The Importance of Humane Slaughter in Islam: A Hadith Explanation

Doing Good in Everything: The Islamic Perspective on Slaughter

What has come concerning slaughtering, 4th Lesson | Benefits from Muntaqaa Ibn Al-Jarood

بســـم اللــه الرحــمــن الـرحـــيــم

Our Shaykh, the ‘Allaamah, the Sincere Advisor, Abu ‘Abdirrahman Yahya bin ‘Ali Al-Hajoori – may Allaah preserve him –

899 – Abu Saeed Al-Ashajj narrated to us, on the authority of Hafs bin Ghiyaath, he said Khalid Al-Hathaa narrated to us on the authority of Abee Qilaabah, on the authority of Abee Al-Ash’ath As-San’aani, on the authority of Shaddaad bin Aws, may Allaah be pleased with him, he said the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “Verily Allah has prescribed doing good in everything, so if you kill, then kill in a good manner, and slaughter in a good manner, and let one of you sharpen his knife and cause ease upon his slaughter animal.”

The chain of narration with the author is authentic and the hadith is in Muslim

Explanation of the hadith

Nawawi said this hadith is from the general principles in the legislation of Islam, and doing good is the most blessed and beneficial in all affairs.

Ibn Ul-Jawzee said, “Doing good, being gentle and soft and what is from the likes of this.

➡️ The prescribing here means ordered: As His statement which translates to what means ‘prescribed for you is fasting’ and ‘prescribed for you is fighting’.

➡️ Or in that which is going to happen without a doubt, Allaah said:

(كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ)

Which translates to what means: “Verily! It is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious.” Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty.”

➡️ And prescription could be something recommended like the voluntary giving of charity.

➡️ And being good could be obligatory like being good to one’s parents and neighbours.

Benefit

The earth is inherited by both the righteous and sinful, but the hereafter is only inherited by the righteous.

Qitlah*(killing) and ‘Rikbah’, and ‘Jilsah’ are with kasrah for the noun and fatha for the masdar.

Benefit

The one who is proficient in his duty is entrusted, whether he is a bean seller or carpenter.. verily Allah loves if an action is done, that it’s done in a good fashion.

And from being good to the slaughter animal

1 – Giving water to the animal one wishes to slaughter

“Verily Allah prescribed doing good in everything.”

2 – That the tool for slaughtering is sharp, and that the slaughterer passes it over the places of slaughtering with strength and quickness, and it’s place (of slaughtering) is the jugular vein for the camel, and the throat for other than it from the things capable of slaughtering.

3 – That the camel is slaughtered whilst standing and it’s left front leg tied- if it was possible- pointing towards the qiblah.

4 – And (animals) other than the camels are slaughtering lying on their left side – if it is was easier for the slaughterer – and he places his foot on its neck, not making the tieing of its hands or legs too tight, and without breaking anything of it before its soul leaves its body or its movement coming to a hault, and the severing of its neck is disliked also, or that it’s slaughtered while another animal is watching.

Ibn Rajab mentioned this in ‘Jaami’ Al-‘Uloom wal-Hikam’, at the hadith of “Verily Allah prescribed the doing good in everything.”

Transcribed to Arabic and summarised by:

By Hamood Ath-Thawaabi

may Allah reward him with good

on the 30th, Thil-Hijjah, 1439H

Translated by:

Abu ‘Abdillah ‘Omar bin Yahya Al-‘Akawi