Blog Archives
The Slaughter Instrument (Hadith No. 2706)
Bismillah.
Volume 4, Book 52, Number 309 :
Narrated by Abaya bin Rifaa
My grandfather, Rafi (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “We were in the company of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) at DhulHulaifa, and the people suffered from hunger. We got some camels and sheep (as booty) and the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was still behind the people. They hurried and put the cooking pots on the fire. (When he came) he ordered that the cooking pots should be upset and then he distributed the booty (amongst the people) regarding ten sheep as equal to one camel then a camel fled and the people chased it till they got tired, as they had a few horses (for chasing it). So a man threw an arrow at it and caused it to stop (with Allah’s Permission). On that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, ‘Some of these animals behave like wild beasts, so, if any animal flee from you, deal with it in the same way.” My grandfather asked (the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam)), “We hope (or are afraid) that we may meet the enemy tomorrow and we have no knives. Can we slaughter our animals with canes?” Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) replied, “If the instrument used for killing causes the animal to bleed profusely and if Allah’s Name is mentioned on killing it, then eat its meat (i.e. it is lawful) but won’t use a tooth or a nail and I am telling you the reason: A tooth is a bone (and slaughtering with a bone is forbidden ), and a nail is the slaughtering instrument of the Ethiopians.”
In a past post, the proper Islamic etiquette of slaughtering an animal was discussed in detail, from saying Bismillah in the beginning to sharpening the blade and being kind to the animal. This hadith discusses the “instrument” used to slaughter the animal. It’s apparent and obvious that bones and nails are prohibited. And whatever is used other than that must cause the animal to bleed profusely.
Having said that, there’s a lot of confusion about saying Bismillah when using modern methods (i.e. machines) to slaughter chickens, whether to say it every time a chicken is slaughtered or to say it once before turning on the machine. A question is recorded in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah:
Is it permissible to say “Bismillah” when operating the machine which does one repeated movement. Please note that what is meant is saying “Bismillah” only once, when starting the machine for slaughter.
Answer: it is acceptable for the person who is operating the machine to say “Bismillah” once when starting it for a number of (chickens) with the intention of slaughtering them, so long as the one who is operating it is a Muslim or a Jew or a Christian.
‘Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, ‘Abd ar-Razaaq ‘Afeefi, ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Baaz. End quote.
More about stunning animals, saying Bismillah once or repeatedly and other related discussion here.
(Hadith No. 2165)
Bismillah.
Hadith no. 2164 (below) is a repeat, read it here.
Volume 3, Book 44, Number 667:
Narrated Anas (radiallaahu `anhu):
that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (radiallaahu `anhu) wrote to him the law of Zakat which was made obligatory by Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam). He wrote: ‘Partners possessing joint property (sheep) have to pay its Zakat equally.
Today’s Hadith:
Volume 3, Book 44, Number 668:
Narrated ‘Abaya bin Rafa’a bin Rafi’ bin Khadij:
My grandfather said, “We were in the company of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) at Dhul-Hulaifa. The people felt hungry and captured some camels and sheep (as booty). The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was behind the people. They hurried and slaughtered the animals and put their meat in pots and started cooking it. (When the Prophet came) he ordered the pots to be upset and then he distributed the animals (of the booty), regarding ten sheep as equal to one camel. One of the camels fled and the people ran after it till they were exhausted. At that time there were few horses. A man threw an arrow at the camel, and Allah stopped the camel with it. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Some of these animals are like wild animals, so if you lose control over one of these animals, treat it in this way (i.e. shoot it with an arrow).” Before distributing them among the soldiers my grandfather said, “We may meet the enemies in the future and have no knives; can we slaughter the animals with reeds?” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Use whatever causes blood to flow, and eat the animals if the name of Allah has been mentioned on slaughtering them. Do not slaughter with teeth or fingernails and I will tell you why: It is because teeth are bones (i.e. cannot cut properly) and fingernails are the tools used by the Ethiopians (whom we should not imitate for they are infidels).”
The Brave Girl (Hadith No. 1996)
Bismillah.
Hadith no. 1995 (below) is a repeat. Read it here.
Volume 3, Book 38, Number 499 :
Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhumaa)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) employed someone as a governor at Khaibar. When the man came to Medina, he brought with him dates called Janib. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) asked him, “Are all the dates of Khaibar of this kind?” The man replied, “(No), we exchange two Sa’s of bad dates for one Sa of this kind of dates (i.e. Janib), or exchange three Sa’s for two.” On that, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Don’t do so, as it is a kind of usury (Riba) but sell the dates of inferior quality for money, and then buy Janib with the money”. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said the same thing about dates sold by weight.
Today’s Hadith:
Volume 3, Book 38, Number 500 :
Narrated by Ibn Ka’b bin Malik from his father (radiallaahu `anhu)
We had some sheep which used to graze at Sal’ (a mountain in Madinah). One of our slave-girls saw a sheep dying and she broke a stone and slaughtered the sheep with it. My father said to the people, “Don’t eat it till I ask the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) about it (or till I send somebody to ask the Prophet).” So, he asked or sent somebody to ask the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam), and the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) permitted him to eat it. ‘Ubaidullah (a sub-narrator) said, “I admire that girl, for though she was a slave-girl, she dared to slaughter the sheep. “
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al‑Maitah (the dead animals — cattle — beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering (that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns — and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal — unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death).”
[al-Maa’idah 5:3]
Ibn Katheer said:
The phrase “unless you are able to slaughter it” refers to that which you are able to reach and slaughter in the proper manner when there is still evidently life in it. That refers to the phrase, “that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns — and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal”.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/11, 12
This shows that as long as one is able to slaughter the animal before it dies, it is permissible to eat from it. More on the etiquette of slaughtering animals here.
As for the brave girl who slaughtered the dying sheep, I admire her too! In fact, I admire all the women, including my mom, who are able to slaughter their sacrificial animals on Eid or otherwise. It takes guts to do it! Some women can’t even watch an animal being slaughtered let alone doing it themselves. SubhanAllah! May Allah give us (the scared lot) more courage. :)
Commenting on this hadeeth, Ibn Hijr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“This shows that it is permitted to eat meat slaughtered by a woman, whether she is free or a slave, old or young, Muslim or of the People of the Book (i.e., Jewish or Christian), in a state of purity or otherwise, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told them to eat the meat she had slaughtered and did not ask for further details.”
This hadeeth also answers the question about whether any of the Sahaabiyaat (female Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) slaughtered animals.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
“It is permitted to eat from an animal which a man or a woman slaughters Islamically before it dies, or from meat slaughtered by a woman, even if she is menstruating, because her menstruation is not in her hand. It is permissible to eat meat from an animal which a woman slaughters Islamically before it dies, by the consensus of the Muslims.” (Al-Fataawa, 35/234).
Eating from the Slaughtered Animal’s Meat (Ahadith 1477 – 1478)
Bismillah.
Volume 2, Book 26, Number 777:
Narrated Ibn Juraij:
‘Ata’ said, “I heard Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (radiallaahu `anhu) saying, ‘We never ate the meat of the Budn for more than three days of Mina. Later, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) gave us permission by saying: ‘Eat and take (meat) with you. So we ate (some) and took (some) with us.’ ” I asked ‘Ata’, “Did Jabir (radiallaahu `anhu) say (that they went on eating the meat) till they reached Medina?” ‘Ata’ replied, “No.”
Volume 2, Book 26, Number 778:
Narrated ‘Amra:
I heard ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa) saying, “We set out (from Medina) along with Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) five days before the end of Dhul-Qa’da with the intention of performing Hajj only. When we approached Mecca, Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) ordered those who had no Hadi along with them to finish the lhram after performing Tawaf of the Ka’ba, (Safa and Marwa). ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa) added, “Beef was brought to us on the Day of Nahr and I said, ‘What is this?’ Somebody said, ‘The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) has slaughtered (cows) on behalf of his wives.’ “
This Hadith has been discussed before as well. Read it here.
Both these Ahadith give evidence that it’s okay to eat from the animal you sacrifice. Rather, it’s Sunnah. Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) encouraged companions to do so (as in the first Hadith), and sent some for his wives (as in the second Hadith). So eat from the meat whenever an animal is sacrificed (Eid/aqeeqah/Hajj etc.).
So Much Charity (Hadith No. 1476)
Bismillah.
Volume 2, Book 26, Number 776:
Narrated ‘Ali (radiallaahu `anhu):
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) offered one hundred Budn as Hadi and ordered me to distribute their meat (in charity) and I did so. Then he ordered me to distribute their covering sheets in charity and I did so. Then he ordered me to distribute their skins in charity and I did so.
100 camels. Their meat, skins, everything was given in charity. Unbelievable! Who would do that?!
If you think about it, one camel can suffice seven families. So he gave in charity what would’ve been enough for 700 families (they would divide it further for use at home and giving in charity). He gave it all away. SubhanAllah, what a wise man! He always preferred the `aysh (life) of the Aakhirah over this life. And what is charity but a ticket to Jannah?
You possess only what will not be lost in a shipwreck.
As for the fiqh of it, we’ve already discussed in one of the previous posts that portions for charity/family etc. are not fixed for sacrificial animals. Ratio can be varied according to need.
iLookiListen 