Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:

➊
By “running away” is meant that the animal escapes from its owner in such a way that it becomes difficult to control.

➋
If an uncontrollable, runaway animal is struck from a distance with an arrow or spear (while pronouncing the takbir), then its ruling becomes that of hunted game. That is, if it dies before people reach it, it is considered as slaughtered (dhabihah). And if it remains alive until people reach it, then it should be properly slaughtered or sacrificed (nahr) with the recitation of takbir.

Hadith Commentary:
They slaughter animals with their nails, so in doing so there is resemblance to them.
Imam Nawawi rahimahullah said that it is not permissible to slaughter with a nail under any circumstance, whether the nail is attached to the body or separated, whether it is pure or impure.
The relevance to the chapter heading is clear: the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam equated ten goats to one camel.
The pots were overturned because the meat being cooked in them was unlawful,
which was not permissible for Muslims to eat.
Therefore, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had their meat destroyed.
In the Deobandi Hanafi translation of Bukhari, it is written here: “The meaning of overturning the pots is that the meat was taken out from them for distribution.” (See Tafheem al-Bukhari Deobandi, p. 142, v. 9)
How incorrect this interpretation is
can be gauged from the following passage from the footnote of Sahih Bukhari Sharif, Karachi edition, vol. 1, p. 338.
The commentator, who is likely Hanafi himself, states: “Fa’ukfiyat ay qulibat wa rumiya wa uriq ma fiha wa huwa min al-ikfa’ qila innama umira bil-ikfa’ li’annahum dhabahu al-ghanam qabla an yuqsim falam yatib lahu bidhalik.”
That is, those pots were overturned, thrown down, and whatever was in them was all poured out.
The word in the hadith “ukfiyat” is from the root “ikfa’.”
It is said that the command to overturn them was given because they slaughtered the goats before the spoils of war had been distributed.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not approve of this action.
From this explanation, it is clear that the aforementioned Deobandi Hanafi interpretation is completely incorrect.
And Allah knows best what is correct.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah seeks to establish the permissibility of distribution based on estimation.
In this hadith, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, at the time of distribution, considered ten goats to be equivalent to one camel, even though goats are not all of the same size and differ in strength as well.
The same applies to camels, but at the time of distribution, such differences were not taken into account.
It is thus understood that one way of determining the value of animals is that, when it is done, it will be based on estimation: that this is a camel of such status and these are goats of such status.
There are various types of camels and goats.
The value will be determined by considering the status of both.
Some scholars are of the opinion that the animals should be exchanged after determining their value.
This can lead to many difficulties, which is why Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established that the distribution of goats is according to their number, and their value is not taken into consideration.

(2)
It should be clear that in normal circumstances, the animal should be slaughtered from the throat, but in cases of necessity, it may be slaughtered from any part. Also, at the time of slaughter, saying “Bismillah Allahu Akbar” is necessary.
If someone forgets to say “Bismillah” or is unsure whether the takbir was recited or not, then “Bismillah” should be recited at the time of eating.

Hadith Commentary:
In the absence of a knife, at the time of necessity, it is permissible to perform slaughter (dhabh) with any such instrument—except for teeth and nails—that is capable of letting blood flow.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
There are two incidents in this hadith:
One is that the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) put pots of meat on the fire before the spoils of war were distributed; the second is that a camel ran away and someone stopped it by shooting an arrow at it.
From these two incidents, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has derived separate legal rulings, but Allamah Isma‘ili objected to Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah), saying that there is no difference between the two cases, because in both incidents there was excessiveness in slaughtering.
(2)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has answered this by saying that in the first case, people slaughtered the animals before distribution so that they could reserve the meat for themselves, so they were punished by being deprived of that meat. In the case where a man stopped the camel by shooting an arrow, the motivation was to protect the owner’s property.
The commentator of Sahih Bukhari, Ibn al-Munir, has also written that if a non-owner slaughters an animal out of excessiveness, then his slaughter is invalid, but if he slaughters it with the intention of rectification, then it is not invalid.
(Fath al-Bari: 9/832)
In one hadith, it is mentioned that the slave-girl of Ka‘b ibn Malik (radi Allahu anhu) slaughtered his goat without his permission, which was close to dying, so the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) permitted its consumption.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Dhaba’ih wa al-Sayd, Hadith: 5501)
This hadith also establishes the chapter heading set by Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah).
And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
1:
That is, recite "Bismillah" over it and shoot the arrow, and when the arrow strikes, eat it, because in the case of it fleeing and becoming uncontrollable, every part of its body is considered a place of slaughter. It is as if it is like that game which, after becoming uncontrollable, flees.

For details of the initial part, see Hadith: 4408.

(1) When a domesticated animal becomes wild and, becoming averse to humans, runs away, then the ruling of a wild (feral) animal will apply to it. In such a case, when it is not possible to capture and slaughter such an animal, it may be wounded in the manner of hunting land game. Then, if it dies before being slaughtered, the ruling of wild hunted animals will apply to it, i.e., if it is captured alive after being wounded, it is necessary to slaughter it, but if it dies before that, and if it was struck with a weapon or bullet while pronouncing Allah’s name, it will be considered lawful (halal) and its meat may be eaten. This is the view of the majority of the scholars. And Allah knows best.

(2) In jointly owned property, individual and personal disposal without permission is impermissible, even if the property is small, and even if necessity seems to demand it.

(3) This hadith is clear evidence of the Companions’ (radi Allahu anhum) utmost obedience to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), that despite being extremely hungry, they overturned the boiling pots but did not deviate in the slightest from the command of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

(4) If there is a legitimate Shari’ (Islamic legal) interest, the ruler of the time may punish the subjects, even if this results in the loss of property. However, the condition is that the Shari’ interest must predominate. The intention should not be merely to satisfy one’s ego.

(5) From this blessed hadith, it is also understood that in mixed and mingled spoils of war, it is not necessary to distribute every item separately; rather, adjustment and valuation (i.e., making up for differences in various items so as to make them equal in value to each other) is also permissible, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) equated ten goats to one camel.

(6) The principle is that domesticated animals should be restrained and slaughtered by cutting the throat (dhabh). Small animals should be laid down and slaughtered. As for camels, they should be made to stand, their left knee tied, and then stabbed in the throat with the tip of a knife or spear, i.e., they should be slaughtered by nahr. Domesticated animals should not be slaughtered by shooting arrows at them as in hunting; however, since wild animals are not under human control, the method for them is to pronounce bismillah and shoot an arrow, wherever it strikes. When the animal is weakened by the bleeding, it should be caught and slaughtered, but if it dies from the arrow itself, there is no harm.

(7) “Dhul-Hulayfah of Tihamah” is an indication that the Dhul-Hulayfah referred to here is not the one which is the miqat of Madinah and where the ihram is donned, but rather, it is another Dhul-Hulayfah.

(8) “Slaughtered” — without the permission of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), whereas the spoils of war should be distributed through the leader.

(9) “Ten goats” — It is understood that ten goats are equivalent to one camel; therefore, ten people may share in the sacrifice of a camel.

(10) “There were only a few horses” — meaning, horses were not available to pursue and capture the camel, and without horses, it could not be caught.

(11) “They begin to run away” — meaning, they become frightened. In Arabic, the word “awābid” is used, which is the plural of “ābidah.” Its meaning is unfamiliar, wild, skittish, and fleeing animals. Since wild animals are unfamiliar with humans and flee at the mere sight of them, they are called “awābid.”

For details, see Hadith 4302.

Benefit:
It is established from this hadith that any permissible thing with which an animal whose meat is lawful to eat (ma’kul al-lahm) is slaughtered, while mentioning the name of Allah, is halal, except for teeth and nails. The prohibition of teeth is because they are bone, and with them the animal is not properly slaughtered. Similarly, slaughtering with a nail causes pain to the animal and does not result in a proper slaughter. In [صحيح بخاري 4598], there is a detailed incident before this hadith. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, before this hadith, writes: Reciting “Bismillah” at the time of slaughter, and regarding the one who deliberately omits “Bismillah”—

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu said: If someone forgets to recite “Bismillah” at the time of slaughter, there is no harm. The command of Allah, the Exalted, is: “And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned at the time of slaughter, for indeed, it is disobedience.” (al-An’am: 121) One who forgets cannot be called a transgressor (fasiq).

Furthermore, Allah, the Exalted, says: “And indeed, the devils inspire their allies to dispute with you, and if you obey them, you would indeed be polytheists.” (al-An’am: 121) [صحيح البخاري قبل ح : 5498]