Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
Slaughter (dhabḥ) is itself an act of worship, and the Qur’ān commands that it be done solely for Allah. If performed for anyone besides Him, it becomes shirk akbar (major polytheism) that takes a person out of Islām.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانحَر﴾ [al-Kawthar: 2]
"So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]."
Also:
﴿قُل إِنَّ صَلاتى وَنُسُكى وَمَحياىَ وَمَماتى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ العـلَمينَ • لا شَريكَ لَهُ وَبِذلِكَ أُمِرتُ وَأَنا۠ أَوَّلُ المُسلِمينَ﴾ [al-Anʿām: 162–163]
"Say, indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims."
﴿إِنَّهُ مَن يُشرِك بِاللَّهِ فَقَد حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ الجَنَّةَ وَمَأوىهُ النّارُ وَما لِلظّـلِمينَ مِن أَنصارٍ﴾ [al-Mā’idah: 72]
"Indeed, he who associates others with Allah – Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his abode is the Fire. And the wrongdoers will have no helpers."
Evidence:
﴿حُرِّمَت عَلَيكُمُ المَيتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحمُ الخِنزيرِ وَما أُهِلَّ لِغَيرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ... وَما ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ﴾ [al-Mā’idah: 3]
"Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah... and that which has been sacrificed on stone alters."
Why Slaughtering for Other than Allah is Major Shirk
Slaughter (dhabḥ) is itself an act of worship, and the Qur’ān commands that it be done solely for Allah. If performed for anyone besides Him, it becomes shirk akbar (major polytheism) that takes a person out of Islām.
Qur’ānic Evidences
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانحَر﴾ [al-Kawthar: 2]
"So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]."
Also:
﴿قُل إِنَّ صَلاتى وَنُسُكى وَمَحياىَ وَمَماتى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ العـلَمينَ • لا شَريكَ لَهُ وَبِذلِكَ أُمِرتُ وَأَنا۠ أَوَّلُ المُسلِمينَ﴾ [al-Anʿām: 162–163]
"Say, indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims."
Ruling
- Whoever slaughters for an angel, prophet, messenger, caliph, saint, or scholar is committing major shirk and leaves the fold of Islām.
- Allah ﷻ warns:
﴿إِنَّهُ مَن يُشرِك بِاللَّهِ فَقَد حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ الجَنَّةَ وَمَأوىهُ النّارُ وَما لِلظّـلِمينَ مِن أَنصارٍ﴾ [al-Mā’idah: 72]
"Indeed, he who associates others with Allah – Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his abode is the Fire. And the wrongdoers will have no helpers."
Ruling on Eating Such Meat
- Meat from an animal slaughtered for other than Allah is harām.
- This includes any animal over which the name of other than Allah is invoked, or which is slaughtered for a shrine, idol, or saint.
Evidence:
﴿حُرِّمَت عَلَيكُمُ المَيتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحمُ الخِنزيرِ وَما أُهِلَّ لِغَيرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ... وَما ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ﴾ [al-Mā’idah: 3]
"Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah... and that which has been sacrificed on stone alters."
Conclusion
- Slaughtering for other than Allah is major shirk.
- The meat is completely harām and never permissible to eat.
