live on land;¹⁴⁸⁶ they are not permissible until properly slaughtered, except for crabs and the like.

يُبَاحُ كَلُّ مَا فِيْ اْلبَحْرِ بِغَيْرِ ذَكَاةٍ؛ لِقَوْلِ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ فِيْ اْلبَحْرِ: "هُوَ الحِلُّ مَيْتَتُهُ" إِلاَّ مَا يَعِيْشُ فِيْ اْلبَرِّ، فَلاَ يُبَاحُ حَتَّى يُذَكَّى، إِلاَّ السَّرَطَانَ وَنَحْوَهُ

None of the land animals is permissible without proper slaughter, except for locusts and their like. ¹⁴⁸⁷

وَلاَ يُبَاحُ شَيْءٌ مِنَ اْلبَرِّيِّ بِغَيْرِ ذَكَاةٍ، إِلاَّ اْلجَرَادَ وَشِبْهَهُ

[Types of Dhakât]

There are three types of proper slaughter: naḥr (stabbing at the base of the neck), dhabḥ (slaughter by cutting), and ‘aqr (fatal wounding). ¹⁴⁸⁸

وَالذَّكَاةُ تَنْقَسِمُ ثَلاَثَةَ أَقْسَامٍ: نَحْرٍ، وَذَبْحٍ، وَعَقْرٍ

1484.Consuming meat requires the killing of animals, but taking the lives of those animals must be done only with permission from Allah, and all the rituals attached to proper slaughter are a reminder of this fact. When we mention the name of Allah before slaughter, we are acknowledging that we need His permission to take this life. The permissibility of slaughter as opposed to other forms of killing is presumed to be for health reasons and for minimizing the pain the animals suffer.

1485. (A,D,T,N,Ma – from Abu Hurayrah)

1486. Like turtles and sea lions.

1487. Ibn Abi Awfâ narrated, “We went on seven expeditions with the Messenger of Allah (SA), and we were eating locusts.” (Ag)

Also, the Messenger of Allah (SA) said:

“Two types of dead animals and two types of blood were made lawful for us. The dead animals are locusts and fish (seafood), and the two types of blood are the spleen and liver.” (Ma – from Ibn ‘Umar)

أُحِلَّتْ لَنَا مَيْتَتَانِ وَدَمَانِ؛ فَأَمَّا الْمَيْتَتَانِ، فَالْجَرَادُ وَالْحُوتُ، وَأَمَّا الدَّمَانُ، فَالطِّحَالُ وَالْكَبِدُ

The spleen and liver are mentioned here because they contain blood; the other organs are known to be halal.

It is recommended to slaughter camels by stabbing, and it is recommended to slaughter all other animals by cutting. If one stabs what is preferable to cut, or cuts what is preferable to stab, it is still permissible. ¹⁴⁸⁹

وَيُسْتَحَبُّ نَحْرُ اْلإِبِلِ، وَذَبْحُ مَا سِوَاهَا، فَإِنْ نَحَرَ مَا يُذْبَحُ أَوْ ذَبَحَ مَا يُنْحَرُ، فَجَائِزٌ

[Conditions for the Validity of Dhakât]

There are three conditions for the validity of proper slaughter: First: The eligibility of the slaughterer, which means that he must be sane, capable of slaughtering, and Muslim or of the People of the Book.¹⁴⁹⁰ As for a child,¹⁴⁹¹ an insane person, one who is drunk, or an unbeliever other than the People of the Book, their dhabeeḥah (slaughtered animal) is not permissible (to consume).

وَيُشْتَرَطُ لِلذَّكَاةِ كُلِّهَا ثَلاَثَةُ شُرُوْطٍ: أَحَدُهَا: أَهْلِيَّةُ الْمُذَكِّيْ، وَهُوَ أَنْ يَكُوْنَ عَاقِلاً، قَادِرًا عَلىٰ الذَّبْحِ مُسْلِمًا أَوْ كِتَابِيًّا، فَأَمَّا الطِّفْلُ وَالْمَجْنُوْنُ وَالسَّكْرَانُ وَاْلكَافِرُ الَّذِيْ لَيْسَ بِكِتَابِيٍّ فَلاَ تَحِلُّ ذَبِيْحَتُهُ

Second: To mention the name of Allah at the time

الثَّانِيْ: أَنْ يَذْكُرَ اللهِ عِنْدَ

1488. Fatal wounding (‘aqr) is only permissible when hunting uncontrollable animals that cannot be slaughtered. The wound may be inflicted on any part of the body that can be reached.

1489. Both methods cause blood to gush out; the Prophet (SA) said:

“As long as the blood is made to gush out, and the name of Allah is mentioned over it, you may eat…” (Ag – from Râfi‘ ibn Khadeej)

مَا أنْهِرَ اَلدَّمُ وَذُكِرَ اِسْمُ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ، فَكُلْ

1490. Allah said:

{...and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you…} (al-Mâ’idah 5: 5)

وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ

This means their dhabeeḥah, since the non-animal foods of all people are halal for us to consume. It is also halal to consume any food cooked by anyone as long as the meat fulfills the conditions of proper slaughter.

The food of the People of the Book is halal as long as the other conditions of permissibility are met. Their strangulated or shocked animals are not halal, just as their pork is not.

1491. This means the non-discerning child. Ibn al-Mundhir reported the consensus on the permissibility of slaughter by the discerning child.

of slaughtering or setting off the tool of hunting. This is required if one can speak, but if one is mute, he or she points to the heavens. If one intentionally neglects to mention the name of Allah upon the slaughtered animal, it is not permissible (to eat).¹⁴⁹² If one forgets, it is permissible. ¹⁴⁹³

الذَّبْحِ، أَوْ إِرْسَالِ اْلآلَةِ فِيْ الصَّيْدِ، إِنْ كَانَ نَاطِقًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ أَخْرَسَ، أَشَارَ إِلىٰ السَّمَاءِ. فَإِنْ تَرَكَ التَّسْمِيَّةَ عَلىٰ الذَّبِيْحَةِ عَامِدًا، لَمْ تَحِلَّ، وَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا سَاهِيًا، حَلَّتْ

1492. Allah said:

{And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned…} (al-An‘âm 6: 121)

وَلا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ

1493. (A) + (+H, +M): Tasmiyah (mentioning the name of Allah) is a condition except in the case of forgetfulness. (-S): Tasmiyah is sunnah. (-Z): Tasmiyah is a condition, without exception. The position of the majority best reconciles the various textual proofs. The distinction between intentional omission and forgetfulness is supported by the maxims and the statement of Ibn ‘Abbâs (RAHUMA):

“The Muslim has the name of Allah in him, so if one of you forgets to say bismillâh upon slaughtering, let him say it (afterwards) and eat.” (from ‘Abdur-Razzâq)

إن في المسلم اسم الله، فإذا نسي أحدكم أن يسمي على الذبيحة؛ فَلْيُسَمِّ، وليأكل

There are other weak reports traceable to the Prophet (SA) that could be strengthened by one another and by this athar (report) from Ibn ‘Abbâs as well. Also, ‘Â’ishah narrated that some people said to Allah’s Messenger (SA), “There are people who bring us meat, and we do not know whether they have mentioned Allah’s name over it.” He replied:

“Mention Allah’s name yourselves and eat it.” (B)

سَمُّوا اَللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْتُمْ، وَكُلُوهُ

These people were recent converts, as related in other reports, but the hadith may support the position of the majority that distinguishes between the omission of tasmiyah by intention and by forgetfulness.

When hunting, if one does not mention the name of Allah, whether that is done intentionally or forgetfully, it is not permissible. ¹⁴⁹⁴

وَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا عَلىٰ الصَّيْدِ، لَمْ يَحِلَّ، عَمْدًا كَانَ أَوْ سَهْوًا

Third: to slaughter with a sharp blade, whether it is made of iron, stone, cane, or anything else except teeth and claws. The Messenger of Allah (SA) said, “As long as the blood is made to gush out, and the name of Allah is mentioned over it, you may eat – except for the tooth and the claw.” ¹⁴⁹⁵

الثَّالِثُ: أَنْ يَذَكِّيَ بِمُحَدَّدٍ، سَوَاءٌ كَانَ مِنْ حَدِيْدٍ أَوْ حَجَرٍ أَوْ قَصَبٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ، إِلاَّ السِّنَّ وَالظُفْرَ، لِقَوْلِ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ : "مَا أُنْهِرَ اَلدَّمُ وَذُكِرَ اِسْمُ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ، فَكُلْ لَيْسَ اَلسِّنَّ وَالظُّفْرَ"

1494.The distinction between the ruling of tasmiyah in slaughtering and hunting is a peculiarity of the madh-hab. They justified this by the emphasis on tasmiyah in the reports of hunting and the higher likelihood of forgetting while slaughtering since it is done in mass, unlike hunting. (a): the exemption in forgetfulness applies to hunting as well.

1495. (Ag – from Râfi‘ ibn Khadeej) Teeth and claws may not be used as knives.

[Proper Hunting Tools]

As for hunting, what matters is to use a sharp-pointed (tool) or set off a (trained) predatory beast that will wound the game. If one kills the game using a stone, bunduq (mudballs),¹⁴⁹⁶ or a snare, or if the predatory animal kills it by knocking it out, suffocation, or shock, it is not permissible.

وَيُعْتَبَرُ فِيْ الصَّيْدِ أَنْ يَصِيْدَ بِمُحَدَّدٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ جَارِحًا يَجْرَحُ الصَّيْدَ. فَإِنْ قَتَلَ الصَّيْدَ بِحَجَرٍ، أَوْ بُنْدُقٍ أَوْ شَبَكَة، أَوْ قَتَلَ اْلجَارِحُ الصَّيْدَ بِصَدْمَتِهِ أَوْ خَنْقِهِ أَوْ رَوْعَتِهِ، لَمْ يَحِلَّ

If one uses the mi‘râḍ, ¹⁴⁹⁷ he or she may eat what is killed with its pointed end but not what is killed by its blunt side. ¹⁴⁹⁸

وَإِنْ صَادَ بِالْمِعْرَاضِ، أَكَلَ مَا قُتِلَ بِحَدِّهِ دُوْنَ مَا قُتِلَ بِعَرْضِهِ

If one sets up sickles and mentions the name of Allah,¹⁴⁹⁹ and they wound the game or kill it, it is permissible (to consume).

وَإِنْ نَصَبَ الْمَنَاجِلَ لِلصَّيْدِ وَسَمَّى، فَعَقَرَتِ الصَّيْدَ أَوْ قَتَلَتْهُ، حَلَّ

1496. Small globular objects made of mud and left to dry.

This is different from the modern bullet because the bullet, like the arrow, pierces the body and causes the animal to bleed.

1497. mi‘râḍ: a featherless arrow that sometimes hits the target with its blunt edge, or a pole with a piece of pointed iron attached to its head; it may hit the target with the pointed end or the shaft.

1498. ‘Adiy ibn Ḥâtim narrated, “I asked the Messenger of Allah (SA) about hunting using a featherless arrow (mi‘râḍ). He replied:

‘If you strike the game with its pointed end, eat it, but if you strike with the shaft and the game is killed, it is considered a waqeedh (killed by a violent blow), so do not eat it.’” (B)

ذَا أَصَبْتَ بِحَدِّهِ فَكُلْ, وَإِذَا أَصَبْتَ بِعَرْضِهِ، فَقُتِلَ، فَإِنَّهُ وَقِيذٌ، فَلَا تَأْكُلْ

1499. They would set up sickles and just leave them for the animals to run into.

[Conditions Specific to Slaughtering by Dhabḥ and Naḥr]

Subsection: There Are Two Conditions Specific to Slaughtering by dhabḥ and naḥr: The first: (For the incision) to be in the throat and at the base of the neck, thereby cutting the air tube (trachea) and esophagus and that whose cutting is incompatible with life. ¹⁵⁰⁰

فَصْلٌ: وَيُشْتَرَطُ فِيْ الذَّبْحِ وَالنَّحْرِ خَاصَّةً شَرْطَانِ: أَحَدُهُمَا: أَنْ يَكُوْنَ فِيْ اْلحَلْقِ وَاللَّبَّةِ، فَيَقْطَعُ اْلحُلْقُوْمَ وَالْمَرِيْءَ، وَمَا لاَ تَبْقَى اْلحَيَاةُ مَعَ قَطْعِهِ

The second: the presence of life (prior to the slaughter) in the animal to be slaughtered. If it only has the life of an (already) slaughtered animal or one whose guts have been removed, then it will not be made permissible by slaughter through cutting or stabbing. If it is not like this, it becomes permissible, due to the report of Ka‘b, “We had some sheep grazing at Sal‘ (a mountain near Madinah), and a girl of ours saw one of them dying, so she broke a stone and slaughtered it. The Messenger of Allah (SA) was asked concerning it, and he permitted eating it.” ¹⁵⁰¹

الثَّانِيْ: أَنْ يَكُوْنَ فِيْ الْمَذْبُوْحِ حَيَاةٌ يُذْهِبُهَا الذَّبْحُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيْهِ إِلاَّ كَحَيَاةِ اْلمَذْبُوْحِ، وَمَا أُبِيْنَتْ حَشْوَتُهُ، لَمْ يَحِلَّ بِالذَّبْحِ وَلاَ النَّحْرِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ كَذٰلِكَ، حَلَّ؛ لِمَا رَوَى كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: "كَانَتْ لَنَا غَنَمٌ تَرْعَى بِسَلْعٍ، فَأَبْصَرَتْ جَارِيَةٌ لَنَا بِشَاةٍ مِنْ غَنَمِنَا مَوْتاً، فَكَسَرَتْ حَجَراً، فَذَبَحَتْهَا بِهِ، فَسُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ عَنْ ذٰلِكَ، فَأَمَرَ بِأَكْلِهَا

1500. The four vessels to be cut in the neck are the trachea (windpipe or air tube), the esophagus (food tube), and the two carotid arteries. Cutting all of them is preferred and will eliminate disagreement. Here is what must be cut in the different madh-habs: (A) + (+S): The trachea and esophagus. (-H): Any three out of the four. (-M): The trachea and the two arteries.

1501. (B – from Ka‘b ibn Mâlik)

[‘Aqr (fatal wounding)]

As for ‘aqr, it is killing by a wound that is not in the throat or the base of the neck.

وَأَمَّا اْلعَقْرُ، فَهُوَ: اْلقَتْلُ بِجُرْحٍ فِيْ غَيْرِ اْلحَلْقِ وَاللَّبَّةِ

It is prescribed for any animal that is uncontrollable, whether game or livestock. This is because of a report from Abu Râfi‘, who said that a camel ran away from his owners and they could not pursue it, so one of them shot it with an arrow and was able to cripple it. The Messenger of Allah (SA) said, “Verily these cattle have wild instincts like those of the wild beasts, so whichever of them goes beyond your control, then do to it the same.” ¹⁵⁰²

وَيُشْرَعُ فِيْ كُلِّ حَيَوَانٍ مَعْجُوْزٍ عَنْهُ مِنَ الصَّيْدِ وَاْلأَنْعَامِ، لِمَا رَوَى رَافِعٌ أَنَّ بَعِيْرًا نَدَّ فَأَعْيَاهُمْ، فَأَهْوَى إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ بِسَهْمٍ فَحَبَسَهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ : "‏إِنَّ لِهَذِهِ الْبَهَائِمِ أَوَابِدَ كَأَوَابِدِ الْوَحْشِ فَمَا غَلَبَكُمْ مِنْهَا فَاصْنَعُوا بِهِ هَكَذَا

If a camel fell in a well and could not be slaughtered by stabbing, so one wounded it anywhere on its body, and then it died because of that, it would be permissible to consume.

وَلَوْ تَرَدَّى بَعِيْرٌ فِيْ بِئْرٍ فَتَعَذَّرَ نَحْرُهُ، فَجُرِحَ فِيْ أَيِّ مَوْضِعٍ كَانَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ، فَمَاتَ بِهِ، حَلَّ أَكْلُهُ

Proper Slaughtering

( Page : no 137)

The Book of Foods

Proper Slaughtering

باَبُ الذَّكاَةِ

Introduction

The Book of Purification

The Book of Prayer

The Book of Funerals

The Book of Fasting

The Book of Hajj and 'Umrah

Book of Zakat

The Book of Selling and Commercial Transactions

The Book of Bequests

The Book of Inheritance

The Book of Marriage

The Book of Divorce

The Book of Sadaq

The Book of Dhihar

The Book of Lian

The Book of Foods

The Book of Oaths

Book of Fatal and Non-Fatal Assault

The Book of Indemnities

The Book of Hudood

The Book of Jihad

The Book of the Judiciary

The Book of Testimonies

Appendix

Glossary

[Types of Dhakât]

[Conditions for the Validity of Dhakât]

[Proper Hunting Tools]

[Conditions Specific to Slaughtering by Dhabḥ and Naḥr]

[‘Aqr (fatal wounding)]

Proper Slaughtering