Urjuza fi 'Ilm Il-Dhaka
Author: Imam Abdurrahman Ibn Ali Al-Raq'i
Last Updated: 09/23/2025, 11:42 AM
بسم لله الرحمن الرحيم
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
عِلْمُ الذَّكَاةِ خُذْهُ بِالْيَقِين || فَرْضٌ وَذَاكَ مِنْ فُرُوضِ الدِّينِ
Take the knowledge of slaughter with certainty. It is an obligation from the obligations of the religion.
In other words, knowledge of slaughter is obligatory. It is either a communal obligation to know if a person does not intend to slaughter by themselves, or it is an individual obligation on someone who intends to slaughter an animal.
لِأَنَّهُ لِأَكْلِنَا نَسْتَوْجِبُهُ || وَالْأَكْلُ لَا يَحِلُّ إِلَّا طَيِّبُة
Because it is obligatory for our eating. And it is not permitted to eat anything except that it is pure.
وَطَّيِّبٌ فَاعْلَمْ هُوَ الْحَلَالُ || كَذَا أَتَى فِي شَرْحِهِ
And know that pure [tayyib] refers to what is permitted [halal]. It comes as such in its [the Qur'an's] explanation.
In other words, in verses where the Qur'an refers to food as tayyib, it means what is permitted to eat.
ثم فروض الذَّبْحِ عَقْدُ النَّة || يَنْوِي اسْتِبَاحَ أَكْلِ ذِي الذَّكِيَّة
Then, the obligations of slaughter is to affirm an intention. Intending to eat the thing being slaughtered.
In other words, the intention is obligatory. However, there is a difference of opinion. Is the intention to do the act of slaughter or is the intention to make permissible the animal being slaughtered?
According to the auther, it is the latter, but according to Imam Ahmed Al-Dardir and Al-Dusuqi in Mukhtasar Khalil, the intention is to do the act of the slaughter (Hashiyat al-Dusuqi, 105/2).
فَإِنْ يَكُنْ ذَبْحٌ لِغَيْرِ الْأَكْلِ || فَلَا يَحِلُّ أَكْلُهَا مِنْ أَصْلِ
If the slaughter is for other than eating, then it is not permitted to eat it at all.
In other words, if someone happened to unintentionally slaughter an animal such that all the other conditions were not met, it would not be permitted to eat. The obligation of the intention is for everyone, including a Kitabi. (Hashiyat al-Dusuqi 105/2).
وقَوْلُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ نُطْفًا وَاجِبْ || وَالْخُلْفُ فِي السِّرِّ بِهَا يَا صَاحِبْ
Articulating the saying of the name of Allah is obligatory, and there is a difference of opinion on saying it silently, my friend!
It is not necessary to say "Bismillah" literally. Any dhikr of Allah will suffice, but the most recommended in the school is to say Bismillah Allahu Akbar. This is a condition that applies only to a Muslim when they slaughter.
وَقَطْعُكَ الْأَوْدَاجَ وَالْحُلْقُومَا || قَطْعُ الْجَمِيعِ وَاجِبٌ عُمُومَا
Your cutting of the jugular veins and the windpipe- cutting them entirely- is an obligation generally.
في مَرَّةٍ قَالُوا وَبِاتِّصَالِ || بِلَا تَرَاخ لَا وَلَا انفِصَالِ
They say it must be done in a single instance, all connected, without delay or separation.
وَالْقَطْعُ مِنْ فَوْقِ الْعُرُوقِ بَتَّهُ || فَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا فَمَيْتَهُ
The cutting must be done over the veins, completely. If it is from below, then it is considered carrion.
In other words, the knife must be placed over the the skin and then the veins and windpipe cut by pressing down. If one were to place the knife below the veins by piercing the throat first and cut outwards, towards the skin, this would be impermissible and the meat would be considered carrion (mayta), i.e., impermissible to eat.
وَحَبَّةَ الذَّبِيحَةِ بِاللَّمْسِ || تَحُوزُهَا بِأَسْرِهَا لِلرَّأْسِ
[During slaughter,] the epiglottis of the slaughtered animal is fully pushed towards the head with the hand.
مُوَجَّهَا لِلْقَبْلَةِ الْكَرِيمَة || عَلَى سَبِيلِ السُّنَّةِ الْقَوِيمَة
Facing towards the Noble Qibla, following the steadfast Sunnah.
It is a sunnah to face the animal towards the Qibla.
فَهَذِهِ الشُّرُوطُ فِي الذَّبِيحَة || مَهْمَا بَدَتْ فَإِنَّهَا صَحِيحَة
These are the preconditions in slaughtering. Whenever they are present, then it is valid.
It is important to know that the Imam listed both preconditions of validity (shurut wujub) and preconditions of perfection (shurut kamaal) without differentiating them until later in the text. The preconditions of perfection are the actions that ensure that there is no disliked action (makruh) and all of the non-binding recommendations are fulfilled. If the preconditions of perfection are absent but the preconditions of validity are present, the slaughter is still permitted, but it may have been done sub-optimally.
وَعَكْسُهَا يَجِبُ فِيهَا الْخَلَلَا || أَوْ يَجِبُ الْخِلَافُ قُلْ وَالْعِلَلَا
Its opposite necessitates a defect [invalidity], or say it necessitates a difference of opinion [in its validity] or a defect [i.e., disliked].
In other words, some of the conditions that he mentioned were conditions that it was agreed-upon that they are obligatory. Other conditions that he mentioned are differed-upon whether they are obligatory or recommended. Finally, some conditions that he mentioned were conditions of perfection and leaving them off is disliked but still agreed-upon to be valid.
كَتَرْكِ بِسْمِ اللهِ عَمْدًا يُوجِبُ || تَحْرِيمَهَا وَاخْتَلَّ مِنْهَا الواجب
Like intentionally omitting the name of Allah necessitates it being impermissible and the obligation is invalid due to it.
Intentionally omitting the mention of the name of Allah when a Muslim slaughters will invalidate the slaughter. If it is omitted forgetfully, then it is still valid.
وَتَرْكُهَا سَهْوًا يُبِيحُ الْأَكْلَا || وَالْخُلْفُ فِي الْجَاهِلِ فاعلم نَّقَلَا
And eating it is permitted for forgetful omission. And know that there is a difference of opinion transmitted about the ignorant one.
Imam Al-Dusuqi states that the evident opinion of the Mudawwana is that the ignorant one is like the one who omits it intentionally.
وَتَرْكُ الاِسْتِقْبَالِ مِنْ ذَا الشَّانِ || يُعْذَرُ بِالْجَهْلِ وَبِالنِّسْيَانِ
Omitting the facing of the Qibla, according to the person of importance [Ibn Habib], is excused by ignorance or forgetfulness.
وَعَمْدُهَا شَدَّدَ فِيهِ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ || وَقِال تَحْرُمُ خِلَافًا لِلْكِتَابُ
And Ibn Shihab was severe in this and said it is forbidden, in contrast to the book [Al-Mudawwana, i.e., the Mashhur].
فَصْلٌ وَفِي رَفْعِ الْيَدِ تَفْصِيلُا || قَبْلَ تَمَامِ الذَّبْحِ خُذْ تَحْصِيلا
Section: in the raising of the hand before completing the slaughter, there are more details, so take their summary.
فَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْ بَعْدِ قَطْعِ الْجِلْدِ || مَعْ لَحْمِهِ فَلَا حَرَجٌ فِي الرَّدِّ
If it occurs after cutting the skin and its flesh, then there is no problem in going back [and finishing the slaughter].
The reasoning here is that if the windpipe or jugular veins were not reached, then the animal will still be able to live (albeit with minor injuries), so returning to finish the cut will be valid.
وَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْ بَعْدِ قَطْعِ الْحَلْقِ || أَوْ وَدجٍ وَلَمْ يَفِ بِمَا بَقي
If it occurs after cutting the windpipe or a jugular vein and does not complete what remains.
This is because if the jugular or windpipe were cut partially, the animal was served its killing blow but it was done without fulfilling the conditions of slaughter.
فَمَالِكُ وَصَحْبُهُ قَدْ قَطَعُوا عَنْهُمْ بِنَصِّ أَنَّ الْأَكْلَ مَنَعُوا
Then Malik and his companions explicitly asserted that its eating is prohibited.
وَإِنْ يَكُنْ رُجُوعُهُ فِي الْفَوْرِ || وَأَجْهَزَ الذَّبْحَ إِذَا فِي الْإِثْرِ
If its return [returning the hand] is immediate and finishes off the slaughter immediately after...
A short time (immediacy) or a long time is determined by customs ('urf).
فَابْنُ حَبِيبٍ يَسْتَبِيحُ الْأَكْلَا || وَقَالَ سُحْنُونُ حَرَامٌ بَلَا
Then Ibn Habib made its eating permitted. And Sahnun held it to be completely forbidden.
وَإِنْ يَكُنْ رَفْعُ الْيَدِ عَنْ عُذْرِ || فَمُسْتَبَاحُ رَدُّهَا فِي الْفَوْرِ
If the lifting of the hand occurred due to an excuse, then it is permitted to return it when immediate.
وَإِنْ يَكُنْ رُجُوعُهُ عَنْ بُعْدِ || فَلَا يَحِلُّ أَكْلُهَا كَالْعَمْدِ
If its return was after a long time, then it is not permitted to eat it, like intentionally doing it.
فَاحْكُمْ بِذَا وَلَا تَخَفْ إِنْكَارًا || وَإِنْ يَكُنْ رَفْعُ الْيَدِ اضْطِرَارَا
Then rule by it and do not fear being rejected, even if the raising of the hand was out of necessity.
فَصْلٌ وَلِلذَّكَاةِ أَيْضًا سُنَنُ || قَدْ يَحْسُنُ الذَّبْحُ بِهَا وَيُتْقَنُ
Section: for slaughter, there are also Sunnahs. The slaughter is done well and perfected with them.
مِنْ ذَاكَ أَنْ تُوَجَّهَ الذبِيحَة || لِلْقِبْلَةِ فِي الْقَوْلَةِ الصَّحِيحَة
From them is to face the animal towards the Qibla, according to the correct opinion.
تَسُوقُهَا وَكَوْنُهَا بِالرِّفْقِ || لِأَجْلِ لَا تَذْبَحُهَا فِي الضَّيْقِ
You putting it to the side, and it being done with gentleness. For this reason, do not slaughter it in a tight place.
وَسَلْخُهَا بَعْدَ وَفَاءِ رُوحِهَا || خِيفَةَ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْهُ مَوْتُهَا
And its skinning after its soul leaves the body, out of fear that [skinning] it [earlier] may be the cause of its death [and not the slaughter].
وَطَرْحُهَا رِفقاً عَلَى الْيَسَارِ || لِذَابِحٍ يَمِينَهَا يَا قَارِي
And gently putting it to the left, for it to be on the slaughterer's right, oh reader!
وَيَدَهُ يُفْضِي بِهَا لِلْبَشَرَهُ || لِكَيْ يُزِيلَ صُوفَهَا وَشَعَرَه
With his [left hand], he exposes the skin, in order to move away the wool and hair.
وَيَرْتَقِي حَبَّتَهَا عَنِ الْبَدَنْ || بِيَدِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَذَا كُلُّ حَسَنْ
He keeps its epiglottis away from the body with his left hand, and all of that is good.
وَشَفْرَةُ الذَّبْحِ تَكُونُ حِدَّهُ || مَطْحُونَةٌ مِنْ قَبْلِ ذَا مُعَدَّه
The blade for slaughter being sharpened, ground, and readied beforehand.
وَلَا يَكُونُ الْحَدُّ وَهْيَ نَاظِرَهُ || كَرِهَهُ أَهْلُ الْعُقُولِ الْوَافِرَه
The sharpening should not occur while it is watching. The people of complete intellect dislike that.
وَأَنْ يَكُونَ الذَّبْحُ وَهُوَ أَسْهَلُ || فِي دُفْعَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ لَا يَفْتَلُ
And the slaughter should occur- and this is the easiest- in one stroke, and does not contort it.
وَقَدْ أَتَى عَنِ النَّبِيِّ قَوْلَهُ || إِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ أَحْسِنُوا فِي الْقَتْلَة
Indeed the statement of the Prophet was transmitted that when you kill, be masterful in your killing.
See Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, 1409.
وَلَا يَكُونُ ذَبْحُهَا وَأُخْرَى || نَاظِرَةٌ لَهَا وَلَا بِحَضْرَا
And the slaughter should not occur and others are watching it, nor present it.
وَلَا يَكُونُ سَلْخُهَا وَالْجِلْدُ || مُصَاحِبًا لِرُوحِهَا مُسْتَنِدُ
And the skinning should not occur while the soul is still attached to the skin [i.e., before it dies].
وَالنَّتْفُ كَالسَّلْخِ بِهَذَا الْمَعْنَى || يُمْنَعُ قَبْلَ الْمَوْتِ وَهْيَ السُّنَة
And plucking [feathers] is like skinning in this meaning, it is prohibited before death, and this is the Sunnah.
وَحَلُّهَا مِنْ رَبْطِهَا لِتَضْطَرِبْ || فَابْعَدْ وَبَاعِدْهَا أَخِي لَا تَقْتَرِبْ
And loosening its ties so that it may move about. Keep your distance and keep it away from you, my brother, not nearing it [until it stops moving].
Do this so that the animal may relax and calm down and so that the blood does not splatter on your body or clothes.
فَصْلٌ شُرُوطِ الذَّابِحِ الْبُلُوغُ || وَمُسْلِمًا وَعَاقِلًا يَسُوعُ
Section: the preconditions of permitting the slaughterer is puberty, Islam, intellect.
Islam is not considered to be a precondition of validity and if the Kitabi slaughters for himself, then there is no disliking either.
وَذَكَرًا مِنْ شَرْطِهِ يَكُونُ || وَحَافِظًا لِعِرْضِهِ وَدِينُ
And to be male is from one of its preconditions and the one who guards his honor and religion.
The stronger opinion according to Imam Al-Dardir and others is that there is no disliking of a woman slaughtering, and there is no apparent difference between a male or female Muslim slaughtering.
وَقَادِرًا عَلَى اسْتِيفَاءِ الذَّبْحِ || وَعَارِفَا بِهِ تَفَهَّمْ شَرْحِي
And capable of fulfilling the slaughter, and knowledgeable of it [how to slaughter], so understand my explanation!
فَهَذِهِ الشُّرُوطُ بِاتِّفَاقِ || يُقْضَى بِهَا فِي كُلِّ ذِي الْآفَاقِ
These are conditions judged by agreement in every place.
In other words, if all the aforementioned conditions are present, then the slaughter is considered to be valid by agreement of all scholars of the school.
قَالُوا وَمَا ذَبَحَهُ الْكِتَابِي لِنَفْسِهِ || يَدْخُلُ فِي ذَا الْبَابِ
They say that what the Kitabi [Jew or Christian] slaughters for himself is included within this category.
If a Kitabi slaughters for a Muslim who appointed him to slaughter on his behalf, there is a difference of opinion of its validity or invalidity, and according to Imam Al-Dardir, the strongest opinion is that it is disliked but valid (See Al-Sharh Al-Saghir, 161/2).
وَقَدْ قَرَأْنَا نَصَّ ذِي الْجَلَالِ طَعَامُهُمْ لَنَا مِنَ الْحَلَالِ
Indeed we read the explicit statement of the Possessor of Majesty that their food is permitted for us.
Referring to the verse of the Qur'an, in Surah Al-Maida, Ayah 5.
وَغَيْرُ مَا اتَّفَاقُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ || فَخُلْفُهُمْ يَسْرِي نَعَمْ إِلَيْهِ
For other than what they agreed upon, then their difference apply.
فَذَبْحُ غَيْرِ الْبَالِغِ يَجُوزُ || إِنْ كَانَ مَعْهُ عُرْفٌ أَوْ تَمْيِيزُ
The slaughter of the one before puberty is permitted if he has knowledge or discernment.
وَالْمَرْأَةُ فِي ذَبْحِهَا كَذَلِكَ || وَفِيهِمَا كَرَاهَةٌ لِمَالِكْ
And likewise, the woman in her slaughter. And for both of them there is disliking from Malik.
Imam Al-Hattab says regarding the woman and the pre-pubescent that the mashhur is that there is no dislike which is what is found in Al-Mudawwana, but there is a narration in Al-Mawwaziya that states that there is dislike.
وَمِثْلُ ذَا الْخُنْثَى مَعَ الْخَصِيِّ || وَالْأَغْلَفُ الْبَالِغُ لَا الصَّبِيِّ
Likewise, the hermaphrodite, the eunuch, and the uncircumcised who is past puberty, not the pre-pubescent.
ذَبْحُ الْكِتَابِيِّ كَذَا قَدْ بَانَا || فِي ذَبْحِهِ لِمُسْلِمٍ إِنْ كَانَا
Likewise, the slaughter of the kitabi if his slaughter is for a Muslim.
وَكُلُّ مَا مِنْ عَقْلِهِ مَسْلُوبُ || سَكْرَانُ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ أَوْ مَكْلُوبُ
And everyone who is bereft of intellect: intoxicated, insane, or rabid...
فَذَبْحُهُمْ عَلَى اتِّفَاقِ يَحْرُمُ || كَذَا صَبِيٌّ مِثْلُهُ لَا يَفْهَمُ
... their slaughter is impermissible by agreement. Likewise, the pre-pubescent, if he does not comprehend.
وَمِثْلُهُ الْمُرْتَدُّ وَالْمَجُوسِي || وَكُلُّ ذِي زَنْدَقَة مَنْجُوسِي
Similar to him is the apostate and the Magian, and every filthy hypocrite.
ذَكَاتُهُمْ تَحْرُمُ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ || مِنْ غَيْرِ خُلْفٍ لَا وَلَا نزَاعِ
Their slaughter is prohibited by consensus, without any difference of opinion or dissent.
وَتَارِكُ الصَّلَاةِ، ذَاكَ مُبْتَدِعْ || إِذْ لَمْ يُحَافِظُ وَقْتَهَا، وَيَتَّبِعْ
And the one who abandons the prayer, he is an innovator when he does not adhere or follow its times.
فَلَا يَجُوزُ ذَبْحُهُ فِي الْوَاضِحَة || لِكُفْرِهِ وَقِ بِهِ الْمُنَاكَحَة
His slaughter is not permitted in Al-Wadiha due to his disbelief, and apply this to marriage.
However, the prominent opinion is that the slaughter of the open sinner is valid but disliked, as long as their sin is not related to slaughtering where it may be suspected that the slaughter was invalid.
وَقَدْ أَتَى فِيهِ عَنِ الْإِمَامِ || لَيْسَ لَهُ حَظِّ مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ
It comes to us from the Imam [Malik] that he has no Islam.
وَعِنْدَهُ فِي كُفْرِهِ مَقَالُ || فَذَبْحُ غَيْرِهِ أَخي حَلَالُ
And according to them, in his apostacy there is an opinion... So the slaughter of other than him, my brother, is permitted.
وَقِسْ عَلَيْهِ كُلَّ فَاسِقٍ بَدَا || مِنْ شَارِبِ الْخَمْرِ وَبَاغِ اعْتَدَا
And draw an analogy from him on every open sinner, from the drinker of wine and the oppressive oppressor.
وَفِي ذَكَاةِ الْأَيْسَرِ قَوْلَانِ || الْمَنْعُ وَالْجَوَازُ قُلْ بِالثَّانِي
And in the slaughter of the left-handed, there are two opinions. Prohibition and permissibility- go with the second.
About the Text
This text is a sixty line poem by Imam Abu Zayd Abdurrahman ibn Ali Al-Ruq'i Al-Sanusi Al-Fasi. Imam Abu Zayd Al-Ruq'i was a scholar from the ninth century in 853 A.H. He was raised and lived his life in Fes, Morocco, and was a master of the Maliki school, known for his outward knowledge and righteousness.
He was the author of Nadhm Muqaddimat Ibn Rushd, a versification of Al-Muqaddimat, an incredibly important text in the Maliki school written by the Andalusian jurist, Imam Abul Walid Ibn Rushd. It is debated whether this poem on slaughter is a part of that same versification or a different poem, but likely it is part of the same poem, but often printed and taught separately than the rest of the versification, which covers the chapters of ritual law.
This poem has several commentaries on it, including commentaries by Al-Tataai and Al-Zurqani among others. The versification is still taught in parts of the world today, including in modern day Adrar, Algeria.
In this translation, I also add some notes regarding the relied-upon positions of the Maliki school since some of the positions of the text are not the mashhur since Al-Muqaddimat, which is its source, is an earlier text that is the ijtihad of Ibn Rushd and some of the positions were not considered to be the strongest positions or the ones relied upon for fatwa. I reference Mukhtasar Khalil and Aqrab Al-Masalik and their commentaries by Imam Al-Dardir and Imam Al-Dusuqi when quoting the mashhur or mu'tamad of the school. At times, I also explain the versification's more difficult lines by referring to its commentary by Imam Muhammad Al-Madyuni.