What are the rules for animal sacrifice in islam ?

What are the rules for animal sacrifice in islam? 

1. The Sunnah Method of Sacrifice:

Before sacrificing, the animal should be given water. Do not slaughter the animal while it is hungry or thirsty, and do not sharpen the knife in front of the animal. Similarly, do not slaughter one animal in front of another. Lay the animal on its left side in a way that it faces the Qibla. Place your right foot on its side and perform the slaughter quickly. While slaughtering, recite the following prayer:

 

What are the rules for animal sacrifice in islam ? 

2. The Supplication (Dua) for Sacrifice:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي وَجَهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا ومَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ۔ اِنَّ صَلَاتِیْ وَ نُسُكِیْ وَ مَحْیَایَ وَ مَمَاتِیْ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ ۔ لَا شَرِیْكَ لَهٗۚ وَبِذٰلِكَ اُمِرْتُ وَ اَنَا اَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِیْنَ۔  اللّٰھُمَّ لَکَ وَمِنْکَ بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ اَللّٰہُ اَکْبَر۔

(From Fazail-o-Masail Qurbani by Muhammad Ibrahim Jishti)

3. Tools for Slaughtering the Animal:

Hazrat Rafi’ bin Khadij (RA) narrated:

I said, “O Messenger of Allah! Tomorrow we will confront the enemy, and we do not have knives (to slaughter animals).”

The Prophet ﷺ  replied, “Use whatever causes the blood to flow quickly,

and on which Allah’s name has been mentioned—then eat it. However, do not use teeth or nails, and I will soon explain why. Teeth are bones, and nails are the knives of the Abyssinians.” (Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices)

 

Explanation of the Hadith:

For brevity and relevance, only part of the hadith is mentioned. The explanation follows:

Any sharp object that causes blood to flow can be used for slaughter. It is not permissible to kill the animal with a blunt object that does not cause bleeding.

Some scholars state that the wisdom behind requiring blood flow during slaughter is to differentiate between halal and haram meat.

It is to emphasize that if blood remains inside the animal (due to improper slaughter), the meat becomes impermissible.

This hadith clearly states that any sharp cutting tool can be used except for teeth, nails, or bones—whether they are attached or detached, clean or unclean.

Therefore, it is permissible to use items like swords, knives, spears, stones, glass, bamboo, pottery, brass, or any other sharp object for slaughter.

 

4. How Many and Which Veins Must Be Cut During Slaughter?

There are four main veins in the neck of an animal:

Trachea (for breathing)

Esophagus (for eating)

Two blood vessels (called "wadajan")

It is necessary to cut all four veins during slaughter. However, Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (RA) stated that if most of these veins—meaning at least three—are cut, the animal is considered lawfully slaughtered (halal).

If only one or two veins are cut, the meat is not halal but haram.

According to the Hanafi school of thought, cutting all four or at least three out of four veins is essential.