“He Who Does Not Show Mercy Will Not Be Shown Mercy.”
1.) The animals should be fed properly if they have been acquired some time before slaughter.
2.) The knife must be very sharp. The knife must not be sharpened in the presence of any animal.
3.) An animal may not be slaughtered in the presence of another animal.
4.) The animal to be slaughtered should not see the blood of the previously slaughtered animal. It has to be washed away.
5.) An animal taken for slaughtering should not be led past animals which are being skinned. Carcasses should not be left lying around in full view of other animals.
In short, there should be three entirely separate areas for Qurbaani:
1) Compound for keeping animals
2.) Slaughtering area
3.) Skinning and cleaning area.
6.) The animal should be caught and brought only when the slaughterer is ready for slaughtering. Usually, the workers grab hold of the animal well in advance. They hold the animal captive while the slaughterer is still engaged in slaughtering another animal.
7.) The animal may not be dragged or cruelly handled when bringing it to the point of slaughter.
8.) The animal should be laid down horizontally facing the Qiblah. The slaughterer too must face the Qiblah.
The Tasmiyah must be recited on each animal.
9.) The neck of the animal should not be cut in a sawing motion. Clean cuts should be affected.
10.) Animals should not be skinned while there is any sign of visible life in them.
Important points
1.) Correct intention before slaughtering
2.) Recite the relevant duas:
Note: To recite at least bismillah before cutting is compulsory. If purposely left out, the animal will be haraam and the Qurbaani will not be in order. The meat cannot be eaten. However, if the duaa is forgotten unintentionally, the Qurbaani will be in order. The takbir should not be recited aloud and in chorus by bystanders when the animal is being slaughtered. This is incorrect.
If slaughtering on behalf of another, say, “I intend sacrificing this animal for so-and-so.
Upon reciting these words, slaughter the animal swiftly and with a few strokes of the knife as possible. The throat, two external jugular veins and the windpipe must be cut or at least three of these four. If only two are cut, the slaughtering will not be correct.
If by mistake the whole head was cut off, the animal will be halaal. However, to purposely do so is makrooh-tahreemi. It is also makrooh-tahreemi to slaughter from the nape (back of the neck). An animal slaughtered by a non-Muslim is haraam.
Du’a Before Slaughtering
إِنِّيْ وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِيْ فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيْفًا وَّمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ.
إِنَّ صَلَاتِيْ وَنُسُكِيْ وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِيْ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ.
لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَبِذَا لِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ.
بِسْمِ اللهِ اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ. أَللّٰهُمَّ مِنْكَ وَلَكَ
Most certainly I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, solely relying on Him. And I am not from amongst those who ascribe partners (to Allaah).
Verily my worship, my sacrifice and my living and my death is for Allaah, the Lord of the worlds.
He has no partner. With this I have been commanded, and I am the first to submit.
In the name of Allaah, Allaah is the greatest. O Allaah! This sacrifice is from You and for You.
(Ibn Khuzaimah)
Du’a After Slaughtering
أَللّٰهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنِّىْ كَمَا تَقَبَّلْتَ مِنْ خَلِيْلِكَ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَحَبِيْبِكَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
O Allaah! Accept from me like You have accepted from Your friend Ebrahim (alayhis-salaam) and Your beloved Muhammad (sallallahu Alayhi wa sallam)
Du’a When Slaughtering On Behalf Of Someone Else
أَللّٰهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنْ … كَمَا تَقَبَّلْتَ مِنْ خَلِيْلِكَ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وحَبِيْبِكَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
O Allaah! Accept from … (mention person’s name) like You have accepted from Your friend Ibrahim (alayhis-salaam) and Your beloved Muhammad (sallallahu Alayhi wa sallam)