Islam wants its adherents to be good to everything, including the animals and the non-living things. The holy Prophet Muhammad (sallaalLaahu alayhi wa salam) said: “Allah has commanded goodness on everything. So, when you want to kill; kill in an honourable manner, when you want to slaughter; slaughter in an honourable manner. And let the one of you (who wants to slaughter) sharpen his/her knife and let him allow the sacrificial animal to rest (before killing it).
One of the foremost scholars of our time, shaykh Muhammad Saalih Ibn Uthaymeen (RahimahuLLaahu) noted in his book ‘Talkhees Ahkaam-ul-Udhiyah wadh-Dhakaat’ that there are certain etiquettes one must abide by when slaughtering an animal for a sacrificial offering.
However, he said, these etiquettes are not conditional for the validity of a sacrifice. So the sacrifice is still valid even in their absence. Among these etiquettes are:
1. He should face the Qiblah with the animal at the time of slaughtering.
2. He must slaughter the animal in a good manner, which is by quickly and firmly passing a sharpened blade over the neck area.
Some scholars hold the view that this etiquette is obligatory based on the implication found in the Prophet’s saying: “Allah has commanded goodness on everything. So, when you want to kill; kill in an honourable manner, when you want to slaughter; slaughter in an honourable manner. And let the one of you (who wants to slaughter) sharpen his/her knife and let him allow the sacrificial animal to rest (before killing it).
This opinion is the correct view, Shaykh Uthaymeen said.
3. The slaughter of a camel must be done by cutting the area just below the neck and above the chest. This is known as nahr. As for all other types of animals, their necks should be sliced.
As for all of the other animals, they are to be slaughtered while lying flat on their left side. However, if the one slaughtering is a lefty, he may use his left hand and lay the animal down on its right side. This is so long as doing it this way is easier upon the animal and more convenient for the one slaughtering.
4. The throat and esophagus of the animal should be cut in addition to its jugular veins.
5. The blade should be concealed from the view of the animal when sharpening it. This means that the animal should not see the blade until the time of the actual slaughter.
6. One should glorify Allaah (by saying Allaahu Akbar) after mentioning His Name (by saying Bismillaah) when slaughtering.
7. One may name the person whom the sacrificial offering (udhiyah) is being performed for after mentioning Allaah’s name and glorifying Him. He should also ask Allaah to accept it from him.
So for example, he should say: “In the Name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest.
