In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
” Say: “Verily, my prayer, my slaughter, my life and my death are [all] for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner: This am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit” (Qur’aan 6:162-163)
“He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Qur’aan 16:115)
This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them..” (Qur’aan 5:5)
The meat which we eat should be halal. So what exactly is halal meat? Here are some summarized rules.
Conditions of slaughtering
(1st Condition:)The one who slaughters must be legally qualified for slaughtering. He must be:
Sane
a Muslim or a Jew or a Christian
If these requirements are not met – the slaughtering is invalid, the slaughter is not permissible.
Evidence for accepting the meat slaughtered by a Jew or a Christian is found in Suurat-Al-Maaidah verse 5.
The Ulamaa (Scholars) have differed in their opinions whether or not it is a requirement that Ahl-ul-Kitaab slaughters the same way as Muslims. Majority of scholars consider it to be a requirement that they slaughter the same way as Muslims (ie. they must let the blood flow). This is the correct opinion because if this is a requirement then it must also be required from ahl-ul-kitaab. But we do not need to know their way of slaughtering or if the kitaabi slaughterer pronounced tasmiyah, ie. name of Allaah, ie. this is not a requirement. Evidence for this is found in Saheeh al-Bukhaari:
Aaishah, radhiallaahu anhaa, narrated:
“The people said to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “O Allah’s Apostle! Here are people who have recently embraced Islam and they bring meat, and we do not know whether they had mentioned Allah’s Name while slaughtering the animals or not.” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “You should mention Allah’s Name and eat.” (Volume 9, Book 93, Number 495)
However, if it is known that the meat is not slaughtered correctly one must stay away from it. [B]
If a person fears concerning this and leaves it then there’s no harm upon him.
It is not binding upon us to ask whether the person of ahl-ul-kitaab made the tasmiyah. Actually, there’s daleel that indicates the opposite: it is better not to ask (the hadeeth mentioned above in which Allaah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam adviced the Muslims just to mention tasmiyah before eating).
If we are certain that the People of the Book mention another name than the name of Allaah while slaughtering -> it is impermissible for us to eat the meat.
(2nd Condition:) Intention for the Slaughtering
Without the intention the animal is not halaal.
(3rd & 4th Condition:) Using the Proper Tool and Letting the Blood Flow
It is a condition that the blood is let to flow. To accomplish this one must use a proper ‘tool’. Proper tools do not include the bones (because it is either filthy or the bones become filthy and this will harm the jinn) and finger nails (as used by the Ethiopians who used to let them grow and used them as kind of knives – and this is in opposition of the fitrah and resembles the enemies).
The ‘tool’ should cause the blood to flow. This is accomplished by cutting the jugular veins. It is not a condition to cut the throat and oesephagus.
(5th Condition:) Tasmiyah
Some of the Ulamaa mentioned that tasmiyah is a sunnah. And the other opinion is that it is a condition that is lifted due to forgetfulness. And the third opinion is that it is a condition that it is not lifted due to forgetfulness – this opinion is supported by daleel from Qur’aan and Sunnah.
The slaughter must be solely for Allaah. The intention should not be for other than Allaah.
source: muslimahconnection
Well narrated! It is a must for every male muslim who is mature, to have knowledge on how to slaughter an animal.Also if we are not the one slaughtering it, we are oblidged to observe the methods inorder to make sure muslims are safe interms of slaughtered animals.Jazakallah brother rthis is a good article.
If I have understood well, are u saying we can eat meat slaughtered by Christians or Jews?
Know that christian or jew today would never accept Allah as true God.By this only they are not qualified to slaughter for muslim consumption.
It's true brother. What those people are today is far from what is said in the verses of the holy Quran. That's why Rasul (pbuh) once emphasized that Halal and haram have been mentioned. Thus, we need to stay away from their stuff. Although it has been mentioned of the Scholars' differences on this matter, the more apparent saying which we must take is that there is no way; we must keep off such foods
Praise be to Allah.
Thanks for the question,
I would like to explain this a little bit clearly, because today things have completely changed; we are engaged in many obstacles over privileges given to us by Allah Taala
The issue of Ahlul Kitab (Jews and Christians) is still mysterious, because we don not have the original Ahlul Kitabi (true holders of the books Torah and (Injeel) Bible) what we have right now are just mushrikuun. For this reason, many things originating from theses people schall remain questioned
“Made lawful to you this day are At Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful) foods, which Allaah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits)]. The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them” Qur'an 5:5
According to Fatwa No. 88206 of Sheikh Muhammad Al Munajjid,
Meat slaughtered by one of the people of the Book (a Jew or a Christian) is permissible subject to two conditions:
That the meat be slaughtered as a Muslim does it; buy cutting the throat and oesophagus and letting the blood flow. If the animal is killed by strangling or electric shock or drowning in water, its meat is not permissible. Similarly, if a Muslim does that, the meat is not permissible.
If a Muslim, Jew or Christian slaughters an animal for meat, and it is not known whether he mentioned the name of Allah over it or not, it is permissible to eat from it, and the one who eats it should say the name of Allah, because of the report that was narrated by al-Bukhaari from Aishah (ra), that some people said:
Some people brought meat to us, and we do not know whether they mentioned the name of Allah over it or not. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Mention the name of Allah over it and eat.” She said: They were new in Islam, and the Prophet (pbuh) told them to eat without asking, even though those who brought the meat to them may not have been aware of the rulings of Islam because they were new in Islam. From Risaalah fi Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wa’l-Dhakaah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.
Based on the above, whoever travels to a non-Muslim country where most of those who slaughter meat are Christians or Jews, it is permissible for him to eat their meat, unless he knows that they stun the animals or mention over them the name of someone other than Allah, and did not do the way Muslims do, as stated above.
But if the slaughterman is an idol-worshipper or communist, it is not permissible to eat meat slaughtered by him.
If the meat is haraam, it is not permissible to eat from it on the grounds of necessity, so long as a person can find food to keep him alive, such as fish, vegetables and so on.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak said: “The meats available in kaafir countries are of various types. As for fish, it is halaal in all cases, because its being halaal does not depend on the way in which it is slaughtered or on the name of Allaah being mentioned over it.
With regard to other types of meat, if the companies or individuals who produce meat are people of the Book, Jews or Christians, and it is not known from them that they kill the animal by electric shock, strangling or striking it on the head, as is well known in the west, then this meat is halaal. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Made lawful to you this day are At Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful) foods, which Allaah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits). The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them” Qur'an 5:5
But if they kill the animal by one of the methods mentioned, then the meat is haraam, because in that case it is meat that has been strangled or killed by a blow. If those who produce the meat are not Jews or Christians, then the meat that they offer is haraam. Allah says:
“Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allah's Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal), for sure it is Fisq (a sin and disobedience of Allah)” Qur'an 6:121
The Muslim should strive to avoid that which is clearly haraam and be cautious of doubtful matters so as to preserve his religious commitment and to keep his body safe from being nourished with haraam things.
Many Scholars have given different long explanations on this subject matter, but the authentic one lies under Allah' Knowledge – And Allalh Knows Best.
Wassalam Alakium
The people of the Scripture then were Christians who believed in Tauheed and Jews who were the true decendants of the Children of Jacob and not imposters as we have these days. It's better to be completely avoid their meat when travelling to those countries.
I think on whether the current ahallikitabu adhere to the teachings of their books or not is paramount here. I think it will be better to avoid that which is doubtful. 90% the Jews and Christians today do not practice the religion which the Holy Qur'an refers to in these verses. neither do they know any procedure of slaughtering animals and dedicating that to Allah alone.
I think We should therefore be very careful when dealing with this issue.
I have also just discovered that there are some places where they inscribe that halal foods sold here. but you will find the same people selling some haram stuff e.g pork.
we really need to guard ourselves against such places and people.
Unfortunately we do not have people of the book today but rather christians.People of the book were charecterised by the worship of one God.Christians would hardly accept the oneness of God by attributing some partners to HIM.Subhanallah.Therefore they are not qualified to slaughter animals for muslim consumption.