We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) in Dhul-Hulaifa and there the people were struck with severe hunger. Then we got camels and sheep as war booty (and slaughtered them). The Prophet (ﷺ) was behind all the people. The people hurried and fixed the cooking pots (for cooking) but the Prophet (ﷺ) came there and ordered that the cooking pots be turned upside down. Then he distributed the animals, regarding ten sheep as equal to one camel. One of the camels ran away and there were a few horses with the people. They chased the camel but they got tired, whereupon a man shot it with an arrow whereby Allah stopped it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Among these animals some are as wild as wild beasts, so if one of them runs away from you, treat it in this way." I said. "We hope, or we are afraid that tomorrow we will meet the enemy and we have no knives, shall we slaughter (our animals) with canes?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If the killing tool causes blood to gush out and if Allah's Name is mentioned, eat (of the slaughterer animal). But do not slaughter with a tooth or a nail. I am telling you why: A tooth is a bone, and the nail is the knife of Ethiopians."
Context and Circumstances
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 5498 describes a journey with the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) where severe hunger afflicted the companions. The acquisition of war booty provided relief, but required proper distribution and slaughtering procedures according to Islamic law.
Distribution of Booty and Proportional Equity
The Prophet's action of turning over cooking pots demonstrates the importance of fair distribution before consumption. His establishment of ten sheep equaling one camel shows the Islamic principle of establishing fair equivalents (qīmah) when distributing different types of property.
Handling Unruly Animals
When the camel escaped, the Prophet permitted shooting it with an arrow to stop it, indicating that when domesticated animals become wild and uncontrollable, similar methods to hunting may be employed. This reflects the flexibility in Islamic law regarding necessity.
Conditions for Valid Slaughtering
The Prophet clarified that any tool causing blood to gush out while mentioning Allah's name makes the slaughter permissible. This emphasizes two essential conditions: proper tool usage and tasmiyah (mentioning Allah's name).
Prohibited Slaughtering Instruments
The explicit prohibition of using teeth and nails for slaughtering stems from multiple wisdom: teeth are bones (which don't properly cut) and nails were associated with Ethiopian practices, distinguishing Islamic slaughter from pre-Islamic customs. This maintains the humane aspect of slaughter and religious distinction.