WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR HALAL
SLAUGHTERING?
There are six main conditions for Halal
Slaughtering (dhabh), as follows:
1.
The one that
slaughters must be a Muslim
2.
The one that
slaughters must pray
The evidence for the above points
can be found in the sayings of Allah (swt)
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ
وَانْحَرْ
Fasalli lirabbika wainhar
Therefore
turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice. [Surah Al Kawthar 108:2]
The importance of prayer is
highlighted in the tafsir of Ibn Kathir. The Messenger (saw) used to
pray Eid prayer before slaughtering an animal, and he said: "Whoever
prayed and then slaughtered has performed the slaughter (correctly) and
whosoever slaughters before prayer, there is no slaughter for him." Then
a Companion named Abu Bardah stood up and said, "Oh, Messenger of Allah!
I have slaughtered my sheep before the prayer…" He (saw) said:
"Your sheep is merely meat (i.e. it is not acceptable as a sacrifice).”
3.
The
tool used to slaughter must be sharp
The object used to slaughter the animal
should be sharp and used swiftly.
The Messenger (saw)
said
“and if you
slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade”
[Sahih Muslim]
The swift cutting of vessels of the neck
disconnects the flow of blood to the nerves in the brain responsible for
pain. Thus the animal does not feel pain. The movements and withering
that happen to the animal after the cut is made are not due to pain, but
due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles deficient in
blood. The blood must be drained completely before the head is removed.
This purifies the meat by removing most of the blood
4.
The
slaughtering must be merciful
As well as ensuring the slaughtering is
done swiftly, one must ensure the animal is not distressed before being
slaughtered. To avoid undue distress to the animal, the animal waiting
to be slaughtered should not be in view of others being slaughtered. Nor
should the knife used for slaughtering be sharpened in view of the
animal waiting to be slaughtered.
The Messenger (saw) said
“and let him spare suffering to the animal he
slaughters"” [Sahih Muslim]
5.
The person slaughtering must mentioned the
name of Allah (swt)
‘Tasmiyyah’
this is the verbal pronouncement of the name of Allah, when making dhabh
or commencing any good deed. The slaughterer should face the qiblah, and
he must utter the words, ‘Bismillah Allahu Akbar’ as he
slaughters. These words are an important confirmation that the animal is
being killed in the name of Allah, but the words are not just for us;
the animal has the right to know that it has been slaughtered in the
name of Allah. Allah (swt) says,
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ
جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن
بَهِيمَةِ
الْأَنْعَامِ
فَإِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا وَبَشِّرِ
الْمُخْبِتِينَ
Walikulli ommatin jaAAalna mansakan liyathkuroo isma Allahi
AAala ma razaqahum min baheemati al-anAAami fa-ilahukum
ilahun wahidun falahu aslimoo wabashshiri almukhbiteena
And for every nation We have appointed
religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allah over the
beast of cattle that He has given them for food. [Surah Al Hajj 22:34]
6.
Must
ensure the blood is spilt from the animal
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى
لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً
Wa-ith qala moosa liqawmihi inna Allaha
ya/murukum an tathbahoo baqaratan qaloo atattakhithuna
huzuwan qala aAAoothu biAllahi an akoona mina aljahileena
And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to
his people: "Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter (tadhabu)
a cow." [Surah Al Baqarah 2:67]
Ata said “Dhabh
means the cutting of the carotid and jugular blood vein” when asked if
it was allowed to cut the spinal cord Ata replied “Ibn Umar forbade
An-Nakh (to cut the neck up to the spinal cord and to leave the animal
to die)” [Sahih Bukhari]
