Etiquettes of Slaughter

**Four Etiquettes of Slaughter:** --- **1. Sharpen the blade:** **Evidence:** Shaddad ibn Aws narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Indeed Allah has prescribed excellence (ihsan) in all things. So when you kill, kill well; and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and give rest to his slaughtered animal" [Muslim]. --- **2. Lay the animal on its left side:** Place the animal on its left side, allowing its right leg to move after slaughter so it finds relief through movement. **Evidence:** - The hadith of Shaddad above ("give rest to his slaughtered animal") - Abu al-Khayr narrated that a man from the Ansar said: "The Prophet ﷺ laid down his sacrifice to slaughter it, then said to the man: 'Help me with my sacrifice.' So he helped him" [Ahmad - hasan]. --- **3. Nahr for camels - standing with left knee tied:** Camels should be stabbed (nahr) at the labbah (base of neck) while standing with the left knee tied. **Evidence:** - Allah says: "And mention the name of Allah over them lined up [for sacrifice]" [Al-Hajj: 36] - meaning: standing on three legs - Ibn Umar passed by a man who had made his camel kneel to slaughter it and said: "Raise it, standing with leg tied - the Sunnah of Muhammad ﷺ" [Bukhari & Muslim]. --- **4. Dhabh (throat-cutting) for all animals except camels:** All other animals are slaughtered by cutting the throat, not by nahr. **Evidence:** - "Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow" [Al-Baqarah: 67] - Anas narrated: "The Prophet ﷺ slaughtered the two rams that he sacrificed" [Bukhari & Muslim].