It is Mustahab (preferable) that the person to whom the Qurbani animal belongs slaughters it personally, provided he is able to slaughter (make Zabah) properly.
If the owner is unable to slaughter, it is better to delegate the Zabah to another Muslim who is acquainted with the requirements of proper Islaamic Zabah.
The animal that is going to be sacrificed should be fed and given water. The knife that is going to be used should be sharpened beforehand, but not in front of the animal. The animal should be laid on it's left side with it's face pointing towards the Qibla and the person slaughtering the animal should put their right foot on the animal and quickly slaughter the animal using a sharp knife. Before slaughtering the animal, this Dua should be prayed;
"Inni Wajjahto Waj'hiya Lillazi Fataras Samaawaat'e Wal'arda Hanifaw Wamaa Anaa Minal Mushrikeena, inna Salaati Wa Nusooki Wa Mah'Yaaya Wa Ma'maati Lillahi Rabbil Aalameen. Laa Shareeka Lahu Wa Bizaalika Umirtu Wa Anaa Minal Muslimeena Allahumma Laka Waminka Bismillahi Allahu Akbar"
As soon as you finish praying the Dua, start cutting with the knife and say Bismillahi Allahu Akbar . If the Qurbani is from yourself then after slaughtering pray this Dua;
"Allahumma Taqabbal Minni Kamaa Taqabbalta Min Khaleelika Ibraheema Alaihis Salaam Wa Habeebika Muhammadin Sallalaho Alaihi Wasallam"
When slaughtering cut all four veins (in the throat) or at least three veins and so that the knife reaches the back of the throat and it should not be cut more than that as it would cause unnecessary pain for the animal. As soon as the animal goes cold then cut the feet and take off the skin. If you have slaughtered the animal on behalf of someone then at the point where you pray "Minni" pray "Min Falaa" (meaning their name). If the animal is bought jointly and there are more than one person involved in the partnership of the animal such as a cow, camel, buffalo etc. then all their names should be said in place of 'Falaa'.
Those who are ignorant about the proper Islamic method that is carried out in the slaughtering of animals do not
hesitate in criticising Muslims and in regarding this Islamic method of slaughter as primitive, barbaric and a cruelty to animals.
The aim of presenting this article is to inform the public that the Islamic method of slaughtering an animal is most humane, painless and better than the current methods of mechanical and electrical stunning of animals that are normally done in abattoirs.( which is totally haram )
In order for large meat industries and commercial establishments to provide a much higher production, they all favour the method of mechanical and electrical stunning. They regard all other methods of slaughter as cruel and even manage to get the support of Animal Rights groups to oppose the Islamic method of slaughter. In the Islamic method of slaughtering an animal, the animal is slaughtered by a sharp object which is capable of making it bleed by severing blood vessels. The slaughtering is to be done by cutting the throat of the animal or by piercing the hollow of the throat, causing its death. The best way is to cut the windpipe, the gullet, and the two jugular veins. The wisdom of the Islamic rules of slaughtering is to take the animal's life in the quickest and least painful way; the requirements of using a sharp instrument and of cutting the throat relate to this end. No additional stunner is necessary. This method also allows for the most rapid and efficient bleeding of the animal. When the sharp knife enters the tissues of the neck, its cuts open four big blood vessels in the region. So much blood is lost so quickly that the animal becomes unconscious and feels no pain.
When the animal convulses, one gets the impression that it is undergoing pain and suffering. However, this is not the case. In the Islamic manner of slaughtering, the spinal cord is not severed since the nervous connection between the brain and the body is maintained so that all the blood is squeezed out of the body. When convulsion takes place, the wringing actions of the muscles of the body on the blood vessels help to get rid of the maximum amount of blood from the meat tissue. In fact, the occurrence of convulsions confirms that the animal is unconscious. Thus, the animal also does not experience any pain. In view of the above considerations, attempts to discredit the Islamic method of slaughter are ill-conceived. Based on scientific evidence, it should not be too difficult for individuals and groups to give up their attempts to interfere with religious beliefs and religious laws in general. The Islamic method of slaughter has stood the test of time and of scientific enquiry and remains by far the best, the most efficient and the safest.
| SACRIFICING ANIMALS |
I. Hadrat Zaid ibn Arqam Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu reported that the companions of the Messenger of Allah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam asked:
يا رسول الله ما هذه الأضاحى قال: سنة أبيكم إبراهيم. قالوا فما لنا فيها يا رسول الله قال: بكل شعرة حسنة. قالوا فالصوف يا رسول الله قال: بكل شعرة من الصوف حسنة
"O Messenger of Allah! What is this sacrifice?" He said, "It is the practice of your father Abraham." They asked, "What is the reward for us in it?" He said, "For every hair, you will be rewarded." They asked, "for the wool, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "For every strand of wool you will be rewarded."[Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Page 226, Hadith 3247]
II. Hadrat 'Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha reported that the Messenger of Allah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam has said,
ما عمل آدمى من عمل يوم النحر أحب إلى الله من إهراق الدم إنها لتأتى يوم القيامة بقرونها وأشعارها وأظلافها وإن الدم ليقع من الله بمكان قبل أن يقع من الأرض فطيبوا بها نفسا
"On the day of sacrifice no one does a deed more pleasing to Allah than the shedding of blood. The sacrifice will come on the Day of Resurrection with its horns, its hairs and its hooves; and the blood finds acceptance with Allah before it falls on the ground." [Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol. 1, Page 275, Hadith 1572]
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III. Hadrat Hanash Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu reported:
رأيت عليا رضي الله عنه يضحي بكبشين فقلت له : ما هذا ؟ فقال : إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أوصاني أن أضحي عنه فأنا أضحي عنه
I saw Hadrat 'Ali sacrificing two rams. I asked him: "what is this?" He said, "The Messenger of Allah had enjoined me to sacrifice on his behalf; so I am sacrificing on his behalf." [Mishkat, Page 128, Hadith 1642]
IV. Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu reported that the Messenger of Allah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam has said,
من وجد سعة فلم يضح فلا يقربن مصلانا
"Such a person who had the ability and means to sacrifice an animal, but (despite this) he did not do so; should never come near our Eidgah (place where the Eid prayers are performed)." [Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 18, Page 27, Hadith 8496]
V. Hadrat Umm-e-Salmah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha reported that the Messenger of Allah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam has said,
إذا رأيتم هلال ذى الحجة وأراد أحدكم أن يضحى فليمسك عن شعره وأظفاره
"when you see the new moon of Dhul Hijjah and one of you intends to make sacrifice, he must not shave his hair, trim it, or clip his nails." [Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2, Page 160, Hadith 5234]
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1. For the condition of sacrificing, the Malik-e-Nisab is the person who possesses 52 ½ tolas (620 grammes) of silver or 7 ½ tolas (88 grammes) of gold; or they have the same amount equivalent to either of the above item in value in business goods or non-business goods, which are not goods that are the basic necessities of life. The wealth and/or property should be 'extra'/above one's basic necessities (hajat-e-asliyyah).
2. Nowadays, the price of silver is less. The price of silver in current-day value is approximately £2 per tola. Therefore, anyone who possess the value of: £2 x 52 ½ tola = £105 - which exceeds his/her basic necessities and also the debt which is to be paid back – then it is wajib on such a person to sacrifice an animal.
3. Such a Malik-e-Nisab who has already sacrificed an animal on behalf of himself, and the following year he is still a Malik-e-Nisab then again it is wajib upon him to sacrifice an animal on his behalf. This ruling applies for each year (that sacrificing is wajib if a person is a Malik-e-Nisab). It has been stated in a Hadith: "It is wajib upon every household to sdacrifice an animal each year."
4. If a Malik-e-Nisab sacrifices on behalf of someone else, instead of sacrificing an animal on behalf of himself (i.e. does not sacrifice an animal on his behalf), then he has committed a great sin. Thus, if he wants to sacrifice on someone else's behalf, then he should make preparations to buy another animal and sacrifice it.
5. Some people who think that, "It is wajib only once in a lifetime to sacrifice an animal on one's behalf" is farce and wrong, which has no proof; as it is wajib upon a Malik-e-Nisab to sacrifice an animal on his behalf each year.
6. In villages, it is permissible to sacrifice animals on the 10th of Dhu'l Hijjah after the break of dawn (Subh-e-Sadiq). However, it is Mustahab to sacrifice it after sunrise. [Fatawa-e-'Alamgiri Vol. 5 Page 260]
7. It is not permissible to sacrifice animals before the Eid prayer in cities and towns. [Bahar-e-Shari'at]
8. Such a poor person - who cannot afford to sacrifice an animal - should also refrain from shaving or trimming hair and clipping nails; so as to resemble the pilgrims on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah.
9. It is permissible for a resident of a city or a town to send his animal to a person living in a village; and have it sacrificed before the Eid prayer; and then have the meat sent back to him in the city or town.[al-Durr al-Mukhtar]
10. It is not permissible to give the skin or the meat of the sacrificed animal as the wage to the butcher or the one who has sacrificed the animal. [al-Durr al-Mukhtar]
11. It is not permissible to give the meat of a sacrificed animal to any infidel.
12. The method of sacrificing an animal is to lay it on its left, such that its face is towards the Qiblah and then place the right foot on its side and holding a sharp knife (concealed obviously from the animal or if it is blind-folded then there is no harm). The animal should be sacrificed using a sharp knife.
13. If the Qurban has been performed on behalf of someone who has passed away, then the meat cannot be eaten by the person himself nor can it be given to a rich person. It is wajib to give all the meat to the poor as sadaqah. [Bahar-e-Shari'at]
14. The animal's skin, reins, saddle etc should all be given in sadaqah, one can use the skin for their own usage, such as to make the skin into a leather bag or a prayer mat. However, one cannot sell the skin to someone else, and then use the money for their own benefit. If this has been done, then the money received should be given as sadaqah.
15. Nowadays, people give the animal skin to Madrissahs and other Islamic institutions. This is perfectly permissible. If one sells the skin with the intention of giving the money received to the Madrissa, then this is also permissible. ['Alamgiri, Bahar-e-Shari'at]
16. The skin of the sacrificed animal cannot be given to the Imam as his wage. Yes, however, it can be given to him as a gift or for his benefit. [Bahar-e-Shari'at]
17. A camel must be at least five years old; a buffalo should be at least two years old; and a sheep, lamb or a goat should be at least one year old. [al-Durr al-Mukhtar]
18. The animal intended to be slaughtered should be big and health, and should be free from any faults or defects. If there is a minor defect in the animal, then the Qurbani will count, but it is Makruh. If there is a major defect, then the Qurbani will not count. [al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar, Fatawa-e-'Alamgiri]
Some think that sacrificing one animal will suffice for one whole household; all of whom are Malik-e-Nisab. This is wrong. Each and every person from such a household should sacrifice an animal on their behalf. Yes, however, a household can share seven parts from a 'large' animal such as a camel, cow, buffalo etc.
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