Machine Slaughter of Animals

A: Machine slaughtering is a method which came into vogue much later so will not be mentioned specifically in Hadeeth. The ruling on such issues is issued according to the principles extracted from Qur'aan and Hadeeth by the jurists.

 

1. The operator of this machine must cut only one chicken at a time. He should not hold down the button and allow the blade to run continuously, thereby cutting two or more chickens. Each chicken should be cut separately by the machine operator pressing the button once and then stopping the blade before repeating the process with the next chicken. The reason for this is to exercise complete control over the machine, for it is a requisite that the slaughterer must have full control over the instrument used for slaughtering. It is precisely for this reason that normal machine slaughter, which you referred to in your question, has been declared unlawful.
2. The operator should fulfil Tasmiyah (Bismillah – Allahu Akbar) exactly at the time of pressing the button, not before nor after. If this is not done, the chicken will be Haraam, unless he forgot to recite the Tasmiyah.
3. The operator of the machine must be a Muslim.
4. The machine should be operated in such a manner that all four or at least three of the four veins in the neck are cut. If in the operation of the machine this does not happen, then too, the chicken will be rendered Haraam.