Ruling on the Slaughter of Polytheists and Butchers in Pakistan
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 1 – Kitāb al-ʿAqāʾid, p. 90
Question:
Is the slaughter of polytheists (other than the People of the Book) ḥarām in Islamic law?
What is the ruling on meat from butchers in Pakistan, many of whom are irreligious?
Did any Ṣaḥābī or Tābiʿī hold the view that slaughter by polytheists is permissible?
❖ Qur’anic Rulings on the Slaughter of Polytheists
Allah ﷻ says:
"فَكُلُوا مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ"
"So eat of that (animal) upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned."
(Surah al-Anʿām: 118)And He ﷻ also says:
"وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌ"
"And do not eat that upon which Allah’s name has not been mentioned, for indeed it is a sin."
(Surah al-Anʿām: 121)
These verses clearly establish two essential conditions for lawful meat:➊ The animal must be from a halal species.
➋ The name of Allah must be mentioned at the time of slaughter.
❖ Slaughter by the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitāb)
Allah ﷻ says:
"وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَكُمْ"
"The food (slaughter) of the People of the Book is lawful for you."
(Surah al-Māʾidah: 5)This verse confirms that the slaughter of Jews and Christians is permissible, if Allah’s name is mentioned at the time of slaughter.
Imām al-Ṭabarī (رحمه الله) said:"The slaughter of the People of the Book is lawful for you."
(Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, 6/64)
❖ Scholarly Consensus on the Prohibition of Polytheists’ Slaughter
According to Hadith scholars and jurists, there is consensus (Ijmāʿ) that:
➊ The slaughter of all polytheists and idol-worshippers, other than the People of the Book, is haram.
➋ The slaughter of apostates, atheists, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and other disbelievers who are not from Ahl al-Kitāb is also haram.
Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمهم الله) stated:"There is consensus that the slaughter of non-Ahl al-Kitāb polytheists is prohibited."
Imām al-Zuhrī (رحمه الله) said:"The meat slaughtered by Arab Christians may be consumed because they are from the People of the Book and they mention Allah’s name."
(Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, 6/65; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – Kitāb al-Dhabāʾiḥ, 5508) This confirms that the Ummah is united on the prohibition of the slaughter of non-Ahl al-Kitāb polytheists.❖ Slaughter by Deviant Muslims or Irreligious Believers
Muslims are categorized into two broad groups:
➊ Ahl al-Sunnah – Orthodox Muslims with sound belief.
➋ Ahl al-Bidʿah – Muslims with deviant beliefs.
Even among Ahl al-Sunnah, there are:
➊ Righteous Muslims.
➋ Sinful and disobedient Muslims.
This leads to the question: Is the slaughter of an irreligious or deviant Muslim permissible?
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:"Anyone who professes the Shahādah (kalimah) is part of the Muslim Ummah, and his slaughter is considered valid, as long as he does not sacrifice in the name of other than Allah."
Hadith Evidence Supporting This View
Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
People said:"O Messenger of Allah! Some people bring us meat, but we do not know whether the name of Allah was mentioned over it or not."
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"Say 'Bismillah' over it and eat."
(Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2057, 7398)
This Hadith shows that the default assumption is that a Muslim mentions Allah’s name, unless proven otherwise.Hence, the slaughter of a Muslim is permissible unless it is certain that it was done in the name of someone other than Allah.
❖ Ruling on the Slaughter by Irreligious or Non-Practicing Muslims
Is the slaughter of someone who neglects ṣalāh valid?
Scholars differ:
➊ Some consider a non-praying person as a disbeliever, so his slaughter is invalid.
➋ Others consider him a sinful Muslim, so his slaughter is still valid.
Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) and others opined that the non-praying Muslim is not necessarily a kāfir, so his slaughter is ḥalāl. Shaykh ʿAbd al-Manʿān Nūrpūrī (رحمه الله) said:"If the slaughter of Ahl al-Kitāb is permissible, then the slaughter of a non-praying Muslim who professes the Shahādah is also permissible — as long as he does not slaughter in the name of other than Allah."
Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) stated:"If a Muslim intentionally omits mentioning Allah’s name, his slaughter is prohibited. However, if it is forgotten, it may still be consumed."
(Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, p. 204)
❖ Ruling on Meat from Butchers in Pakistan
In Pakistan, many butchers may be negligent or irreligious, but they are professing Muslims.
Therefore, if they mention Allah’s name during slaughter, the meat is halāl.
However, if they slaughter in the name of anyone other than Allah (such as a pīr, saint, or grave), their slaughter is haram. “And Allah knows best what is correct.”