43/21. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4404 — Valid Tools for Halal Slaughter
Slaughtering With The Teeth
Valid Halal Slaughter Tools When No Knife Is Available
Sunan an-Nasai : 4404
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4404
أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبَايَةَ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نَلْقَى الْعَدُوَّ غَدًا وَلَيْسَ مَعَنَا مُدًى . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا أَنْهَرَ الدَّمَ وَذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَكُلُوا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ سِنًّا أَوْ ظُفْرًا وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَمَّا السِّنُّ فَعَظْمٌ وَأَمَّا الظُّفْرُ فَمُدَى الْحَبَشَةِ " .
Rafi' bin Khadij Narrated from:
I said: 'O Messenger of Allah we are going to meet the enemy tomorrow and we do not have any knives.' The Messenger of Allah said: "If the blood is shed and the name of Allah is mentioned, then eat, unless (it is slaughtered (with teeth or nails, and I will tell you about that. As for teeth, they are bones, and as for nails, they are the knives of the Ethiopians."' (Sahih)
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4404In-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 44English translation : Vol. 5, Book 43, Hadith 4409
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4404
This hadith answers a practical question about halal slaughter tools. Rafi bin Khadij said that they expected to meet the enemy and had no knives. The Prophet explained that if the blood is shed and Allah's name is mentioned, the meat may be eaten, as long as the animal is not slaughtered with a tooth or nail. He then explained the stated reasons: a tooth is a bone, while nails were used as knives by the Ethiopians. The report shows that the rule was not limited to a standard knife. What mattered in the wording was shedding the blood, mentioning Allah, and avoiding the two named tools. For readers searching for slaughter without a knife in Islam, this hadith gives the answer within the exact situation described by Rafi.
What we learn from this hadith
- A standard knife was not available in the situation described.
- A tool that sheds the blood could be used, subject to the stated exclusions.
- Allah's name should be mentioned at slaughter.
- Teeth and nails were specifically excluded and explained in the hadith.
