The way of slaughtering an animal in Islam

There is no doubt that things which the Glorious Qur'an confirmed, the Hadiths that were authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and all His Actions are true. They contain good for humans even if we neglect or ignore the meaning sometimes, or it was hard for us to apply them other times.

In this article, we shall discuss one of the miracles of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This miracle is embodied in not cutting off the head of a sacrificial animal fully except after the soul completely leaves the body.

First, let us shed some lights on a set of followed etiquettes in Islamic slaughtering for animals:

There are etiquettes and procedures that should be followed upon slaughtering animals:

1- Devoting intention to Allah (the Exalted).

2- Applying perfume on the killing machine, such as a knife or something else.

3- The sacrificial animal should not see the killing machine.

4- Mentioning the greatest name of Allah: (In the name of Allah, Allah is the greatest) without mentioning "the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate" because the situation does not suit the meaning of the two words.

5- Slaughtering the sacrificial animal while facing the Qiblah.

6- Slaughtering not animals before one another.

7- When slaughtering an animal, do not split the head from the body until the soul leaves the body.

When contemplating the first six etiquettes, we may come to realize the wisdom and the goal but in the seventh etiquette, which is meant, perhaps we did not realize the Divine wisdom that Allah put on the tongue of the master of mankind, Muhammad ibn `Abdullah (peace be upon him).

We have full right in this because that wisdom was not discovered but at the beginning of the past century after the scientific progress had showed up. This fact was discovered by Western scientists who had no connection with religion in any way.

Before we begin to explain in details, I would like to shed light a little bit on the duty of every believer and Muslim toward the Book of Allah and the Hadith of His Prophet (peace be upon him):

The logic which is incumbent upon us as Muslims is the true servitude to Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted). This logic requires belief and submission then docility to the ordinances of Allah and His Messenger without discussion, argument, or even asking about the intended wisdom.

I say: If you are sick and when you went to the doctor, he forbade you to eat some food you like, will you argue with him or even ask him about the wisdom? Will you do as he said although he is a human being like you who commits mistakes as he does righteous actions sometimes?

I was touched by a dialog that took place between a Muslim and a westerner who embraced Islam recently. When a Muslim explained in details to this westerner about the harms of pork and after long explanation, that westerner said to him: It was enough to say to me: Allah forbade it.

As for the scientific precedence which the Prophet (peace be upon him), of the master of creation, showed that it is obligatory not to cut off the head of the sacrificial animals except after their souls leave the body completely. It is well known that a person who is afraid of something, his features change and the traces of fear turn his face to yellow and paleness. It is well known that these external changes come from internal changes where a brain asks hypophysis to face dangers which, in turn, gives commands for the adrenal to deal with emergency. Hence, it sends multiple signals to different systems: (the heart - Lungs - blood vessels - liver). The most important signal is to the heart commanding it to raise blood pumping from 80 to 180 pulse, therefore, face is turned into yellow. As for what is the relationship of that with our issue, the same matter happens when slaughtering an ewe or an animal. The pulse increases from 80 to 180 which allows the full discharge of blood from the animal body. We knew the basic role of the brain in this process which explains the necessity of not cutting off the head of the animal so that the brain can send signals to hypophysis then to adrenal which, in turn, commands the heart to raise the pulse, and consequently, discharges blood outside the body.

This explains, through observation, the color of the slaughtered meat by this way which inclines to flowery, unlike the animals which are slaughtered by other means which turns into pink because blood did not come out completely

Moreover, an ewe which is not slaughtered according to the Islamic way contains 8 Kg of blood that did not come out.

From the great wisdoms of Allah is that He made eating fish lawful although they are not slaughtered, because when they come out of water, the entire blood is transferred to gills as if they were slaughtered.

Indeed, Allah (Glory be to Him) has spoken the truth and His honorable Prophet (peace be upon him) said the truth.