Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No. (315) : "Ruling on Pre-Slaughter Electrical Stunning of Birds."

Date Added : 17-07-2022

Resolution No.(315), By The Board of Iftaa', Researches and Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on Pre-Slaughter Electrical Stunning of Birds"

Date (27 of Thilgidah, 1443 AH), corresponding to (27/6/2022 AD).

 

 

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions

In its ninth meeting held on the above date, the Board of Iftaa` reviewed the resolution of the joint commission in charge of examining the use of electrical stunning of birds (Poultry) before slaughter in local slaughterhouses.

After thorough deliberations, the Board decided what follows:

Slaughtering an animal in accordance with Islamic Law is the condition that makes an animal`s meat lawful to eat and distinguishes it from dead animal, as reflected in the following verse (What means): "unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form)." {Al-Ma`idah, 3}. Moreover, the Prophet (PBUH) said: "As long as it causes blood to flow, and Allah's Name has been mentioned over it, then eat it." {Agreed upon}. When jugular veins, food tract and windpipe of the animal whose life is stable are cut, its meat is lawful to eat, whether the slaughtering was done with or without the electrical stunning. What counts is that the stunning doesn`t lead to killing the animal on the spot or later, in case it was left without slaughtering, since the purpose behind the stunning is to relieve that animal and facilitate the slaughtering process. In order to achieve this purpose, the Board is of the view that using the electrical stunning based on the afore-stated conditions is permissible according to Islamic Law. The Board also considers that it is essential to implement the Jordan Standard Specification No.2060/214 issued by the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization (JSMO) to guarantee the implementation of all the general requirements of the sanitary and safety standards of the product.

Given the difficulty of implementing technical requirements or specific standards on all the local slaughterhouses, due to their using different machines and production lines, the Board is of the view that the management of each slaughterhouse should submit an individual application to the (JSMO). This concerns its production line and in the event it uses electrical waterbath stunning of poultry before manual slaughtering by knife. In fact, this enables a special commission from the Iftaa` Department to participate with specialized technicians to arrive at a special Fatwa regarding the method used by the applicant slaughterhouse. The Fatwa will either permit or prohibit this method of slaughter based on the ground reality and after the joint commission carries out its checks. 

In addition, the Iftaa` Board recommends that a "Halal" certificate, which is issued by the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization (JSMO) Conformity Certificate Directorate, is required. It also recommends strengthening the role of oversight regarding this certificate and the stunning process. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best. 

 

 

 

Grand Mufti of Jordan, Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh

Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi/ Member

Prof. Amjad Rasheed/ Member

Prof. Adam Nooh Al-Qhodah/ Member

Dr.Majid Darawsheh/ Member

Dr. Jameel Khatatbeh/ Member

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Younes al-Zou`bi/ Member

 

Decision Number [ Previous | Next ]


Summarized Fatawaa

The Prophet ﷺ said: "There will emerge from my nation people who will drink the Qurʾān as they drink milk" — is this ḥadīth authentic, and what does it mean?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There will emerge from my nation people who will drink the Qurʾān as they drink milk." (Reported by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr, and cited by al-Haythamī in Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid, who stated: "Its narrators are trustworthy.")
The meaning of this ḥadīth is that there will emerge from this blessed nation people who recite the Holy Qurʾān without reflecting upon its meanings or pondering its rulings — the noble verses passing over their tongues just as milk passes over them when it is drunk, leaving no trace of thought, understanding, or contemplation behind. [See: al-Taysīr bi-Sharḥ al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr,Vol.2/P.63] And Allah the Almighty knows best.

I broke my oath and am now obligated to pay the expiation for a broken oath (kaffārat al-yamīn). Would it be valid to fulfill this by inviting the poor and needy to a meal for them to eat from?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The expiation for a broken oath (kaffārat al-yamīn) is given to the poor (fuqarā') and needy (masākīn), and it must be given in the form of ownership (tamlīk) transferred to them of the required amount — namely, one mudd of the staple food of the locality, or its equivalent monetary value. It isn`t valid to invite the poor or needy to a meal prepared for them to eat from, as this does not constitute "ownership" (tamlīk) but merely "permission to partake" (ibāḥah).
Imam al-Shirbīnī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "What is intended is that ownership be transferred to them; therefore, providing them with lunch or dinner [as a meal to eat from] isn`t valid." [Summarized from Mughnī al-Muhtāj,Vol. 5/P.50]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

How is the meat of the 'aqīqah to be distributed?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
If the 'aqīqah is a recommended one (mandūbah), it is obligatory to give some portion of it in charity to the poor — even if the amount is small — with the minimum being approximately half a kilogram of meat.
The most preferable manner of distribution is to divide it into three equal portions, as with the uḍḥiyyah:
 
One third for the guardian and his household to eat from
One third to be given in charity to the poor
One third to be gifted to friends and neighbours, even if they are wealthy
 
It is furthermore more preferable to send the food to the poor already cooked, rather than inviting them to come and eat. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on istibra' and how is it performed?

Istibra' (cleansing from urine) is recommended. It is for a person to ensure that nothing remains of urine in its passage before performing istinja'. Its method is: to clear the throat (or cough slightly), shake the penis (meaning to pass fingers along it to expel any remaining urine if needed), and walk a few steps to the extent that one thinks nothing of urine remains if walking is needed. Each person knows his own nature best. The preferred opinion is that this differs among people. The objective is for one to think that nothing remains in the urinary passage that he fears will exit later. And Allah the Almighty knows best.