Hadith Text & Reference

The narration states: "Some Bedouin people used to bring us meat, and we did not know whether they had mentioned the Name of Allah (when slaughtering it) or not. The Messenger of Allah said: 'Mention the Name of Allah and eat.'"

Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 4436 | The Book of ad-Dahaya (Sacrifices)

Legal Ruling & Primary Meaning

This hadith establishes the permissibility of consuming meat slaughtered by Muslims, even when one did not witness the actual slaughter or hear the Tasmiyah (saying "Bismillah"). The command to "Mention the Name of Allah and eat" indicates that the Companions' doubt does not render the meat unlawful.

The ruling is based on the fundamental principle that Muslims are presumed to fulfill the religious conditions of their acts of worship and transactions unless there is clear evidence to the contrary. Thus, the default assumption is that a Muslim slaughterer performed the Tasmiyah.

Scholarly Commentary & Wisdom

Imam an-Nawawi explains that this hadith demonstrates the ease and removal of hardship in Islamic law. If one were required to investigate every detail of slaughter, it would create immense difficulty in daily life.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes that the Prophet's instruction to say "Bismillah" before eating serves multiple purposes: it regularizes the practice of beginning all actions with Allah's name, it compensates for any potential omission during slaughter, and it distinguishes the eating as a conscious act of worship.

The scholars differentiate between this case and meat from non-Muslims, as Muslims are bound by Islamic rulings while the People of the Book have their own rulings regarding slaughter.

Practical Application

When obtaining meat from known Muslims, one should assume it is lawful without investigation. The recommended practice is to always say "Bismillah" before consuming any food.

This ruling applies specifically to situations of doubt regarding the Tasmiyah. If one has certain knowledge that the Name of Allah was intentionally omitted, the meat would be considered unlawful according to the majority of scholars.