Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan, AssalamOAlaikum.

I have a 2 part question.

1. Regarding the following Aayah, does it mean that an animal killed on which Allah's or no one else's name has been invoked is not haraam?

2. What is considered a 'violent blow'? Would beheading considered a violent blow, like what I understand is done to kill an animal in the USA?

"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name of other than Allah, that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death, that which has been (partly) eaten by wild animals, unless you are able to slaughter it; that which is sacrificed on stone (alters) and also the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows. That is impiety."

Wassalam

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Answer:

Halaal and haraam meat

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your comment: Regarding the following Aayah, does it mean that an animal killed on which Allah's or no one else's name has been invoked is not haraam?

If the animal has been slaughtered by a muslim, then we do not have to investigate, check or determine whether the name of Allah has been pronounced or not; because it will be assumed that the believer must have taken Allah’s name on the animal before its slaughter. The scholars in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that if a believer who slaughters the animal even has the intention in his heart of taking Allah’s name, then the meat is halaal for the believers.

In the case of the People of the Scriptures (the Jews and the Christians), there is a special leave given by Allah, and He has declared their food halaal for us in the Holy Quran. What needs to be checked with the meat of the Jews and Christians is whether the conditions of slaughter have been met or not. The condition of invoking Allah’s name on the animal at the time of slaughter, does not apply to the People of the Scriptures for making the meat halaal for the believers. What is important here is that are we convinced that the conditions of slaughter have been met, and that the animal was not dead before they slaughtered it.

If any polytheist or ‘mushrik’ slaughters the animal, whether he invokes Allah’s name or not, the meat will be haraam to the believers.

And no matter who slaughters the meat, whether he be a muslim, a Jew or a Christian, or a polytheist or mushrik; if the animal is slaughtered on any other name other than Allah; then that meat will be haraam for the believers.

Your comment: What is considered a 'violent blow'? Would beheading considered a violent blow, like what I understand is done to kill an animal in the USA?

A ‘violent blow’ is something which will kill the animal before its slaughter. Thus if the violent blow is given to the animal in any form, be it an electric shock, or piercing a rod through the head of the animal, or anything else; if the animal is killed before the act of slaughter, then this meat would be haraam for the believers.

But if the blow does not kill the animal, and before its death it is slaughtered (by a Muslim, Jew or Christian), then the meat will be halaal to the believers.

If one (Muslim, Jew or Christian) slaughters the animal from the front of the neck, and in the process severs the head from the body in one stroke (or beheading), that meat will be considered halaal to the believers.

And if one (Muslim, Jew or Christian) slaughters the animal from the back of the neck, and the instrument used to slaughter is so sharp that the animal is still alive by the time the blade reaches the neck-veins of the animal, then the meat is halaal.

But if the animal is dead before the neck-veins of the animal are cut, that meat would be haraam for the believers.

Basically, a ‘violent blow’ will be anything that will kill the animal, before it is slaughtered. That meat will be considered haraam for the believers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan