18/18. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1491 — Proper Slaughter Without Knives
What Has Been Related About Slaughtering With Reeds And The Like
Hadith About Halal Slaughter Without a Knife
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1491
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1491
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبَايَةَ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ بْنِ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نَلْقَى الْعَدُوَّ غَدًا وَلَيْسَتْ مَعَنَا مُدًى فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا أَنْهَرَ الدَّمَ وَذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فَكُلُوهُ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ سِنًّا أَوْ ظُفُرًا وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَمَّا السِّنُّ فَعَظْمٌ وَأَمَّا الظُّفُرُ فَمُدَى الْحَبَشَةِ " .حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ عَبَايَةَ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ، عَنِ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، رضى الله عنه عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَبَايَةُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَهَذَا أَصَحُّ وَعَبَايَةُ قَدْ سَمِعَ مِنْ رَافِعٍ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ لاَ يَرَوْنَ أَنْ يُذَكَّى بِسِنٍّ وَلاَ بِعَظْمٍ .
Rafi' bin Khadij Narrated from:
I Said: 'O Messenger Of Allah! We Expect To Meet The Enemy Tomorrow And We Have No Knives.' So The Prophet (ﷺ) Said: 'As Long As It Causes Blood To Flow, And Allah'S Name Has Been Mentioned Over It, Then Eat It, Provided That It Was Not Done With A Tooth Or Nail. And I Will Tell You Why: As For The Tooth It Is A Bone, And As For The Nail It Is The Knife Of The Ethiopians.'"Another Chain From Rafi' Bin Khadij (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) From The Prophet (ﷺ) And It Is Similar, But The Narrator Did Not Mention In It: "Abayah, From His Father" And This Is More Correct. 'Abayah Heard From Rafi'.
[1] This could mean that: When they meet the enemies and it happens that they have amongst the spoils, animals to slaughter. It could also mean that: they needed to slaughter animals to eat for strength to face the enemies. ( Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi )Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1491In-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 33,34English translation : Vol. 3, Book 16, Hadith 1491
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1491
This hadith about halal slaughter came from a practical question. Rafi bin Khadij said they expected to meet the enemy and had no knives. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered that if the tool causes blood to flow and Allah’s name is mentioned over it, then they may eat, as long as it is not done with a tooth or nail. The hadith also explains why: the tooth is a bone, and the nail is described as the knife of the Ethiopians. The main lesson is clear from the text: slaughter needs flowing blood and the name of Allah, while tooth and nail are excluded.
What we learn from this hadith
- The name of Allah must be mentioned over the slaughter.
- The tool must cause blood to flow.
- A tooth and a nail are excluded in this hadith.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered a real need with clear limits.
