Discussion of some of the rulings on slaughtering livestock in Islam.
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The Shaykh : ... There are characteristics... This is what concerns us. What concerns us is that this bull was struck with this axe and fell to the ground, then they let its blood flow. The blood flowed, so it is lawful, but their action is not lawful Islamically. Their tormenting of it by striking it is not permissible Islamically. However, regarding eating this slaughtered animal, eating it is lawful as long as what? Its blood flowed. Here, different narrations come in, differing entirely in whether it is slaughtered or not. And it is never permissible for me, neither by Shari'ah nor by reason, to rule that it is slaughtered or not slaughtered. But deep in my heart, I believe that these Europeans know the value of time, and that time is the flowing, resounding gold; therefore, it is inconceivable that they slaughter in the Islamic way at all. They slaughter in the material way, where in one hour they offer them, in their expression, dozens, if not hundreds, of sacrifices. Whereas in the Islamic way, each one requires what? Sharpening the knife, facing the qiblah, and so on, to let its blood flow. So I repeat: it is not for me to rule this way or that way. But you, and Zayd, and Bakr, who want to eat—if they have peace of mind in their souls, the first peace of mind I mentioned, you... this is a Christian nation. The second peace of mind is that you say they slaughter correctly, they shoot it with a bullet and so on, but they let its blood flow with the knife. So you, and you do not sin; if you believe that this is truly the reality there, then you must eat.
I have one experience from perhaps ten or twelve years ago; I do not remember the dates. I went to Britain, and I went to a village whose name I naturally forgot. There was a Salafi Pakistani man there who had a slaughterhouse in the lawful way and perfect Islamic slaughter.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes.
I visited this slaughterhouse; it is a very large building, organized in a modern manner. In a place like a sheep pen, when they want to slaughter, they transfer the heads in sequence to a narrow place where there are two people. One holds the animal and lays it down, and the other slaughters it. There is a channel for the blood, of course, which flows to a place I did not know where. As soon as the one who slaughtered the first one, who had laid it down, finishes, he twists its head and hangs it on the track. He pushes it like this, perhaps a distance of ten meters, and it goes on the wire like this and turns into a second room. A track, of course, in sequence... We entered there and found a person standing waiting for the sacrifice. His job is only to skin the hide, nothing else. The hide is raised and thrown into a barrel. He gives it a push, and a third man receives it. This third man's job is to cut open the belly and examine the intestines and the veins, and I don't know what else, and so on. And he gives it the fourth push to the fourth man, whose only job is the flowing water; he pours it with force on this sacrifice, and it comes out clean, shining. He gives it the final push to the scale. He weighs the sacrifice and records it, and so on.
This friend of ours said to me: The English are now buying from him; because this sacrifice, in terms of the way the blood is let out, is actually medically known to be the healthiest. But, Subhan Allah! Allah has led them astray with knowledge, because of the un-Shar'i method they follow. So the English people's preference for this Muslim man's sacrifice is proof that the English do not slaughter in the Shar'i way. But even so, I cannot say in every country—for example, Germany, Bulgaria, and others—that they slaughter in the Islamic way or that they do not slaughter. I cannot say that. But I leave the matter to every person of obligation, who does not sin with Allah.
But what is your opinion regarding Bulgarian meat? I heard or read, but it is a true report that this Minister of Awqaf, Abdul Aziz the tailor, announced that... ... one of three. So if this responsible minister announces it like this; how can we then be reassured about Bulgarian meat?
Another questioner : According to the conditions that are there.
The Shaykh : Yes?
... ... ... .
I have one experience from perhaps ten or twelve years ago; I do not remember the dates. I went to Britain, and I went to a village whose name I naturally forgot. There was a Salafi Pakistani man there who had a slaughterhouse in the lawful way and perfect Islamic slaughter.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes.
I visited this slaughterhouse; it is a very large building, organized in a modern manner. In a place like a sheep pen, when they want to slaughter, they transfer the heads in sequence to a narrow place where there are two people. One holds the animal and lays it down, and the other slaughters it. There is a channel for the blood, of course, which flows to a place I did not know where. As soon as the one who slaughtered the first one, who had laid it down, finishes, he twists its head and hangs it on the track. He pushes it like this, perhaps a distance of ten meters, and it goes on the wire like this and turns into a second room. A track, of course, in sequence... We entered there and found a person standing waiting for the sacrifice. His job is only to skin the hide, nothing else. The hide is raised and thrown into a barrel. He gives it a push, and a third man receives it. This third man's job is to cut open the belly and examine the intestines and the veins, and I don't know what else, and so on. And he gives it the fourth push to the fourth man, whose only job is the flowing water; he pours it with force on this sacrifice, and it comes out clean, shining. He gives it the final push to the scale. He weighs the sacrifice and records it, and so on.
This friend of ours said to me: The English are now buying from him; because this sacrifice, in terms of the way the blood is let out, is actually medically known to be the healthiest. But, Subhan Allah! Allah has led them astray with knowledge, because of the un-Shar'i method they follow. So the English people's preference for this Muslim man's sacrifice is proof that the English do not slaughter in the Shar'i way. But even so, I cannot say in every country—for example, Germany, Bulgaria, and others—that they slaughter in the Islamic way or that they do not slaughter. I cannot say that. But I leave the matter to every person of obligation, who does not sin with Allah.
But what is your opinion regarding Bulgarian meat? I heard or read, but it is a true report that this Minister of Awqaf, Abdul Aziz the tailor, announced that... ... one of three. So if this responsible minister announces it like this; how can we then be reassured about Bulgarian meat?
Another questioner : According to the conditions that are there.
The Shaykh : Yes?
... ... ... .
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.