Tasmiya during slaughter

Question:

What’s the ruling if a Muslim is slaughtering and he didn’t say Bismillah on the turkey, cause these guys are doing like 5,600 turkeys, 20 birds per minute, sometimes they say it but sometimes I guess they get zoned out. Answer: ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Allah (s.w.t.) says, “And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for verily, it is (an act of) disobedience.” (Surah Al-An’aam: verse 121) It is necessary to mention Bismillah on EVERY animal during slaughter. If a person DELIBERATELY omitted the mention of Bismillah, the animal would be considered maita (carrion), thus prohibited to consume. Nevertheless, if the mention of Bismillah was omitted FORGETFULLY, then the animal will be halal for consumption on the condition that all of the other requirements of Islamic slaughter are met. It is mustahab (recommended) to recite the tasmiya in the following manner: BISMILLAHI WALLAHU AKBAR. It is also permissible to suffice on reciting the name of Allah (s.w.t.), i.e. saying “Allah” on every animal.

However, when sufficing on reciting the name of Allah (s.w.t.), one should have the intention that he is doing the tasmiya (mentioning the name of Allah) on the animal that he is slaughtering. The afore-mentioned method is an easy alternative for those who have to slaughter thousands of chickens/turkeys daily. Raddul Muhtar: v. 6, p. 301 (Darul Fikr); Fatawa Hindiya: v. 5, p. 285-286 (Darul Fikr); Al-Binayah: v. 11, p. 549 (DKI); Legal Rulings on Slaughtered Animals: p. 27 (Maktaba-e-Darul-’Uloom)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham