Conditions of Slaughtering Animals.

2738. There are 6 conditions for the slaughtering of an animal:

I. A person, a man or a woman, who slaughters an animal must be a Muslim. An animal can also be slaughtered by a Muslim child who is mature enough to distinguish between good and bad, but not by non-Muslims, or a person belonging to those sects who are classified as Kafir, like Nawasib, the enemies of Ahul Bait (AS).

II. The animal should be slaughtered with a weapon made of iron. However, if an implement made of iron is not available, it should be slaughtered with a sharp object like glass or stone, so that the four veins are severed.

III. When an animal is slaughtered, it should be facing Qibla. If a person forgets or does not know the rule, or makes a mistake in ascertaining the Qibla, or does not know the direction of Qibla, there is no objection.

IV. When a person wants to slaugher an animal, just as he makes the Niyyat to slaughter, he should utter the name of Allah, and it suffices if he says “Bismillah” only, or if he utters “Allah”. But if he utters the nake of Allah without the intention of slaughtering the animal, the slaughered animal does not become Pak and it is also Haraam to eat its meat. And if he did not utter the name of Allah forgetfully, there is no objection.

V. The animal should show some movement after being slaughtered; at least it should move its eyes or tail or strike its foot on the ground. This law applies only when it is doubtful whether or not the animal was alive at the time of being slaughtered, otherwise it is not essential.

VI. The animal should be slaughtered from its proper place of slaughtering; on the basis of obligatory precaution, the neck should be cut from its front, and the knife should be used from the back of the neck.

2739. Steel things, as a good quality of iron, can be used for slaughtering, if there is a choice.