Authentic hadithNarrated by Muslim

Verily, Allah has enjoined kindness in all things

عن شداد بن أوس رضي الله عنه قال: ثِنْتَانِ حَفِظْتُهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ، فَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ».

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah Almighty prescribed ihsān (kindness/excellence) upon us in everything. Ihsān: It is constantly being heedful of Allah in worshipping Him, doing good, and abstaining from harming other created beings. An aspect of this is ihsān in killing and slaughtering.

Ihsān in killing, for legal retribution, is to choose the easiest method which causes the least suffering to the one being killed and the quickest in taking his life. Ihsān in slaughtering animals is to show kindness toward the animal by sharpening the blade and not sharpening it while the animal is looking on, and not slaughtering an animal while another animal is looking.

Source

صحيح مسلم (3/ 1548) (1955). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثا النووية (ص38). شرح الأربعين النووية، لابن عثيمين (ص185). فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، للعباد (ص65). فتح الباري، لابن حجر (9/ 644). شرح النووي على مسلم (13/ 107).
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Verily, Allah has enjoined kindness in all things | Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles | Al Muslim Plus