Chapter On Slaughtering

CR # (1635) The person slaughtering must be a Muslim; what is slaughtered by a non-Muslim is not good for food even if such person is a follower of the Bible. It is not necessary that such a Muslim be a Shia; only if he could be considered a Muslim is enough. But if he is considered a non-Muslim it is not good like those abusing the IMAMS and those who rise against them and some of those who exceed the limits of their real position like those called ghali.

CR # (1636) A Muslim boy or a child is all right to slaughter animals, provided, the child is capable to do the job, the same rule applies to a blind, castrated, a person who has not had ghusl after having sex, a lady experiencing menses or a sinner. It is not lawful to slaughter if he does not realize what is he doing like a mad person, and a drunk etc.

However, apparently, it is lawful if a mad person slaughters, provided, he to some degree discerns and the other conditions required exist.

CR # (1637) It is not necessary for the person slaughtering to be independently free, it is even lawful if a person is forced to slaughter an animal and is forced unjustly. It also is not necessary that the person believes in the necessity of pronouncing the name of Allah even without such belief if the required pronouncement is made it is enough.

CR # (1638) A Muslim born out of wedlock can do slaughtering, regardless, he is mature or not. It is not lawful to slaughter an animal with something other than a tool made out of iron even if it is made of other metals like lead, copper, gold, or silver. In a normal case the animal slaughtered with such metals is not edible. But if it is not possible to find iron it is lawful to slaughter with other metals even wood, stone or anything that can cut the proper veins and arteries. According to a more clear reason in an emergency it is not necessary to be afraid of losing the animal although, according to a precautionary reason such fear should exist. It is not far from reality to consider permissible the slaughtering by a rack etc., which cuts the veins with difficulty although, according to precautionary reason, it only is permissible in emergency.

CR # (1639) It is necessary to cut four parts at the neck of the animal namely: (a) The trachea. (b) The pharynx. (c) The two jugular veins.

CR # (1640) Only piercing the veins without cutting them is objectionable, similarly only cutting of the trachea is objectionable, according to a more clear reason cutting the trachea alone is not enough.

CR # (1641) According to a more clear reason cutting of all the said parts involve leaving of the thyroid to the head, if anything of it (thyroid) goes to the body, cutting of all four elements may not take place, as some people of experience have reported.

CR # (1642) It is necessary to have the intention of slaughtering, thus, if a knife falls from one's hand and cuts the parts to be cut from the neck in slaughtering it is not good for food even if one pronounces the name of Allah when the knife hits the parts at the neck, the same rule applies, if the knife is moved around the neck for some other reason but it cuts the parts, or the person is drunk or fainting or mad unable to discern things normally.

CR # (1643) It is necessary to cut the parts one after the other immediately doing so with intervals in between is objectionable even if the other parts are cut before the animal dies.

CR #r (1644) A large group of scholars is of the view that in order for an animal slaughtered to be good for food the animal must be able to live for some time like a day or many days and others do not consider such condition necessary, and the latter view is based on a stronger reason. However, it is necessary that the animal be alive in the sense of being opposite to dead, slaughtering a dead animal does not make it good for food, there is no objection to this, thus, if the neck is cut as such that the thyroid goes to the trunk and immediately, before the animal is dead, the parts are cut properly, it is good for food, the same rule applies if the animal is still alive or the animal is seriously injured but is slaughtered properly before it is dead, it is good for food.

CR # (1645) If at the time of slaughtering another person cuts the trunk of the animal, apparently, it is good for food, the same rule applies if such other things which kill the animal happen at about the time of slaughtering but to observe precaution is better.

CR # (1646) More than one person can also do the slaughtering work together or one after the other, but it is necessary that both people pronounce the name of Allah, according to a stronger reason, only one of such people's pronouncing the name of Allah is not enough.

CR # (1647) If by mistake the throat is cut in the wrong way and after realizing the mistake one corrects it before the animal dies, it is good for food as mentioned before.

CR # (1648) If for some reason some of the parts to be cut for slaughtering are already cut but the animal is still alive while some other parts are safe, it is possible to slaughter it by cutting the remaining parts and piercing the parts already cut from the above or below the cut and it then becomes good for food, however, if all the parts are cut by a wild animal etc, the animal is not good for food.

CR # (1649) If the animal is slaughtered and then it falls in water or fire or falls off from a high place, etc., a fall that kills the animal, it does not make the animal unlawful for food. This rule is different in hunting. It is necessary here to know that the animal has died because of slaughtering but such knowledge is not required in hunting.

CR # (1650) The following conditions are required in slaughtering.

(a) Facing of the animal toward the Qiblah during slaughtering, the front parts and the neck must be facing the Qiblah, the holy Ka'ba, if this condition, knowingly and purposely, is missed, the animal is not lawful for food, if it is due to ignorance of the rule or forgetfulness or mistake it is not unlawful for food. In all such cases the same rule applies if one cannot find the Qiblah or cannot make the animal to face it and it is necessary to slaughter the animal like an animal running away or has fallen into the well etc.

CR # (1651) It is not necessary for the person slaughtering to face the direction of Qiblah although it is a precaution to do so.

CR # (1652) If there is fear of dying of the animal when trying to make it face the Qiblah, apparently, in such case, its facing the Qiblah is not necessary.

CR # (1653) It is lawful to lay the animal on the right or left side, like dead persons in the grave, when slaughtering or let stand up facing Qiblah. (b) The person at the time of slaughtering must pronounce the name of Allah and be well aware of his work. If this is purposely ignored, the animal becomes unlawful for food, but if it is done due to forgetfulness, it does not make the animal unlawful for food, according to a precautionary reason the name of Allah should be pronounced whenever one remembers. If it is not done because of the ignorance of the rule, apparently, the animal becomes unlawful for food.

CR # (1654) According to a more clear reason, the name of Allah must be pronounced just for the slaughtering purpose, an accidental pronouncement or for some other reason is not enough. Apparently, it is necessary to pronounce it at the time of slaughtering, a time which common sense considers the time of slaughtering, not when the time of preparation for slaughtering like tying of the animal etc.

CR # (1655) Pronouncing of a dumb person in his own way by moving his tongue or pointing his fingers is enough.

CR # (1656) Such pronouncement can consist of saying with respect, Allah-u-Akbar (God is great), AlHamdu-Lillah (Praise be to God), Bismillah (In the name of God). Just saying Allah is not free from objection.

(c) Enough blood must come out; a normal quantity precautionary, if not for a strong reason, thus, if no blood, or flowing very slowly, or some drops only come out, it is not good for food, even if the animal may have been alive at the time of slaughtering, the kind of animal is also a factor. The blood may come out in drops in the case of an animal suffering from illness which could be considered normal but this does not make it unlawful for food.

(d) The slaughtering should be done by cutting the front part of the neck; by the back of it is Makruh, detestable, the knife should be placed at the neck to cut, pushing it under the parts and then cutting upwards is Makruh, detestable.

CR # (1657) If one has doubts about the animal's being alive or dead, he can consider it alive if there is some movement taking place when slaughtering is done even if it is just a little, like the movement of the eye, tail, ears or the legs etc. Such movement is not needed if one knows that the animal was alive at the time of slaughtering.

CR # (1658) It is Makruh, detestable, to cut the head purposely before the animal dies, but it does not matter if it is not done purposely, like its being due to unawareness or the sharpness of the knife etc. Also it is Makruh, detestable, to cut the spinal cord purposely before the animal is dead.

CR # (1659) When slaughtering a bird, if purposely the head is cut altogether, apparently, it is permissible to use it for food, but, if not an emergency, it is not lawful, from the point of view of responsibility according to a precautionary reason.

CR # (1660) Of the animals, camel must be slaughtered not by cutting close to a thyroid but all the way down from the upper portion of the chest and end of the neck, this is not good for other animals or vice verse. Doing otherwise makes the camel and the animal unlawful for food. As mentioned before a wrong slaughtering can be corrected before the animal is dead, this rule applies to both camel and other animals.

CR # (1661) In slaughtering an animal it is not necessary to cut very close to the thyroid even from somewhere in the middle of the neck could be cut, provided, all the four elements are cut.

CR # (1662) An instrument made of iron is pushed into the cavity at the upper part of the camel's chest to slaughter the camel. The other conditions required in slaughtering are all the same as in the case of other animals. For making the camel to face Qiblah both standing and sitting positions are permissible.

CR # (1663) If an animal or camel because of some reason, like being out of control, out of reach or in a well etc., cannot be slaughtered by the normal process, it is permissible to slaughter by wounding it fatally, with observing all other required conditions, even, if such wound is not at the place for normal slaughtering pronouncement of the names of Allah and all other conditions as mentioned in the rules of hunting are necessary in this case also.

CR # (1664) The slaughtering of the mother is slaughtering of her young in her womb also. If the mother dies without being slaughtered and her young also dies inside, it is not good for food, as well as if the young is taken out alive but dies before being slaughtered. If it is taken out alive and is then slaughtered it is good for food. If the mother is slaughtered and the young also dies inside with it, both are good for food. If after the mother is slaughtered the young is taken alive, if it also is slaughtered it is good for food and not good if it is not done so.

CR # (1665) If the mother is slaughtered and the young is taken out alive and it dies before it could be slaughtered normally due to shortness of time, it is not good for food according to a stronger reason.

If the mother dies without being slaughtered and the young comes out alive but dies without being slaughtered, without any question it is unlawful and not good for food.

CR # (1666) According to a more clear reason it is necessary to immediately cut the slaughtered mother to take out the young according to normal practice, if it is delayed beyond normal practice and then the young is taken out dead, it is not good for food.

CR # (1667) It is necessary that the young inside the mother is complete, having full furs and wool etc., otherwise, because of slaughtering the mother the young is not good for food. To sum up:

(a) The mother is slaughtered.

(b) The young is full grown baby.

(c) It dies before being taken out of the mother, only then it is good for food.

CR # (1668) It does not matter the animal is edible or not if only it is good for slaughtering.

CR # (1669) All the edible animals can be slaughtered; if such animal is slaughtered it becomes clean and good for food. Animals like dogs and pigs are not good for slaughtering; such animals, even after slaughtering remain unclean, likewise is human beings. Other animals that are not edible, apparently, can be slaughtered and their skins become clean and good for use, as well as their meat, regardless, it is a lion, a tiger, or fox etc., or mammals living in holes like a weasel etc., such skin can be used as water bags and other uses.

CR # (1670) If the inedible animal is of the cold blooded category and reptile whose blood does not shoot out when cut, the dead body of such animals is clean and it is permissible to use their skins etc., according to a more clear reason, but it is not permissible to sell such items unless such animal is properly slaughtered after which it is permissible to sell them also.

CR # (1671) Of the inedible animals that become clean after slaughtering it does not matter they are of the birds or of the other kinds.

CR # (1672) If one finds some meat of an animal that is good for slaughtering and does not know if it is properly slaughtered or not he considers it as not properly slaughtered, thus, it is not good for food, but there is no need to wash clean any thing that may touch it, even, if it is not of the reptile category, as long as one does not know of its being a dead animal without being slaughtered, but if one finds it in the hands of a Muslim who deals with it as if it is slaughtered like his displaying it for sale or other such uses, one considers it as properly slaughtered, unless the opposite is proved. Apparently, it does not matter such use by a Muslim is followed by the use of a non-Muslim or not. If it is discovered that the Muslim took it from a non-Muslim without investigation, it is considered as not properly slaughtered. If it is taken from a person and it is not known whether he is a Muslim or not, it is considered as if taken from a Muslim if the majority of people of the area are Muslims. If some meat is found in the hands of a Muslim and one does not know whether he wants to use it for food or it is for dogs, it cannot be considered as cleansed and properly slaughtered, likewise is buckets made of skins of such animals to carry wastes.

CR # (1673) Of things like meat, fat or skins etc, taken from non-Muslims are considered as if not properly cleansed and slaughtered even if he says they are slaughtered properly, unless it is known that a Muslim had used them before which would indicate as being slaughtered. The fish oil imported from non-Muslim countries is not good for using in food unless there is an emergency, when it is bought from a non-Muslim even if one knows it is taken out of water alive by people but it is not known if it is of the edible category or not. It is permissible to use such oil if it is taken from a Muslim, unless one knows that he has taken it from a non-Muslim without investigation.

CR # (1674) About the Muslim whose use could be taken as a sign of an item as being properly cleansed by means of slaughtering it does not matter he is a Shi'a or non-Shi'a, or he believes in ways and conditions which cleanses things or not.

CR # (1675) If leather is brought from Muslim countries or leather materials made therein they are considered clean, as well as if such things are found in the Muslim lands which he marks of being used by Muslims for clothing or furniture, it is considered as properly slaughtered and cleansed and could be used as properly cleansed leathers without the need for investigation, the same rule applies to the imported meats from Muslim countries.

CR # (1676) Preferable matters when slaughtering an animal:

(a) A *sheep's legs except one should be tied up.

(b) A cow's legs should all be tied up, only the tail is left free.

(c) A camel's front knees should be tied up and legs are left loose if slaughtering is done while the camel is sitting but if it is done standing, only the front left leg should be tied up.

(d) In the case of birds it is preferable to let them loose after slaughtering.

(e) The knife should be sharp.

(f) The cut should be done quickly.

(g) The animal should not see the knife.

(h) The animal should not be moved from its place until it dies.

(I) The animal should gently be taken to slaughtering place.

(j) It should be offered water before slaughtering.

(k) The knife should be used with force.

(I) It should be done quickly to make it easy for the animal.

The holy Prophet has said, God orders you to be kind in every thing. If you kill an animal do it with kindness and slaughter nicely with sharp knife to make it easy. Also the Prophet has said, "Make the knife sharp and do not show it to the animal."