Prohibition of Harming the Slaughtered Animal, Mutilating It, or Slaughtering in the Name of Others Besides Allah
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
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]
