Source: Aḥkām wa Masā’il: In Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī
❖ Question:
Is it proven from any ḥadīth that the animal should be laid facing the Qiblah at the time of slaughter?
✿ Answer:
Yes, facing the animal toward the Qiblah while slaughtering is proven by an authentic (ṣaḥīḥ) ḥadīth.
◈ Hadith Evidence
❖ Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh رضي الله عنهما narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ, on the Day of Sacrifice (ʿEid), slaughtered two horned, speckled, castrated rams. When he turned them to face the Qiblah, he recited the following supplication:
إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ عَلَىٰ مِلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ، وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ مِنْكَ وَلَكَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأُمَّتِهِ، بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ”
Then he slaughtered them.
📚 Abū Dāwūd – Kitāb al-Ḍaḥāyā, Bāb Mā Yustaḥabb fī al-Uḍḥiyah, ḥadīth: 2795
📚 Ibn Mājah: ḥadīth: 3121
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 4/287, ḥadīth: 2899
📚 Musnad Aḥmad: 3/370, ḥadīth: 15086
📚 al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim: 1/467, ḥadīth: 1716
◈ Ruling and Grading of the Ḥadīth
✦ The ḥadīth is graded ḥasan (sound) and is supported by multiple chains.
✦ The practice of turning the animal toward the Qiblah is derived directly from the Prophet’s ﷺ action in this narration.
✦ The narration also includes the supplication “Inni wajjahtu wajhiya…”, showing that the Prophet ﷺ recited it while slaughtering the animals after orienting them toward the Qiblah.
✅ Conclusion
✔ Facing the Qiblah while slaughtering an animal is a Sunnah established by a sound ḥadīth.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ himself did this during his ʿEid sacrifice.
✔ Hence, Muslims are encouraged to follow this prophetic practice when offering Qurbānī or any slaughter.
