Story Steppe Farmland & grasslands Mercy towards animals

Share

In a house in Medina, a man was preparing to sacrifice a sheep. He was dragging the animal by its legs, running his blade over a stone right in front of it, while it trembled with eyes wide open. The Prophet ﷺ, witnessing the scene, did not remain silent.

A rebuke tempered with gentleness

It is reported, according to Ibn Abbas, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a man sharpening his knife while the animal was already lying down, waiting for the sacrifice before his eyes. He then addressed him with these words that have remained famous: "Do you want to put it to death twice? Why did you not sharpen your knife before laying it down?" This hadith is reported by At-Tabarani and cited by many scholars as the foundation for kindness toward the sacrificed animal.

This word of the Prophet ﷺ does not condemn the act of sacrifice itself, instituted on the occasion of Eid al-Adha in remembrance of the trial of the prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), but it establishes its spirit: nothing must add unnecessary suffering to what is already, for the animal, a fearful moment. Sharpening the blade in advance, away from the animal's sight, preventing it from seeing another animal slaughtered, treating it gently to the very last moment—this is what this tradition teaches.

A mercy that encompasses all things

This principle joins a broader teaching reported in Sahih Muslim, according to Shaddad ibn Aws: the Prophet ﷺ said that Allah has prescribed excellence (al-ihsan) in all things, and thus, when one slaughters, one must perform the slaughter well, sharpen one's blade and soothe the sacrificed animal. This hadith explicitly links the quality of the technical gesture to a spiritual requirement: al-ihsan, the pursuit of good conduct, applies even in the treatment of animals, even at the most solemn moment of their existence.

Commentators emphasize that this requirement is not a minor detail. It bears witness to a vision in which the life of the creature, even destined for lawful nourishment, retains a dignity that demands respect: do not mistreat it, do not prolong its anguish, do not transform an act of worship into an occasion for cruelty. Sacrifice, in the Islamic tradition, must remain a deliberate act, controlled, imbued with respect for the creature that gives its life.

What this story teaches us today

As Eid al-Adha approaches, this hadith remains a concrete reference for anyone who has charge of an animal destined for sacrifice. It recalls several simple practices:

• Sharpen the blade before bringing the animal, never in front of it.
• Prevent one animal from witnessing the slaughter of another.
• Handle the animal with calm, without brutality or haste.
• Perform the gesture quickly and cleanly, to minimize all suffering.

Thus, even in the most solemn act of the Islamic calendar, kindness toward the animal is never suspended. It remains an ongoing duty, a reminder that faith is not limited to rites performed toward Allah, but extends to the way one treats each creature He has placed on our path. To care for a sheep until its last moment is to honor both the animal and the teaching of the Prophet ﷺ.