Question:
Assalamualaikum wbt ustaz. My question is whether it is true that a person feels sorry for an animal that is going to be slaughtered makes it prohibited for him to eat the animal even if it fulfils the conditions of slaughter? I often hear about this confusion and this issue has been in our society for a long time. Hope for an explanation from ustaz. Thank you.
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt.wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The Ruling and Sanctioning of Slaughter
Islam emphasizes on the halal and haram of food and drinks. Thus, Allah SWT explained this matter in His statement:
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّـهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ
“Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars,”
Surah al-Maidah (3)
Conditions for Slaughter
To make an animal halal to be eaten, Allah SWT commanded it to be slaughtered. Scholars set guidelines for the slaughter of animals and conditions for it:
- The slaughterer must be rational. Whether male or female, reached puberty or mumayyiz and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars.
- The slaughterer must be a Muslim or the People of the Book. The slaughter of an apostate is invalid. The reason is their slaughter will not be for Allah SWT. This is as stated above by Allah SWT in surah al-Maidah verse 3. And scholars set conditions for the People of the Book must be believers and said the name of Allah when slaughtering.
- Hunting animals which are halal and not from the wild and vicious animal, as stated by Allah SWT:
أُحِل لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًا
“Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for you and the travelers, but forbidden to you is game from the land as long as you are in the state of ihram.”
Surah al-Maidah (96)
And for animals other than wild and vicious animals, it is permissible to be slaughtered and eaten. Wild animals are not included as farm or sacrificial animals.
- Another condition for slaughter is that the name of Allah SWT should be recited during the slaughter whether it is by Muslims or the People of the Book. If a person forgets or is mute, then it is permissible to be eaten. This is stated by Allah SWT:
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّـهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌ
“And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience.”
Surah al-An’am (121)
- Does not incorporate praises of Allah with others. Whether by clear statement or otherwise.
- The two jugular veins must be cut to hasten the killing of the animal.
- Furthermore, the knife used for slaughter must be sharp and not be made from bone, nail or teeth.
(See al-Mausuah al-Fiqhiyah al-Kuwaitiyah: 21/184)
Conclusion
According to the above question, feeling sorry or sympathizing the animal of slaughter does not affect the halal or haram status of it if it fulfils the valid conditions for slaughter as presented above.
Feeling sorry or sympathy is a natural human attribute. Thus, we are encouraged to be mindful of the manners and sunnah of slaughtering for their purpose is to ease the pain and hasten the killing of the animal. This is what has been taught by the Prophet PBUH in a hadith narrated by Abi Ya’la bin A’us RA, where the Prophet PBUH said:
فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ
“So, if you kill then kill well; and if you slaughter, then slaughter well.”
Sahih Muslim (1955)
Thus, we can apply this hadith in our lives. This hadith is one of the important principles in Islam and an honourable call from the Prophet PBUH to have ihsan in our every deed. It is proven by the actions of the Prophet PBUH whether the matter is minor or major. (See al-Kafi Syarah Hadis 40 by Dr Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri, pg. 175)