35/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1968c — Slaughter Without Knives and a Wild Camel
The permissibility of slaughtering with anything that makes the blood flow, except teeth and other bones
Hadith About Slaughter Without Knives and a Wild Camel
Sahih Muslim : 1968c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1968c
وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبَايَةَ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، رَافِعٍ ثُمَّ حَدَّثَنِيهِ عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبَايَةَ بْنِ، رِفَاعَةَ بْنِ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لاَقُو الْعَدُوِّ غَدًا وَلَيْسَ مَعَنَا مُدًى فَنُذَكِّي بِاللِّيطِ وَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ بِقِصَّتِهِ وَقَالَ فَنَدَّ عَلَيْنَا بَعِيرٌ مِنْهَا فَرَمَيْنَاهُ بِالنَّبْلِ حَتَّى وَهَصْنَاهُ .
Rafi' bin Khadij Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger, we are going to encounter the enemy tomorrow, but we do not have long knives with us, should we then slaughter them with the peel of the reed? The rest of the hadith is the same. (And at the end the words are):" A camel became wild (and got out of our control). We attacked it with arrows until we made it fall down."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1968cIn-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 31USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 22, Hadith 4848
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1968c
This Hadith about slaughter without knives presents the question in a slightly different wording. Rafi’ ibn Khadij reports from his grandfather that they asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم about facing the enemy while not having long knives, and whether they could slaughter with the peel of reed. The rest of the Hadith is the same, ending with the wild camel being attacked with arrows until it fell. The text points to the same main issue: what may be used when a normal knife is not available, while still keeping Allah’s name and proper blood flow in view. It also shows that when an animal escaped control, they dealt with it in a way described in the narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ask before using an unusual tool for slaughter.
- The report keeps Allah’s name and blood flow tied to lawful eating in the wider wording.
- A runaway camel was handled like a wild animal in this narration.
- Different wordings should be read with care.
