The Ruling on the Invocation and Facing the Qiblah During Ritual Slaughter

Question:
I inform your eminence that I work as a butcher and I wish to inquire about ritual slaughter. Is it sufficient to say the name of Allah and not face the qiblah, or is it necessary to do both? The place where I work is narrow, and I am unable to face the qiblah while slaughtering. Please advise us; may Allah reward you.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, the invocation (tasmiah) in ritual slaughter is obligatory along with the remembrance of Allah, because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, commanded it, and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) also commanded it. Therefore, it is not permissible to intentionally leave out the invocation. One should say at the time of slaughter, "In the name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest." This is the sunnah (recommended practice): "In the name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest." If he says only "In the name of Allah," that is sufficient. He must not intentionally leave out the invocation. If he leaves it out due to forgetfulness or ignorance, there is no blame on him, and the slaughtered animal is lawful. However, he must not leave it out intentionally. As for facing the qiblah, it is recommended (mustahabb) and not obligatory. If he slaughters facing a direction other than the qiblah, that is sufficient and valid, but facing the qiblah with the animal is better. Yes. May Allah bless you and reward you with good.