What is the ruling on one who has a sick sheep or camel from which he has despaired of recovery, so he slaughters it and says, “I will not leave it for Satan”?
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The questioner : Shaykh, a question
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Some people who own sheep, when one of their sheep or goats falls ill and they despair of its recovery, slaughter it and say, “We forbid it to Satan,” and they slaughter it without eating it. What is your opinion on that?
The Shaykh : Our view is that if a person has a sheep, camel, or cow that is sick and he has despaired of its recovery, there is no harm in killing it and leaving it.
And if it is not sick, it is obligatory for him to slaughter it and give it in charity. By my saying that it is not sick, I mean, for example, if it falls from a height and its neck is broken, and he hastens to slaughter it, he must slaughter it according to the lawful method of slaughter so that its value is not wasted. As for the saying, “We will not leave it for Satan,” this is a known practice among the common people, but I do not know of any basis for it.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Some people who own sheep, when one of their sheep or goats falls ill and they despair of its recovery, slaughter it and say, “We forbid it to Satan,” and they slaughter it without eating it. What is your opinion on that?
The Shaykh : Our view is that if a person has a sheep, camel, or cow that is sick and he has despaired of its recovery, there is no harm in killing it and leaving it.
And if it is not sick, it is obligatory for him to slaughter it and give it in charity. By my saying that it is not sick, I mean, for example, if it falls from a height and its neck is broken, and he hastens to slaughter it, he must slaughter it according to the lawful method of slaughter so that its value is not wasted. As for the saying, “We will not leave it for Satan,” this is a known practice among the common people, but I do not know of any basis for it.