I am a Moroccan worker employed at one of the chicken processing plants in the Netherlands, and this chicken is exported to many Islamic countries, knowing that this chicken is not slaughtered in the Islamic manner.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : He says, I am a Moroccan worker employed at one of the chicken processing plants in the Netherlands, and this chicken is exported to many Islamic countries, knowing that this chicken is not slaughtered in the Islamic manner. He asks whether this chicken is lawful or forbidden. He also says, I hope the response will be on Sunday in the Netherlands, because that is my day off. The questioner, 'Abd al-Hamid al-Faqi'i from Morocco, also mentions that this chicken is subjected to electric shocks or special guns to kill this chicken. What is the ruling in this matter?
The Shaykh : The answer is that the ruling is that we must first investigate who performs this slaughter? Is it a Muslim or a People of the Book? If the answer is negative, meaning that the one performing the slaughter is neither a Muslim nor a People of the Book, then his slaughter is not lawful, even if it is done in the Islamic manner. This is because Allah says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:5]. Thus, those who were given the Scripture, namely the Jews and the Christians, are specifically designated as those whose food is lawful for us. This restriction is not a concept of a title, as some of the later scholars held. Because the relative name with its clause is in the position of a derived name, and a derived name is not a concept of a title. So his saying [Al-Baqarah 2:101] [Al-Ma'idah 5:5]
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And this is a derived description, so its concept is the concept of a description, not the concept of a title. Just as the People of the Book also have other specific rulings concerning them, distinct from other non-Muslims. Therefore, the position that must be affirmed is that the slaughter of one who is not from the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians, does not make the slaughtered animal lawful, regardless of the method. And if the answer is affirmative, meaning that the slaughterer is from the Jews or from the Christians, i.e., the People of the Book, and a fortiori if he is a Muslim, then in that case, the method is examined. If the method is in the Islamic manner, the slaughter is lawful; otherwise, it is not. However, some scholars have held that the slaughter of the People of the Book is lawful even if it is not in the Islamic manner, relying on the generality of His saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:5]. And he said, whatever the People of the Book believe to be food for them, slaughtered and lawful, is lawful for the Muslim, in whatever manner they slaughter it. He also cited as evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to eat from the slaughters of the Jews and did not ask for details about how they slaughtered it. But the stronger position is that the slaughter must be in the Islamic manner, in which the blood flows out.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because these generalities, namely the generality of His saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:5], as well as the incidents that occurred with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in his eating of the slaughters of the People of the Book, are specified by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 3178Sahih (Darussalam).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So this hadith is decisive over the generalities that indicate the absolute lawfulness of the slaughters of the People of the Book. The meaning also requires this, for the accumulation of blood in them is the cause of their impurity, filthiness, and prohibition. Likewise, if a Muslim, who is more noble, purer, and cleaner than a Person of the Book, must have the blood flow out in his slaughter, then a Person of the Book is a fortiori. So the examination remains regarding the method mentioned by the brother.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Does it involve the flow of blood or not?
The questioner : He mentioned that it is shocked with electricity, and after that, the head is cut off so that the blood comes out.
The Shaykh : Yes, if the blood comes out after the cutting, that means the slaughtered animal did not die from the shock, but was stunned and then slaughtered. In this case, it is lawful, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says:Sunan Ibn Majah 3178Sahih (Darussalam). And it is not possible for the blood to flow in the normal way unless the slaughtered animal is alive. But if it dies, the blood changes and coagulates, and it cannot come out, except for a small amount. In any case, if this shock mentioned by the brother does not bring it to the state of death, then slaughtering it before its soul exits is considered a lawful slaughter according to the Shari'ah, due to the saying of the Exalted: [Al-Ma'idah 5:3]. All these things from which an exception was made, [Al-Ma'idah 5:3], have a cause of death found in them, especially the strangled one, which is most similar to an electric shock.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And yet, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has excepted from its prohibition the case where it is slaughtered, i.e., killed before it dies, in which case it is lawful. And in this case, this shock is merely a means to facilitate the slaughter. So if the slaughter is performed on it before the soul exits, it is lawful.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if the shock leads to its death, which is contrary to the apparent meaning of the questioner's words, because he says "until the blood flows from it," then it is not permissible in that case.
The questioner : But in the case where he mentioned that blood comes out from it, it is lawful.
The Shaykh : Yes, if it is the known, customary blood.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
This is a message received from the questioner 'Abd Allah al-Sulayman al-Baz'i from al-Rabi'iyah in al-Qasim, who says.
The Shaykh : The answer is that the ruling is that we must first investigate who performs this slaughter? Is it a Muslim or a People of the Book? If the answer is negative, meaning that the one performing the slaughter is neither a Muslim nor a People of the Book, then his slaughter is not lawful, even if it is done in the Islamic manner. This is because Allah says:
and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you
وطعام الذين أوتوا الكتاب حل لكمthose who had been given the Scripture
الذين أوتوا الكتابthe food of those who were given the Scripture
وطعام الذين أوتوا الكتابThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And this is a derived description, so its concept is the concept of a description, not the concept of a title. Just as the People of the Book also have other specific rulings concerning them, distinct from other non-Muslims. Therefore, the position that must be affirmed is that the slaughter of one who is not from the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians, does not make the slaughtered animal lawful, regardless of the method. And if the answer is affirmative, meaning that the slaughterer is from the Jews or from the Christians, i.e., the People of the Book, and a fortiori if he is a Muslim, then in that case, the method is examined. If the method is in the Islamic manner, the slaughter is lawful; otherwise, it is not. However, some scholars have held that the slaughter of the People of the Book is lawful even if it is not in the Islamic manner, relying on the generality of His saying:
the food of those who were given the Scripture
وطعام الذين أوتوا الكتابThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because these generalities, namely the generality of His saying:
the food of those who were given the Scripture
وطعام الذين أوتوا الكتاب(Use) whatever causes the blood to flow, mention the Name of Allah and eat
ما أنهر الدم وذكر اسم الله عليه فكلThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So this hadith is decisive over the generalities that indicate the absolute lawfulness of the slaughters of the People of the Book. The meaning also requires this, for the accumulation of blood in them is the cause of their impurity, filthiness, and prohibition. Likewise, if a Muslim, who is more noble, purer, and cleaner than a Person of the Book, must have the blood flow out in his slaughter, then a Person of the Book is a fortiori. So the examination remains regarding the method mentioned by the brother.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Does it involve the flow of blood or not?
The questioner : He mentioned that it is shocked with electricity, and after that, the head is cut off so that the blood comes out.
The Shaykh : Yes, if the blood comes out after the cutting, that means the slaughtered animal did not die from the shock, but was stunned and then slaughtered. In this case, it is lawful, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says:
(Use) whatever causes the blood to flow, mention the Name of Allah
ما أنهر الدم وذكر اسم الله عليهProhibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death]
حرمت عليكم الميتة والدم ولحم الخنزير وما أهل لغير الله به والمنخنقة والموقوذة والمتردية والنطيحة وما أكل السبع إلا ما ذكيتمProhibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
إلا ما ذكيتمThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And yet, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has excepted from its prohibition the case where it is slaughtered, i.e., killed before it dies, in which case it is lawful. And in this case, this shock is merely a means to facilitate the slaughter. So if the slaughter is performed on it before the soul exits, it is lawful.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if the shock leads to its death, which is contrary to the apparent meaning of the questioner's words, because he says "until the blood flows from it," then it is not permissible in that case.
The questioner : But in the case where he mentioned that blood comes out from it, it is lawful.
The Shaykh : Yes, if it is the known, customary blood.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
This is a message received from the questioner 'Abd Allah al-Sulayman al-Baz'i from al-Rabi'iyah in al-Qasim, who says.