Slaughtered Animals and Sacrificial Animals

Slaughtered Animals

As for animals that you can slaughter, you should cut their jugular veins, the pharynx, and the esophagus.

●It was narrated from Shaddad ibn Aws that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“Verily Allah has enjoined goodness to everything, so when you kill, kill in a good way. And when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way. 

So everyone of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 34, Hadith 84

֍It is a Sunnah to use a sharp knife and say, “In the name of Allah, and prayer and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.”

֎It is permissible to use everything that slaughters the animal, except teeth and nails.

●Rafi' ibn Khadij reported: I said to the Prophet ﷺ, “We are going to meet the enemy tomorrow and we have no knives. 

The Messenger of Allah said, “If you slaughter the animal with anything that causes its blood to flow out, and if Allah’s Name is mentioned on slaughtering it, eat of it, unless the killing instrument is a tooth or nail.”

Reference: Sahih Al-Bukhari. Book 72, Hadith 69

۞As for animals you cannot slaughter easily, you can cut them in any part of their bodies.

●Rafi' ibn Khadij reported: We got some camels and sheep as war booty, and one of those camels ran away, whereupon a man shot it with an arrow and stopped it. 

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “Of these camels there are some which are as wild as beasts, so if one of them (runs away and) makes you tired, treat it in this manner.”

Reference: Sahih Al-Bukhari. Book 72, Hadith 35

◊When you slaughter a pregnant female animal, you have already slaughtered its embryo, unless you find it alive, at this time you should slaughter it also.

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Sacrificial Animals (Udhiyah)

They are animals slaughtered for nearness to Allah on the Day of Sacrifice Festival.

It is named “Udhiyah” because it is slaughtered at forenoon time.

Its time:

It starts after the festival prayer on first day of Sacrifice Festival to the last day of Tashreeq (the four festival days).

God says ﴾Indeed, We have granted you the Abundance [Al-Kawthar] (1) So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone](2) Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off﴿(3) 

Chapter of the Abundance.

●It was narrated from Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The first thing we do on this day (the first day of the Festival of Sacrifice) is to pray. 

We then return and sacrifice the animals. And he who does that in fact he adheres to our Sunnah, and he who slaughters (the animal on that day before the Sacrifice prayer), it is just meat which he presents to his family and will not be considered as a sacrifice (Nusuk).”

Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 35, Hadith 10

●Jabir ibn Abd-Allah reported: I attended (the Day of) Sacrifice with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at the place of prayer. When he finished his speech, he descended from his pulpit and was given a male sheep.

 He ﷺ slaughtered it with his hand and said, “In the name of Allah and Allah is the Greatest, this is from me and from those who did not sacrifice from my nation (Ummah).”

Reference: Sunan Abi-Daoud. Book 16, Hadith 23

Its provision: 

an emphasized Sunnah.

It is of two types:             

a) A vow                                    

b) Voluntary

◊If it is a vow, its owner should not eat anything from it; instead, he gives it only to the poor and he does not give its skin to the butcher.

◊As for the voluntary sacrificial animal, some scholars recommend dividing it into three parts:

□One third for its owner and his family.

□One third for the poor.

□One third as a present to his friends.

Some of its provisions:

❶The sacrificial animal should be a camel, a cow, or a sheep.

Seven persons can join in a camel or a cow, but only one person sacrifices a sheep.

●Jabir ibn Abd-Allah reported: We set out in the state of consecration for pilgrimage along with Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. He recommended us to join in camels and cows, every seven persons in a camel or a cow.

Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 15, Hadith 390

❷The sacrificial animal should not be corrupted.

●It was narrated from AL-Bara' ibn 'Azib that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “There are four that will not be accepted as sacrifices: 

the one-eyed animal that is obviously blind in one eye, the sick animal that is obviously sick, the lame animal with an obvious limp, and the animal that is so emaciated that it is as if there is no marrow in its bones.”

Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah. Book 26, Hadith 3264

Things recommended in offering sacrifices:

①Mentioning Allah’s Name and saying prayers for the Prophet.

②Facing AL-Qiblah upon slaughtering the animal.

③Takbeer for three times.

④Invoking Allah that He accepts the sacrifice.

●'A'ishah reported: The Prophet ﷺ ordered a horned ram with black legs, black belly and black (circles) round the eyes, and it was brought to him to sacrifice. 

He said, “'A'ishah, get the knife.” Then he said, “Sharpen it with a stone.” So I did. 

He took it, then took the ram and placed it on the ground and slaughtered it. He then said, “In the name of Allah. O Allah, accept it from Muhammad, the family of Muhammad, and the nation of Muhammad.” 

Then he sacrificed it.

Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 35, Hadith 28

●It was narrated from 'A'ishah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 

“The son of Adam does not do any deed on the Day of Sacrifice that is dearer to Allah than shedding blood. 

It will come on the Day of Resurrection with its horns, hooves, and hair. Its blood is accepted by Allah before it reaches the ground. So be content when you do it.”

Reference: Jami' At-Tirmidhi. Book 19, Hadith 1