Liaison office of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al Sistani (L.M.H.L) in London, Europe, North and South America.
2603. There are certain conditions for the slaughtering of an animal.
They are as follows:-
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 other than Ahle
Kitab, or a person belonging to those sects who are classified as Kafir,
like, Nawasib - the enemies of Ahlul Bait (A.S.). In fact, even if Ahle
Kitab non-Muslim slaughters an animal, as per precaution, it will not be
halal, even if he utters 'Bismillah'.
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, even
if the slaughtering may not be necessary, like when the animal is on the verge
of death.
When an animal is slaughtered, it should be facing Qibla. If the animal
is sitting or standing, then facing Qibla would be like a man standing towards
Qibla while praying. And if it is lying on its right or left side, then its
neck and stomach should be facing Qibla. It is not necessary that its legs,
hands and face be towards Qibla.
If a person who knows the rule,
purposely ignores placing the animal towards Qibla, the animal would become
haraam; but if he forgets or does not know the rule, or makes a mistake in
ascertaining the Qibla, or does not know the direction of Qibla, or is
unable to turn the animal towards Qibla, there is no objection. As a
recommended precaution, the person slaughtering should also face Qibla.
When a person wants to slaughter 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 name of Allah
without the intention of slaughtering the animal, the slaughtered 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.
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.
It is necessary that the blood should flow in normal quantity from the
slaughtered animal. If someone blocks the vein, not allowing blood to flow
out, or if the bleeding is less than normal, that animal will not be halal.
But if the blood which flows is less because the animal bled profusely before
the slaughter, there is no objection.
The animal should be slaughtered from its proper place of slaughtering;
on the basis of recommended precaution, the neck should be cut from its front,
and the knife should be used from the back of the neck.
2604. As a precaution, it is not permissible to sever the head of the
animal from its body before it has died, though this would not make the animal
haraam. But if the head gets severed because of sharpness of the knife, or not
being attentive, there is no objection. Similarly, it is not permissible to slit
open the neck and cut the spinal cord before the animal has died.