Humanity

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

There is no end to the magnificence and horror in the human drama. Across the continents, humanity rises to every challenge, sinks to any depth. We cherish each heartbeat and murder at will. We admire nature, yet destroy the environment.

Allah has inscribed goodness in everything. The Almighty has enjoined excellence (Ihsan) in everything. Ihsan means mastery, perfection and beautification in legislated actions (in performing obligations, in leaving prohibitions, in dealing with people by observing points of etiquette, giving people their due rights, and so on) Everything we do, we must strive to do them in the best way possible.

An example of excellence that is enjoined upon us is on slaughtering animals. What is the point to be kind and merciful to an animal which is going to die anyway? The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, taught us that even when you have decided to take an animal's life, be excellent with it to the last moments of its life.

If that is the right of an animal that is about to be killed, what do you think the rights of animals that are alive? What about humans that are alive?

In a capital punishment, a murderer is killed in the most painless and quickest way. A judge determines the most painless and quickest way to kill this person. No one, not even the heir of the victim, has the authority to kill this person except by order of a competent court.

Likewise, an animal to be slaughtered must be shown kindness down to the last moments of its life.

--gentleness in driving the animal to the place of slaughter.
--sharpen the blade, so that before it knows what's happening, before its mind can sense the pain, we already severed the tubes. This is the way to hasten its journey onwards and minimize its pain
--cut the arteries well because that is going to speed the exit of its souls
--hide the blade. You don't want the sheep to even see you have a knife in your hand
--hide it from the other animals, so they are not given some sort of trauma
--face the the qiblah (direction of prayer) which brings to heart the sacredness that Allah has enabled us to eat its meat. Allah could have forbidden it to us.
--mention the Name of Allah so that it become halal (lawful) to us
--leave the animal until it is totally still because there is still some life and some sensation. We don't skin the animal until it has stopped moving.
--intend drawing close to Allah by partaking on the halal and we become grateful for what Allah has blessed us with.

On the authority of Abu Ya’la Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

Verily Allah has prescribed ihsan (proficiency, perfection) in all things. So if you kill then kill well; and if you slaughter, then slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.

It was related by Muslim.

عَنْ أَبِي يَعْلَى شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: "إنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ، وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ".
رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ [رقم:1955].

Videos of Islamic Slaughter

Mercy Halal Slaughter Part 1

Mercy Halal Slaughter Part 2

Mercy Halal Slaughter Part2b

May Allah guide us to excellence. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam