*What a Muslimah Needs to Know about Halaal Meat?*
Allaah subhaanahu wa Ta'ala says:
" Say: "Verily, my prayer, my slaughter, my life and my death are [all] for Allaah,
the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner: This am I commanded, and I am the first of those
who submit" (Qur'aan 6:162-163)
"He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over
which the name of other than Allaah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without
wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful"
(Qur'aan 16:115)
This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them.." (Qur'aan 5:5)
The meat which we eat should be halaal. So what exactly is halaal meat? Here are some summarized rules
from a lecture given by Dr. Saalih as-Saalih (A).
Conditions of slaughtering
(1st Condition:)The one who slaughters must be legally qualified for slaughtering. He must be:
Sane
a Muslim or a Jew or a Christian
If these requirements are not met - the slaughtering is invalid, the slaughter is not permissible.
Evidence for accepting the meat slaughtered by a Jew or a Christian is found in Suurat-Al-Maaidah verse 5.
The Ulamaa (Scholars) have differered in their opinions whether or not it is a requirement that Ahl-ul-Kitaab
slaughters the same way as Muslims. Majority of scholars consider it to be a requirement that they slaughter
the same way as Muslims (ie. they must let the blood flow). This is the correct opinion because if this is a
requirement then it must also be required from ahl-ul-kitaab. But we do not need to know their way of slaughtering or
if the kitaabi slaughterer pronounced tasmiyah, ie. name of Allaah, ie. this is not a requirement. Evidence for this is found in
Saheeh al-Bukhaari:
Aaishah, radhiallaahu anhaa, narrated:
"The people said to the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, "O Allah's Apostle! Here are people who have recently embraced Islam and they bring meat, and we do not know whether they had mentioned Allah's Name while slaughtering the animals or not." The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "You should mention Allah's Name and eat." (Volume 9, Book 93, Number 495)
However, if it is known that the meat is not slaughtered correctly one must stay away from it. [B]
If a person fears concerning this and
leaves it then there's no harm upon him.
It is not binding upon us to ask whether the person of ahl-ul-kitaab made the tasmiyah. Actually,
there's daleel that indicates the opposite: it is better not to ask (the hadeeth mentioned above in which Allaah's
Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam adviced the Muslims just to mention tasmiyah before eating).
If we are certain that the People of the Book mention another name than the name of
Allaah while slaughtering -> it is impermissible for us to eat the meat.
(2nd Condition:) Intention for the Slaughtering
Without the intention the animal is not halaal.
(3rd & 4th Condition:) Using the Proper Tool and Letting the Blood Flow
It is a condition that the blood is let to flow. To accomplish this one must use a proper 'tool'. Proper tools
do not include the bones (because it is either filthy or the bones become filthy and this will harm the jinn)
and finger nails (as used by the Ethiopians who used to let them grow and used them as kind of knives - and this
is in opposition of the fitrah and resembles the enemies).
The 'tool' should cause the blood to flow. This is accomplished by cutting the jugular veins. It is not a
condition to cut the throat and oesephagus.
(5th Condition:)Tasmiyah
Some of the Ulamaa mentioned that tasmiyah is a sunnah. And the other opinion is that it is a condition that is lifted due to
forgetfulness. And the third opinion is that it is a condition that it is not lifted due to forgetfulness - this opinion is supported by
daleel from Qur'aan and Sunnah.
The slaughter must be solely for Allaah. The intention should not be for other than Allaah.
Footnotes:
[A] You can listen to the lecture (with the evidences mentioned) at Dr. Saalih
as-Saalih's Website. Lecture is number 34.
[B] Further reading upon this topic: Food of Ahlul-Kitaab
