Page-34 :To recite other sentences in place of Bismillah at the time of slaughter: To recite Bismillah is sometimes Wajib, Sunnah, Mubah, Jayez and sometimes Makruh or Haram: The rule of Shariah about slaughtering without Bismillah: Bismillah in different sentences in the Quran and Hadith:

To recite other sentences in place of Bismillah at the time of slaughter:

To say Alhamdu Lillah, Subhanallah, Allahu Akbar instead of Bismillah at the time of slaughter is Jaez: (جائز)

Shamsuddin As –Sarakhsi said in the book Al-Mabsoot:  وإن قال مكان التسمية ألحمد لله أو سبحان الله او الله أكبر يريد به التسمية أجزأه لأن الشرط ذكر الله تعالى على التعظيم

“If a slaughterer says in the place of Bismillah “Alhamdu Lillah” or “Subhanallah” or “Allahu Akbar” with the intention of Bismillah (To start in the name of Allah), it is allowed/Jaez (جائز, because the remembrance of Allah the Almighty to glorify Him is the condition for slaughter”. (Ref.1) 

Bukhari narrated- حدثنا حفص إبن عمر حدثنا هشام عن قتادة عن أنس قال ضحى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بكبشين  يسمى ويكبر Hafs Ibn Umar told us Hisham told us from Qatadah and Anas. Anas said: Nabi (Sm.) sacrificed two rams and he mentioned Bismillah and Allahu akbar(While slaughtering). (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith no-7399, كتاب التوحييد - باب السوال بأسماء الله تعالى والإستعاذة بها)

To recite  Bismillah is sometimes Wajib, Sunnah, Mubah, Jayez, and sometimes Makruh or Haram:

أما البسملة فتجب فى إبتداء الذبح ورمى الصيد والإرسال إليه لكن يقوم مقامها كل ذكر خالص وفى بعض الكتب أنه لايأتى بالرحمن الرحيم لأن الذبح ليس بملائم للرحمة لكن فى الجوهر أنه لو قال " بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم" فهو حسن  و تسن فى إبتداء الفاتحة فى كل ركعة  وتسن أيضا فى إبتداء الوضوء والأكل وفى ابتداء فى كل  أمر ذى بال  وتجوز فيما بين الفاتجة السورة وتباح أيضا فى إبتداء المشى والقيام والقعود وتكره عند كشف العورة أو محل النجاسات وفى أول سورة برأة قيل وعند شرب الدخان أى ونحوه من كل ذى رائحة كريهة كأكل ثوم وبصل وتحرم عند إستعمال محرم بل فى البزازية وغيرها يكفر من مباشرة كل حرام قطعى الحرمة وكذا تحرم على الجنب إن كان يقصد بها الذكر                                                                                                                 

“To recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Wajib (واجب) at the beginning of slaughter, throwing an arrow for hunting, (Or shooting by gun) and sending a hunting dog (To hunt a Halal animal or bird). But in place of Bismillah, every authentic zikr (The word by which one can express the remembrance of Allah) will replace it. In some books of Hanafi Fiqh, the slaughterer does not recite Ar-Rahman –Ar-Raheem(The most gracious, the Most Merciful), because slaughtering is not appropriate for mercy, but in the book Al-Jawhar, if he says بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) that will be good. To recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Sunnah (ألسنة) at the beginning of Sura Al-Fatiha in every Raka’h. It is also Sunnah at the time of starting Wadu (Ablution), eating, and at the beginning of all important deeds. To recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Jaiz (جائز) in between Sura Fatiha and other Sura (In Salah). To recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Mubah at the beginning of walking, standing up, and sitting down. To recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Makruh at the time of opening the private parts of the body (Which are due to be covered up) or at the places of impurity and the beginning of Sura Al-Bara’ah. It was said: To recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Makruh at the time of smoking and like that at the time of eating all types of unpleasant-smelling things like (uncooked) onion and garlic. To recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Haram (Illicit) at the time of using any Haram thing but in Fatawi Al-Bazaziah and other books of Fatwa- he will be Kafir for reciting at the time of pursuing irrefutable proven Haram thing, like that to recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Haram for the one who is in a state of impurity and he wishes Allah’s remembrance with that.” (Ref.2)

فإذا أرسل كلبه المعلم أو بازيه أوصقره وذكر إسم الله تعالى عليه عند إرساله فأخذ الصيد وجرحه فمات حل أكله

“When the one who sends his trained dog or his Hawk or his falcon, and recites Bismillah when he sends it (For hunting), then he takes the hunt and wounds him, and he (Hunted animal or bird) dies, it is permissible to eat that.”(Ref.3)

The rule of Shariah about slaughtering without Bismillah:

  Abul Hasan Al-Quduri Al-Hanafi said: وإن ترك الذابح التسمية عمدا فالذبيحة ميتة لاتؤكل وإن تركها ناسيا أكل 

“If the slaughterer deliberately left reciting Bismillah, then the slaughtered animal shall be considered as dead and cannot be eaten, if he gives up reciting Bismillah mistakenly, then it will be eaten.” Allah’s Rasul (Sm) said in this regard- ألمسلم يذبح على إسم الله تعالى سمى أو لم يسمى “A Muslim slaughters in the name of Allah, whether he does recite Bismillah or doesn’t recite.”(Ref.4)

Bismillah in different sentences in the Quran and Hadith:

1. بسم الله على ملة رسول الله (Bismillahi A’la Millati Rasulillh) is to be said at the time of placing the dead body in the grave. As it is reported in the book of Fiqh:

فإذا وضع فى لحده يقول واضعه: بسم الله على ملة رسول الله كذا قاله عليه الصلاة والسلام حين وضع أبا دجانة رضى الله عنه فى القبر          

 “When the one who puts the dead body into the grave, he will say –Bismillahi A’la Millati Rasulillah

(In the name of Allah, upon the Deen (Religion) of Allah’s Rasul). He (sm.) said the same when he placed Abu Dujana, (R.) in the grave.” (Ref.5)

 2. When anyone boards any type of vehicle, he has to recite - بسم الله مجرها ومرسها Bismillahi Majreha Wa Mursaha). As Allah the almighty said: وقال إركبوا فيها بسم الله مجرها ومرسها 

And Nuh (A.) said, board the boat, in the name of Allah is its running and stopping. (Al-Hud-41)

Muhammad Ali As-Sabuni said in his Tafsir- أى وقال نوح لمن أمن به إركبو فى السفينة بإسم الله يكون جريها على وجه الماء وبإسم الله يكون رسوها وإستقرارها قال الطبرى: ألمعنى بسم الله حين تجرى وجين ترسى                                          

“It means – Nuh (A.) said to the Mumins (Who put faith in him), board the boat, running of this boat on water be in the name of Allah and its topping be in the name of Allah. At-Tabari said: It means when it runs and when it stops that will be in the name of Allah.”  (Ref.6)

References:(المراجع)

1.  الدين السرخسى كتاب المبسوط لشمس Volume-12, كتاب الذبائحpage-4  

2. Raddul Muhtar Alad –Durril Mukhtar, Sharhu Tanwiril Absar, Renowned as Fatawa Shami, Author- Muhammad Amin, renowned as Ibnu Abedin, Study, investigation, and commentary made by  Adel Ahmad Abdul Maujud and Ali Muhammad Mu’waez Special Edition 2003, Volume-1, Page -80, تقديم المؤلف حول البسملة والحمدلة, printed by Darul Kutubil Alamih, Beirut, Lebanon

3.   متن القدورى على مذهب الإمام الأعظم أبى حنيفة النعمان -   كتاب الصيد والذبائح, Page -98- Author- Abul Hasan Al-Quduri Al-Bagdadi, printed last in 1948 A.D.

4. Al-Hedayah, Sharhe Bidayatul Mubtadi, Author-Burhan Uddin Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Abi Bakr Al-Marginani with the explanation of Abdul Hai Al-Lakhnuwi, First addition-1417 Hijri year,  Volume-7,    كتاب الذبائح,  page-121

5. شرح فتح القدير على الهداية شرح بداية المبتدى Volume-2, Page -146.

6. Safwatut Tafaseer, Author –Muhammad Ali As-Sabuni, Volume-2, Page -15 (Tafsir of Sura Hud)