What are the conditions for the validity of the slaughtering process according to Sharia?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Regarding the Sharia-mandated conditions for the validity of the slaughtering process (Adh-Dhabh), they are as follows:
The Identity of the Slaughterer: The person performing the slaughter must be either a Muslim or from the People of the Book (Christian or Jewish).
The Required Cuts: Both the trachea (windpipe/breathing passage) and the esophagus (food passage) must be completely severed.
Stability of Life: The animal must possess stable life at the start of the slaughtering process. This is identified by clear signs, such as vigorous movement or the forceful gushing of blood after the throat and esophagus are cut.
The Tool of Slaughter: The tool used must be sharp, capable of cutting or piercing by its edge and not by its sheer weight or blunt force.
And Allah the Almighty knows best.
What is the ruling on eating from one`s Udhiyah?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Sacrifices (Udhiyah) are categorized into two types: the Vowed Sacrifice (Al-Mandhurah) and the Voluntary Sacrifice (Al-Tatawwu').
1. The Vowed Sacrifice (Al-Mandhurah)
The vowed sacrifice is obligatory due to the person’s specific oath. It is not permissible for the person offering the sacrifice, nor for those they are legally responsible for financially supporting (dependents), to consume any part of its meat or fat. Furthermore, it is not permissible to benefit from its hide, hair, or any other part.
If they do consume any part of it, they are required to give in charity an equivalent amount of meat or its market value [Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (9/364)].
2. The Voluntary Sacrifice (Al-Tatawwu’)
Regarding the voluntary sacrifice, it is permissible for the one offering it to eat from its meat, distribute it as gifts to the wealthy, and give it as charity to the poor.
The Obligatory Portion: It is mandatory to give at least a small portion of it in charity to the poor; this portion should not be less than approximately half a kilogram of raw meat. And Allah the Almighty knows best.
What is the ruling on deliberately breaking the fast while being capable of fasting?
Whoever intentionally breaks their fast in Ramadan without a valid excuse has committed a major sin and bears great guilt. They must repent, seek forgiveness, refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day, and make up for that day after Ramadan.
They have lost an immense reward, which cannot be compensated even by fasting an entire lifetime as a voluntary act, because an obligatory fast cannot be equaled by voluntary fasting.
If the fast was broken through sexual intercourse, the person must:
● Make up for the missed fast (qada), and
● Perform kaffarah by fasting two consecutive months.
● If they are unable to do so, they must feed sixty needy people.
What is the virtue of performing ‘Umrah in Ramadan?
Ibn ‘Abbas narrated: "When the Prophet ﷺ returned from his Hajj, he said to Umm Sinan Al-Ansariyyah: ‘What prevented you from performing Hajj?’ She replied: ‘Abu So-and-so (referring to her husband) had two camels—he performed Hajj on one of them, and the other was used to irrigate our land.’ The Prophet ﷺ then said: ‘Performing ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj with me.’" [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]
The Prophet ﷺ also said: "An ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to a Hajj." [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]
For those who miss the opportunity to perform ‘Umrah in Ramadan, there are many other ways to earn great rewards. One of them is praying Fajr in congregation, then remaining in the mosque remembering Allah until sunrise, and praying two rak‘ahs.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, and then prays two rak‘ahs, will receive the reward of a complete Hajj and ‘Umrah—complete, complete, complete." [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]
