Kitaab At-Tawheed, Chapter: 8 What is Said Concerning Slaughter Dedicated to Other Than Allah
Allah (swt ), says:
" Say: "Verily, my prayer, my slaughter, my life and my death are [all] for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner: This am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit" (Qur'an 6:162-163)
Allah (swt ), Most High, commands His Prophet, Muhammad (saas ) to inform the polytheists who worship gods beside Allah (swt ) that his prayers - both obligatory and supererogatory - his slaughter of animals, everything which he does in his life, and the correct beliefs [in Islamic Monotheism] and righteous deeds upon which he will die are all purely for Allah (swt ), Alone, without partners, and that he was the first of this Ummah to submit himself to the Will of Allah (swt ), the Almighty, the All-powerful.
Benefits Derived From These Verses
1. That prayer and slaughter are acts of worship.
2. That all of the slave's righteous deeds in this life - if he did them seeking nearness to Allah will become acts of worship.
3. That what counts in deeds is one's final actions.1
4. That sincerity in dedicating one's deeds to Allah, Alone is a condition of their acceptance.
Relevance of These Verses to the Subject of the Chapter
That they prove that the slaughtering of animals is not acceptable unless it is done in Allah's Name so that it becomes an act of worship, and dedicating acts of worship to other than Allah (swt ) is Shirk.
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Allah (swt ), says:
" Therefore pray to your Lord and slaughter [animals in His Name only]" (Qur'an 8:102)
Allah (swt ) orders His Prophet, Muhammad (saas ) to approach these two acts of worship with humility and urgency towards Allah (swt ), and trusting in Him and desiring to draw near to Him; and the first (prayer) is physical and the second (halaal slaughter)2 is financial.
Benefits Derived From This Verse
1. The obligation to draw near to Allah.
2. The obligation to draw near to Him by halaal slaughter - purely and solely for Him.
Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter
That it proves that drawing near to Allah (swt ) by slaughtering animals will not be achieved unless it is done purely and solely for Allah (swt ) - and to slaughter an animal in the name of other than Allah (swt ) is an act of Shirk.
Important Note
The narration quoted by some, in which `Ali (ra ) was said to have explained the Word of Allah (swt ) in this verse (Wanher) as meaning raising the hands in prayer is rejected by scholars of Hadith and none should follow it or depend upon it.
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It is reported on the authority of `Ali (ra ) that he said: "Allah's Messenger (saas ) told me four things:
"Allah (swt ) has cursed the one who slaughters in the name of other than Allah (swt ); Allah (swt ) has cursed the one who curses his parents; Allah (swt ) has cursed the one who protects and shelters the muhdith;
3 Allah (swt ) has cursed the one who alters the land-marks. (Narrated by Muslim)
`Ali (ra ) informs us that the Prophet (saas ) told him that Allah's curse is upon every person who attempts to get nearer to Allah (swt ) by slaughtering an animal in the name of other than Him, Most High, and also upon every person who curses his parents, either directly or by inciting others to do so, and upon every person who gives shelter to a criminal or malefactor, and upon every person who alters the landmarks or borders in order to unlawfully seize the land of his neighbour which does not belong to him.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith
1. The prohibition of slaughtering an animal in other than Allah's Name.
2. The forbiddance of cursing one's parents, either directly, or by inciting others to do so.
3. The prohibition of aiding and abetting criminals.
4. The forbiddance of changing borders in order to unlawfully acquire land or territory.
5. The general permissibility of cursing the profligate.
Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter
That the Hadith proves the prohibition of slaughtering an animal in other than Allah's Name, because directing an act of worship to others beside Allah (swt ) is an act of Shirk.
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It is reported from Tariq Ibn Shihab (ra ) that the Prophet (saas ) said:
(Narrated by Ahmad)"A man entered Paradise because of a fly, while another entered the Fire because of a fly." They asked: "How was that possible, oh, Messenger of Allah (saas )?" He replied: "Two men passed by a people who had an idol, which it was not permissible for anyone to pass without making a sacrifice to it. They (the people) said to the first man: "Sacrifice (something)." He said: "I have nothing with which to do so." They said: "Sacrifice some-thing, even if it were only a fly," and so he did so, and they allowed him to continue on his way and so he entered the Hell-fire. Then they said to the second man: "Sacrifice (something)." But he said: "I will not sacrifice anything unless it be to Allah (swt ), the Almighty, the All-powerful," so they struck his neck (and he died) and entered Paradise."
The Messenger of Allah (saas ) informs us in this Hadith that two men - possibly they were from the Children of Israel passed by a people who had an idol. They requested the two men to sacrifice something to it, even if it were only something small. The first of them sacrificed a fly, and because of this, he was thrown in the Hell-fire. The second, due to his strong faith and complete Tawheed, refused to do so and so they killed him and he entered Paradise.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith
1. The enormity of Shirk, even though it may be only slight.
2. The existence of Paradise and Hell.
3. That even among the idol-worshipers, the action of the heart is directed to a certain goal.
4. The closeness of man to Paradise and Hell.
5. The warning against sin, even though it may be considered a small sin.
6. Evidence of the breadth of Allah's forgiveness and the severity of His punishment.
7. That the most important deeds are the last ones we do in life. 4
Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter
That it proves that it is forbidden to slaughter something as a sacrifice to other than Allah (swt ), for such an act of worship is Shirk.
Important Note
This Hadith does not contradict the Words of Him, Most High:
" except he who is forced to do so, while his heart remains steadfast in faith" (Qur'an16:106)
Because the Messenger of Allah (saas ) said (fa garrab): i.e. he attempted to draw closer to Allah (swt ) by sacrificing the fly, and this indicates his acceptance of the deed and it is this which caused him to enter the Hell-fire because his heart was inclined towards it and did not remain steadfast in faith.
Footnotes
1. See footnonte no. 33.
2. Halaal slaughter: Slaughter in accordance with Islamic rites.
3. Muhdith: A criminal or wrongdoer.
4. See footnote no. 33.