Prohibition of Harming the Slaughtered Animal, Mutilating It, or Slaughtering in the Name of Others Besides Allah
Kindness in Slaughter
Shaddād ibn Aws رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Allah has decreed excellence in all things. So, when you kill, kill in a good manner.
وإذا ذبحتم فأحسنوا الذبح وليحد أحدكم شفرته وليرح ذبيحته
‘When you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and let him comfort his animal.’”
[Muslim 1955, Book of Hunting and Slaughtering; Abu Dawud 2814; Ibn Majah 3170; Tirmidhi 1409; Ahmad 4/123; Bayhaqi 9/280; Darimi 2/82; Sharh al-Sunnah 11/319]
Bukhari’s Chapter Heading
Imam al-Bukhari رحمه الله said:
باب ما يكره من المثلة والمصبورة والمجثمة
“Chapter: It is disliked to mutilate a living animal, cut off parts of it, bind it for shooting, or use it as a target.”
Under this, he narrated:
نهى عن النهبة والمثلة
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade looting and mutilation.”
[Bukhari 5516, Book of Slaughtering and Hunting]
Slaughtering for Other Than Allah is Prohibited
① Qur’anic Evidence:
وَمَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ
“And that over which a name other than Allah has been invoked [is forbidden].” (Al-Baqarah: 173)
② Hadith Evidence:
لعن الله من ذبح لغير الله
“Allah curses the one who slaughters for other than Allah.”
[Muslim 1978; Ahmad 1/118; Nasa’i 7/232; Al-Adab al-Mufrad of Bukhari: 17]
Important Clarification
Slaughtering an animal in honor of a king or any official is permissible just like slaughtering for ʿAqīqah, Walīmah, or hospitality — provided the above-mentioned conditions of halal slaughter are fulfilled.
[Nayl al-Awtār 5/216; al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr 12/85]
