Rules and procedures to be followed when slaughtering animals.

حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنْزِيْرِ وَمَاۤ اُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللّٰهِ بِهٖ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوْذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيْحَةُ وَمَاۤ اَكَلَ السَّبُعُ اِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُم وَمَا ذُ بِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَاَنْ تَسْتَقْسِمُوْا بِالْاَزْلَامِ‌ ؕ ذٰ لِكُمْ فِسْقٌ‌ ؕ (سورة المائدة :03)

“Forbidden to you are: carrion (animals that die of themselves), blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been slaughtered in the name of other than Allah. Also forbidden are animals that have been killed by strangling, by a violent blow, by a fall from a height, by being gored to death, and those partially eaten by wild beasts—except those which you are able to slaughter properly before they die. Also forbidden are those slaughtered on stone altars (for worship), and seeking apportionment through divining arrows. This is sinful disobedience.”

عن رَافِع بْن خَدِيج رضي الله عنه قال رَسُولُ الله : مَا أَنْهَرَ الدَّمَ، وَذُكِرَ اسْمُ الله عَلَيْهِ، فَكُلُوهُ، لَيْسَ السِّنَّ وَالظُّفْرَ. (صحيح البخاري – ٢٤٨٨)

The Messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“If the animal is slaughtered with an instrument that causes blood to flow, and the name of Allah has been mentioned over it, then you may eat it. However, anything slaughtered with teeth or claws is not permissible.”( Sahih al-Bukhari)

Conditions to be observed when slaughtering animals:

•  The person performing the slaughter must be a Muslim.
• The animal must not be slaughtered for anything other than Allah.
• The windpipe (trachea) and the food pipe (oesophagus) must be completely severed. If they are not fully cut, it is not permissible to consume the animal.^¹
• At the time of cutting both the windpipe and food pipe, the animal must not have already reached the stage of death or complete loss of life.^²
• If, before these two passages are cut, the animal is already in a state of dying due to a fatal illness^³ or any other cause, it is considered carrion (dead meat), and it is not permissible to eat it.
• The lack of strong movement of the animal’s legs after slaughter and the absence of rapid spurting of blood are among the signs that indicate the animal had already reached a state of impending death before it was slaughtered.^⁴
• The instrument used for slaughter must be sharp. It must not be a tooth, claw, or any heavy object that causes death by blunt force.⁵

Recommended (Sunnah) practices when slaughtering animals:

•  The person performing the slaughter should be a sighted, mentally sound, and mature (adult) male.
• Slaughtering by a blind person, an insane person, or someone under the influence of intoxication is considered disliked (makrūh).⁶
• Giving water to the animal before slaughtering it.
• Sharpening the blade out of the sight of the animal.
• When slaughtering sheep, cattle, etc., tying three legs while leaving the left hind leg free, laying the animal on its left side on the ground, and positioning its head towards the Qiblah.⁷
• The slaughterer should also face the Qiblah while slaughtering.
• Reciting Bismillah at the time of slaughter (some scholars of the Shāfiʿī school also state that sending blessings upon the Prophet along with it is Sunnah).⁸
• Not slaughtering one animal in front of another animal.⁹
• Cutting, in addition to the windpipe and food pipe, the two veins adjacent to them as well.¹⁰
• Avoiding actions such as skinning, breaking bones, separating limbs, or moving the animal before its life has completely departed.¹¹

Additional etiquette to be observed when slaughtering animals:

• As we live among people of different communities, we must act carefully so as not to cause distress or provoke the sentiments of others.
• There are specific laws regarding animal slaughter in our country, and as citizens, we must adhere to them.
• When transporting animals in vehicles, we must observe the required health and safety regulations.

And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Ash-Sheikh M.D.M. Salman
Deputy Secretary, Fatwa Committee
All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama

Ash-Sheikh M. Arkam Nooramith
General Secretary
All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama

Mufti M.I.M Rizwe
President
All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama

[1] ﻭﺫﻛﺎﺓ ﻛﻞ ﺣﻴﻮاﻥ ﻗﺪﺭ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺑﻘﻄﻊ ﻛﻞ اﻟﺤﻠﻘﻮﻡ ﻭﻫﻮ ﻣﺨﺮﺝ اﻟﻨﻔﺲ ﻭاﻟﻤﺮﻯء ﻭﻫﻮ ﻣﺠﺮﻯ اﻟﻄﻌﺎﻡ -(منهاج الطالبين)

[2] ﻭﻣﺎ اﻗﺘﻀﺘﻪ اﻟﻌﺒﺎﺭﺓ ﻣﻦ اشتراﻁ ﻭﺟﻮﺩ الحياﺓ المستقرﺓ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻗﻄﻌﻬﻤﺎ ﺟﻤﻴﻌﻬﻤﺎ ﻏﻴﺮ ﻣﺮاﺩ ﺑﻞ اﻟﺸﺮﻁ ﻭﺟﻮﺩﻫﺎ ﻋﻨﺪ اﺑﺘﺪاء اﻟﻘﻄﻊ ﻫﻨﺎ ﺃﻳﻀﺎ ﻓﺤﻴﻨﺌﺬ ﻻ ﻳﻀﺮ اﻧﺘﻬﺎﺅﻩ ﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ ﻣﺬﺑﻮﺡ ﻟﻤﺎ ﻧﺎﻟﻪ ﺑﺴﺒﺐ ﻗﻄﻊ اﻟﻘﻔﺎ؛ ﻷﻥ ﺃﻗﺼﻰ ﻣﺎ ﻭﻗﻊ اﻟﺘﻌﺒﺪ ﺑﻪ ﻭﺟﻮﺩﻫﺎ ﻋﻨﺪ اﺑﺘﺪاء ﻗﻄﻊ اﻟﻤﺬﺑﺢ – (تحفة المحتاج في شرح المنهاج)

[3] نَعَمْ لَوْ انْتَهَى لِحَرَكَةِ مَذْبُوحٍ بِمَرَضٍ، وَإِنْ كَانَ سَبَبُهُ أَكْلَ نَبَاتٍ مُضِرٍّ كَفَى ذَبْحُهُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُوجَدْ مَا يُحَالُ عَلَيْهِ الْهَلَاكُ، فَإِنْ وُجِدَ كَأَنْ أَكَلَ نَبَاتًا يُؤَدِّي إلَى الْهَلَاكِ، أَوْ انْهَدَمَ عَلَيْهِ سَقْفٌ، أَوْ جَرَحَهُ سَبُعٌ، أَوْ هِرَّةٌ اُشْتُرِطَ وُجُودُ الْحَيَاةِ الْمُسْتَقِرَّةِ فِيهِ عِنْدَ ابْتِدَاءِ الذَّبْحِ فَعُلِمَ أَنَّ النَّبَاتَ الْمُؤَدِّيَ لِمُجَرَّدِ الْمَرَضِ لَا يُؤَثِّرُ بِخِلَافِ الْمُؤَدِّي لِلْهَلَاكِ أَيْ: غَالِبًا فِيمَا يَظْهَرُ؛ إذْ لَا يُحَالُ الْهَلَاكُ عَلَيْهِ إلَّا حِينَئِذٍ. – (تحفة المحتاج في شرح المنهاج)

[4] وللحياة المستقرة قرائن وأمارات تغلب على الظن بقاء الحياة فيدرك ذلك بالمشاهدة، ومن أماراتها الحركة الشديدة وانفجار الدم بعد قطع الحلقوم والمريء، والأصح أن الحركة الشديدة تكفي وحدها، فإن شككنا في حصولها ولم يترجح ظن فالأصح التحريم  -(مغني المحتاج إلى معرفة معاني ألفاظ المنهاج )

[5] ﻳﺤﻞ ﺫﺑﺢ ﻣﻘﺪﻭﺭ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺟﺮﺡ ﻏﻴﺮﻩ ﺑﻜﻞ ﻣﺤﺪﺩ ﻳﺠﺮﺡ ﻛﺤﺪﻳﺪ ﻭﻧﺤﺎﺱ ﻭﺫﻫﺐ ﻭﺧﺸﺐ ﻭﻗﺼﺐ ﻭﺣﺠﺮ ﻭﺯﺟﺎﺝ ﺇﻻ ﻇﻔﺮا ﻭﺳﻨﺎ ﻭﺳﺎﺋﺮ اﻟﻌﻈﺎﻡ – (منهاج الطالبين)

[6] ﻭﺗﻜﺮﻩ ﺫﻛﺎﺓ اﻻﻋﻤﻲ ﻻﻧﻪ ﺭﺑﻤﺎ ﺃﺧﻄﺄ اﻟﻤﺬﺑﺢ ﻓﺎﻥ ﺫﺑﺢ ﺣﻞ ﻻﻧﻪ ﻟﻢ ﻳﻔﻘﺪ ﻓﻴﻪ اﻻ اﻟﻨﻈﺮ ﻭﺫﻟﻚ ﻻ ﻳﻮﺟﺐ اﻟﺘﺤﺮﻳﻢ ﻭﻳﻜﺮﻩ ﺫﻛﺎﺓ اﻟﺴﻜﺮاﻥ ﻭاﻟﻤﺠﻨﻮﻥ ﻻﻧﻪ ﻻ ﻳﺆﻣﻦ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺨﻄﺊ اﻟﻤﺬﺑﺢ ﻭﻳﻘﺘﻞ اﻟﺤﻴﻮاﻥ ﻓﺎﻥ ﺫﺑﺢ ﺣﻞ -( المجموع شرح المهذب )

[7] ﻭﻳﺴﻦ ﻧﺤﺮ ﺇﺑﻞ ﻭﺫﺑﺢ ﺑﻘﺮ ﻭﻏﻨﻢ ﻭﻳﺠﻮﺯ ﻋﻜﺴﻪ ﻭﺃﻥ ﻳﻜﻮﻥ اﻟﺒﻌﻴﺮ ﻗﺎﺋﻤﺎ ﻣﻌﻘﻮﻝ ﺭﻛﺒﺔ ﻭاﻟﺒﻘﺮ ﻭاﻟﺸﺎﺓ ﻣﻀﺠﻌﺔ ﻟﺠﻨﺒﻬﺎ اﻷﻳﺴﺮ ﻭﺗﺘﺮﻙ ﺭﺟﻠﻬﺎ اﻟﻴﻤﻨﻰ ﻭﻳﺸﺪ ﺑﺎﻗﻲ اﻟﻘﻮاﺋﻢ ﻭﺇﻥ ﻳﺤﺪ ﺷﻔﺮﺗﻪ ﻭﻳﻮﺟﻪ ﻟﻠﻘﺒﻠﺔ ﺫﺑﻴﺤﺘﻪ ﻭﺃﻥ ﻳﻘﻮﻝ ﺑﺴﻢ اﻟﻠﻪ( منهاج الطالبين)

[8] (وَأَمَّا) الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ عِنْدَ الذَّبْحِ فَمُسْتَحَبَّةٌ عِنْدَنَا –  (المجموع شرح المهذب)

(و) تسن (التسمية) بأن يقول باسم الله (والصلاة على النبي ﷺ عند الذبح و) عند (إرسال السهم والجارحة) إلى صيد (ولو عند الإصابة) بالسهم (والعض) من الجارحة أما التسمية فلقوله تعالى ﴿فكلوا مما ذكر اسم الله عليه﴾ [الأنعام: ١١٨] ﴿فكلوا مما أمسكن عليكم واذكروا اسم الله عليه﴾ [المائدة: ٤] وللاتباع رواه الشيخان، وأما الصلاة على النبي ﷺ؛ فلأنه محل يسن فيه ذكر الله فسن فيه ذكر رسوله ﷺ كالأذان والصلاة  (أسنى المطالب في شرح روض الطالب ١/‏٥٤٠ — زكريا الأنصاري (ت ٩٢٦)

[9] ﻭﻧﻘﻞ اﺑﻦ اﻟﻤﻨﺬﺭ ﺃﻧﻪ ﻳﻜﺮﻩ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺤﺪﺩ اﻟﺴﻜﻴﻦ ﻭاﻟﺸﺎﺓ ﺗﻨﻈﺮ اﻟﺴﻜﻴﻦ ﻭﺃﻥ ﻳﺬﺑﺢ اﻟﺸﺎﺓ ﻭاﻷﺧﺮﻯ ﺗﻨﻈﺮ ﻭﻛﺬا ﻗﺎﻟﻪ ﺃﺻﺤﺎﺑﻨﺎ ﻗﺎﻟﻮا ﻭﻳﺴﺘﺤﺐ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺴﺎﻕ ﺇﻟﻰ اﻟﻤﺬﺑﺢ ﺑﺮﻓﻖ ﻭﺗﻀﺠﻊ ﺑﺮﻓﻖ ﻭﻳﻌﺮﺽ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﻤﺎء ﻗﺒﻞ اﻟﺬﺑﺢ – (المجموع شرح المهذب)

[10] ﻭﻳﺴﺘﺤﺐ ﻗﻄﻊ اﻟﻮﺩﺟﻴﻦ ﻭﻫﻤﺎ ﻋﺮﻗﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ ﺻﻔﺤﺘﻲ اﻟﻌﻨﻖ – (منهاج الطالبين)

[11] ﻓﺎﻟﻤﺴﺘﺤﺐ ﺃﻥ ﻳﻤﺴﻚ ﻭﻻ ﻳﺒﻴﻦ ﺭﺃﺳﻪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺤﺎﻝ، ﻭﻻ ﻳﺰﻳﺪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻘﻄﻊ، ﻭﻻ ﻳﺒﺎﺩﺭ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺳﻠﺦ اﻟﺠﻠﺪ، ﻭﻻ ﻳﻜﺴﺮ اﻟﻔﻘﺎﺭ، ﻭﻻ ﻳﻘﻄﻊ ﻋﻀﻮا، ﻭﻻ ﻳﺤﺮﻙ اﻟﺬﺑﻴﺤﺔ، ﻭﻻ ﻳﻨﻘﻠﻬﺎ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻣﻜﺎﻥ، ﺑﻞ ﻳﺘﺮﻙ ﺟﻤﻴﻊ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺣﺘﻰ ﺗﻔﺎﺭﻕ اﻟﺮﻭﺡ، – (روضة الطالبين)