What is the ruling on frozen chicken that we import from Europe, given the development of slaughter methods that have introduced electricity and other techniques?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on this frozen chicken that we import from Europe, given the development of slaughter methods that have introduced electricity and other techniques?
The Shaykh : This question arises frequently from within the Kingdom and from outside it, but we must know certain matters.
The first matter is that slaughter requires certain conditions, one of which is the qualification of the slaughterer, who must be a Muslim or a People of the Book, meaning a Jew or a Christian. The slaughter of those other than these three categories—namely Muslims, Jews, and Christians—such as the slaughter of polytheists and those who associate partners with Allah, is not permissible, based on the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:5] And because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ate from a sheep that was gifted to him in Khaybar, which a Jewish woman had offered to him, and he accepted the invitation of a Jew in Medina, accepting his invitation, so the Jew served him bread made of barley and a thick soup of rancid fat, and rancid fat is spoiled fat.
Second, it is required in slaughter to mention the name of Allah over it, by the slaughterer saying "In the name of Allah." And whoever leaves off the mention of the name over the slaughtered animal, its meat is forbidden, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-An'am 6:121] And because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 3178Sahih (Darussalam).
The third condition is cutting what must be cut in slaughter, which are the two jugular veins, meaning the two thick vessels surrounding the windpipe, because by cutting them the blood flows out. The scholars differed on the obligation of cutting the windpipe and the esophagus, and the obligation of cutting the two jugular veins. What appears to me is that it is obligatory to cut the two jugular veins, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 3178Sahih (Darussalam) And the blood does not flow out except by cutting the two jugular veins. These are among the conditions, the conditions of lawful slaughter.
So if meat comes to us from a person who is qualified for slaughter, whether a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian, then we are permitted to eat from it and we do not ask how it was slaughtered? Or whether he mentioned the name or not? Because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ate from the slaughter of the Jews and did not ask them how they slaughtered? Or whether they mentioned the name or not? Rather, in "Sahih al-Bukhari" from the hadith of Aisha: meaning, mention the name over the food and eat. She said: "And they were recent converts from disbelief" Here the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) indicates by this ruling that it is not befitting for a person to ask, if the action comes from those qualified for it, how? And in what manner?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And on this basis, if meat comes to us from the slaughter of the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians, then we are permitted to eat it and we do not ask how it was slaughtered? Or whether the name was mentioned over it or not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, asking about it is contrary to the Sunnah, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not ask, and since Allah has made it permissible for us absolutely in His Book, and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ate it without asking, then the best of speech is the speech of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). But if it is established for us that this specific chicken, or this specific slaughtered animal other than chicken, if it is established for us that this specific thing was slaughtered without the blood flowing out by strangulation or by stunning with electricity or otherwise, then it becomes forbidden at that time, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] So if we know that this specific slaughtered animal was slaughtered without the blood flowing out, it is forbidden.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And as long as we do not know, and it was slaughtered by the People of the Book, then the original ruling is permissibility, and it is not our right, nor is it befitting for us, to ask. But the talk and rumor about this issue has become widespread, that they slaughter by stunning with electricity without the blood flowing out. And because of this talk and much discussion, I see that scrupulousness is to leave off eating from it, and if a person eats, there is no blame on him. But leaving off what is doubtful is among the matters that a person should follow, as long as the clear halal is apparent. Then it should be known that if they stunned it with electricity or struck it with an axe on its head or the like, and then they let the blood flow and slaughtered it with a lawful slaughter after that, then it becomes halal, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] So whatever is struck by a cause of death, whether strangulation or breaking of the head or otherwise, if its life is caught and it is slaughtered, it becomes halal.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This question arises frequently from within the Kingdom and from outside it, but we must know certain matters.
The first matter is that slaughter requires certain conditions, one of which is the qualification of the slaughterer, who must be a Muslim or a People of the Book, meaning a Jew or a Christian. The slaughter of those other than these three categories—namely Muslims, Jews, and Christians—such as the slaughter of polytheists and those who associate partners with Allah, is not permissible, based on the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them
الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَهُمْSecond, it is required in slaughter to mention the name of Allah over it, by the slaughterer saying "In the name of Allah." And whoever leaves off the mention of the name over the slaughtered animal, its meat is forbidden, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned
وَلا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ(Use) whatever causes the blood to flow, mention the Name of Allah and eat
ما أنهر الدم وذُكر اسم الله عليه فكلThe third condition is cutting what must be cut in slaughter, which are the two jugular veins, meaning the two thick vessels surrounding the windpipe, because by cutting them the blood flows out. The scholars differed on the obligation of cutting the windpipe and the esophagus, and the obligation of cutting the two jugular veins. What appears to me is that it is obligatory to cut the two jugular veins, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
(Use) whatever causes the blood to flow, mention the Name of Allah and eat
ما أنهر الدم وذكر اسم الله عليه فكلSo if meat comes to us from a person who is qualified for slaughter, whether a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian, then we are permitted to eat from it and we do not ask how it was slaughtered? Or whether he mentioned the name or not? Because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ate from the slaughter of the Jews and did not ask them how they slaughtered? Or whether they mentioned the name or not? Rather, in "Sahih al-Bukhari" from the hadith of Aisha:
That a group of people said: O Messenger of Allah! A group of people comes to us with meat, and we do not know whether they mentioned the name of Allah over it or not? He said: Mention the name yourselves and eat.
أن قوماً قالوا: يا رسول الله! إن قوماً يأتوننا باللحم لا ندري أذكروا اسم الله عليه أم لا؟ قال: سموا أنتم وكلواThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And on this basis, if meat comes to us from the slaughter of the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians, then we are permitted to eat it and we do not ask how it was slaughtered? Or whether the name was mentioned over it or not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, asking about it is contrary to the Sunnah, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not ask, and since Allah has made it permissible for us absolutely in His Book, and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ate it without asking, then the best of speech is the speech of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). But if it is established for us that this specific chicken, or this specific slaughtered animal other than chicken, if it is established for us that this specific thing was slaughtered without the blood flowing out by strangulation or by stunning with electricity or otherwise, then it becomes forbidden at that time, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Prohibited 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]
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And as long as we do not know, and it was slaughtered by the People of the Book, then the original ruling is permissibility, and it is not our right, nor is it befitting for us, to ask. But the talk and rumor about this issue has become widespread, that they slaughter by stunning with electricity without the blood flowing out. And because of this talk and much discussion, I see that scrupulousness is to leave off eating from it, and if a person eats, there is no blame on him. But leaving off what is doubtful is among the matters that a person should follow, as long as the clear halal is apparent. Then it should be known that if they stunned it with electricity or struck it with an axe on its head or the like, and then they let the blood flow and slaughtered it with a lawful slaughter after that, then it becomes halal, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
[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]
وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.