35/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1968a — Halal Slaughter Rules with Allah’s Name
The permissibility of slaughtering with anything that makes the blood flow, except teeth and other bones
Hadith About Halal Slaughter, Allah’s Name, Tooth and Nail
Sahih Muslim : 1968a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1968a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَبَايَةَ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ بْنِ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، عَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لاَقُو الْعَدُوِّ غَدًا وَلَيْسَتْ مَعَنَا مُدًى قَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَعْجِلْ أَوْ أَرْنِي مَا أَنْهَرَ الدَّمَ وَذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ فَكُلْ لَيْسَ السِّنَّ وَالظُّفُرَ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكَ أَمَّا السِّنُّ فَعَظْمٌ وَأَمَّا الظُّفُرُ فَمُدَى الْحَبَشَةِ " . قَالَ وَأَصَبْنَا نَهْبَ إِبِلٍ وَغَنَمٍ فَنَدَّ مِنْهَا بَعِيرٌ فَرَمَاهُ رَجُلٌ بِسَهْمٍ فَحَبَسَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ لِهَذِهِ الإِبِلِ أَوَابِدَ كَأَوَابِدِ الْوَحْشِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَكُمْ مِنْهَا شَىْءٌ فَاصْنَعُوا بِهِ هَكَذَا " .
Rafi' bin Khadij Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger, we are going to encounter the enemy tomorrow, but we have no knives with us. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Make haste or be careful (in making arrangements for procuring knives) which would let the blood flow (and along with it) the name of Allah is also to be recited. Then eat, but not the tooth or nail. And I am going to tell you why it is not permissible to slaughter the animal with the help of tooth and bone; and as for the nail. it is a bone, and the bone is the knife of Abyssinians.He (the narrator) said: There fell to our lot as spoils of war camels and goats, and one of the camels among them became wild. A person (amongst us struck It with an arrow which brought it under control. whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: This camel became wild like wild animals, so if you find any animal getting wild, you do the same with that
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1968aIn-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 29USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 22, Hadith 4846
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1968a
This Hadith about halal slaughter rules answers a real question from Rafi’ ibn Khadij. They were going to face the enemy and did not have knives. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught that what lets the blood flow and over which Allah’s name is mentioned may be eaten, but not what is slaughtered with tooth or nail. He explained that the tooth is bone and the nail was the knife of Abyssinians. The report also mentions a camel that became wild, and a man stopped it with an arrow. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that some camels behave like wild animals, so if one overcomes you, do the same. The Hadith teaches practical care, Allah’s name, and limits in slaughter.
What we learn from this hadith
- Mention Allah’s name when slaughtering, as stated in the report.
- Use a tool that lets the blood flow, based on the wording of the Hadith.
- Do not use tooth or nail for slaughter in this narration.
- If an animal becomes uncontrollable, the report gives a practical response.
