Branding camels
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 21280 )
Q: The owners of livestock, and most of the Bedouin in our area of Bisha , resort to what is called al-dhiyyar—or al-dhiyar without the shaddah—performed on a she-camel when her calf dies and she has not yet produced milk after its death. This is because they wait a full year for her, and if her calf dies, she remains pregnant for another year without them benefiting from her milk, so they resort to al-dhiyar. The method is as follows: they tie her nostrils (the respiratory system) with a rope so that she can only breathe a little, until she loses consciousness. They tie her with all four legs and place seven bundles, each the size of a hand’s grip, into the urethra, then sew them shut. She remains in this state, with her breathing restricted and the sewing in place, for approximately six to eight, or up to twelve hours. The she-camel then gives birth to these seven, and labor strikes her. During that time, a calf or young camel from another she-camel is placed in front of her. After the stitches and the rope on the respiratory system are removed, the she-camel stands up and attempts to nurse this calf or young camel, and consequently, by the will of Allah, her milk flows, if Allah wills. Sometimes, however, this procedure does not work for her. What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding what our noble religion dictates about this practice, which we see as torture of the she-camel in exchange for obtaining her milk?
A: This practice mentioned in the question is not permissible because it involves the torture of an animal.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: The owners of livestock, and most of the Bedouin in our area of Bisha , resort to what is called al-dhiyyar—or al-dhiyar without the shaddah—performed on a she-camel when her calf dies and she has not yet produced milk after its death. This is because they wait a full year for her, and if her calf dies, she remains pregnant for another year without them benefiting from her milk, so they resort to al-dhiyar. The method is as follows: they tie her nostrils (the respiratory system) with a rope so that she can only breathe a little, until she loses consciousness. They tie her with all four legs and place seven bundles, each the size of a hand’s grip, into the urethra, then sew them shut. She remains in this state, with her breathing restricted and the sewing in place, for approximately six to eight, or up to twelve hours. The she-camel then gives birth to these seven, and labor strikes her. During that time, a calf or young camel from another she-camel is placed in front of her. After the stitches and the rope on the respiratory system are removed, the she-camel stands up and attempts to nurse this calf or young camel, and consequently, by the will of Allah, her milk flows, if Allah wills. Sometimes, however, this procedure does not work for her. What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding what our noble religion dictates about this practice, which we see as torture of the she-camel in exchange for obtaining her milk?
A: This practice mentioned in the question is not permissible because it involves the torture of an animal.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.