SAYING ''BISMILLAH'' OVER HARAM MEAT

 

Saying bismillah over haram meat to make it halal

 

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها أن ناسًا قالوا للنبي ﷺ: *"إن قومًا يأتوننا باللحم لا ندري أذكروا اسم الله عليه أم لا؟" فقال: "سموا أنتم عليه وكلوا"*

 

(صحيح البخاري 5507)

 

The hadith narrated by **Aisha (رضي الله عنها)** states:

 

 *"Some people said to the Prophet (ﷺ), 'People bring us meat, and we do not know whether they mentioned Allah’s name over it or not.' He replied, 'Mention Allah’s name over it and eat.'"*

 

(Sahih al-Bukhari 5507)

 

 **Misinterpretation & Clarification**

 

1. **Context of the Hadith**:

 

- The meat in question was from **new Muslims** (Bedouins who had recently accepted Islam). The Sahabah were uncertain if these new Muslims had said **"Bismillah"** at the time of slaughter.

 

- The Prophet (ﷺ) instructed them to say

 

**"Bismillah"** before eating **not to make haram meat halal**, but because the default assumption was that **Muslims** would have slaughtered it correctly .

 

2. **Does Saying Bismillah Make Haram Meat Halal?**

 

- **No.** Scholars unanimously agree that **merely saying "Bismillah" before eating does not render haram meat permissible** .

 

- The ruling applies **only** when the meat comes from a **Muslim source**, and there is **no certainty** that "Bismillah" was omitted during slaughter .

 

3. **Meat from Non-Muslim Sources**:

 

- If the meat is from a **non-Muslim** slaughterhouse (where Allah’s name is **not** invoked), saying "Bismillah" does **not** make it halal .

 

- The **original ruling** for such meat remains **impermissible** unless it is from **People of the Book (Jews/Christians)** and meets Islamic slaughter conditions .

 

4. **Extreme Necessity (Starvation)**:

 

- If a person is **forced to eat haram meat** (e.g., facing starvation), they are **excused from sin**, but the meat **does not become halal**—it remains haram, though the sin is waived .

 

- Even in this case, scholars **forbid** saying "Bismillah" over haram food .

 

### Key Points to Consider:

 

1. **Slaughtering Requirements for Meat to Be Halal:**

 

- The animal must be slaughtered by a **Muslim** (or a **Person of the Book**—Jew or Christian in some interpretations).

 

- The name of Allah (**"Bismillah, Allahu Akbar"**) must be **recited at the time of slaughtering**.

 

- The blood must be properly drained.

 

- The slaughter must be done with a sharp knife, ensuring a quick and humane death.

 

2. **If the Meat Was Not Slaughtered Islamically:**

 

- Merely saying "Bismillah" before eating **does not** make it halal if the proper slaughtering process was not followed.

 

- If the meat comes from an unknown or non-halal source (e.g., non-Muslim slaughter without Allah’s name being invoked), it remains **haram**.

 

3. **Exceptions Where Saying Bismillah May Help:**

 

- If you are **unsure** whether "Bismillah" was said at the time of slaughter, some scholars (like Imam Ahmad) permit eating it after saying "Bismillah" yourself, **provided** it was slaughtered by a Muslim or People of the Book.

 

- If you **forgot** to say "Bismillah" before eating, you can say:

 

**"Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu"**

(*In the name of Allah at its beginning and end*) to rectify the omission.

 

 Conclusion:

 

- **Saying "Bismillah" is necessary but not sufficient** to make meat halal—the slaughtering process must already be Islamically valid.

 

- If the meat was **not slaughtered correctly**, saying "Bismillah" does **not** make it permissible.

 

- Always **verify the source of your meat** to ensure it meets Islamic requirements