Qurbaani

Q. According to Islamic principles, what are the parts of an animal that are not allowed to be consumed?

A.In Tanwir-ul-Absaar and Durr-ul-Mukhtar, seven parts of a billy goat/goat have been mentioned that are Makruh, as a Hadith has been narrated in this regard. Indeed, these parts are:

1. The penis,
2. The testicles,
3. The female sex organ,
4. The gallbladder,
5. The bladder,
6. Blood,
7. The glands – the joints or knots that are wrapped in fat, and the hard (blood) lumps that lie between the nerves and muscles.

In Radd-ul-Muhtaar, the sharh of Durr-ul-Mukhtar, Allaamah Muhammad Ameen Ibn Aabideen (Rahimahullah) stated that Imam Al-Awzai (Rahimahullah) reported from Waseel bin Abu Jameelah (Rahimahullah), who in turn reported from Mujahid (Rahimahullah), that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) regarded the penis, the testicles, the female sexual organ, the gallbladder, the bladder, the glands – the joints or knots which are wrapped in fat – the hard pieces between the nerves and the muscles, and the blood of a goat as Makruh.

Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahimahullah) said:

"Blood is haram, and I consider the other six parts as Makruh, and this is because of the statement of Allah Ta'ala:

"Forbidden for you is Mayta (dead animal), blood..." (5:3)

Further on, Allaamah Muhammad Ameen Ibn Aabideen (Rahimahullah) stated that it is mentioned in Badaa'i (a book of Fiqh):

"What was reported from Mujahid refers to Makruh Tahrimi, because Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) mentioned the six parts together with blood, which is haram."

It should be noted that among the Fuqahaa (jurists), there is a technical distinction between haraam and Makruh Tahrimi, but on a practical level, Makruh Tahrimi is treated with the same level of severity as haraam.

In his Ilaa-us-Sunan, after examining the sanad of the Hadith of Mujahid (mentioned above), Sheikh Zafar Ahmad Usmani (Rahimahullah) states that the Hadith is either an authentic mursal or a mursal hasan.

In the same book, the Sheikh states that the Hadith was also narrated by Imam Muhammad (Rahimahullah) in Kitaab-ul-Aathaar.

It should be pointed out that a mursal Hadith is a Hadith with a disconnection in its sanad (chain of transmission) between a Taabii and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam). The fact that this Hadith is mursal is not a sufficient reason to reject it, as a mursal Hadith is considered authoritative among the majority of the Fuqahaa. In fact, Allaamah Ibn Jareer (Rahimahullah) stated that all the Taabi‘een unanimously accepted the Maraaseel (plural of mursal), and there was no objection to this among the Aimmah (Rahimahumullah) until the second century Hijri.

In a letter addressed to the people of Makkah, Imam Abu Daawud (Rahimahullah) wrote:

"As for the Maraaseel, the early Ulamaa such as Sufyaan Thawri (Rahimahullah), Imam Maalik (Rahimahullah), and Imam Al-Awzaa‘i (Rahimahullah) considered them as an authority until Imam Shaafi‘i (Rahimahullah) contested it."

Therefore, according to these scholars, the Hadith of Mujahid concerning the impermissibility of these seven parts is an authority. Let us also note that this Hadith was mentioned in Mu‘jam-ul-Awsat of Tabrani, reported by Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (Radiyallahu ‘anhuma) with a sanad without any disconnection. Imam Baihaqi (Rahimahullah) also mentioned this Hadith, which on that occasion was reported by Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (Radiyallahu ‘anhuma). Moreover, Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaaq and Maraaseel Abu Daawud also mentioned this Hadith of Mujahid (Rahimahullah).

It should be noted that the Hadith mentioned the goat in particular, but according to Allaamah Muhammad Ameen Ibn Aabideen (Rahimahullah), this principle applies to other animals as well.

[English version of "Qourbaanî" – Al Haadi – Vol. 2 No. 8]