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Fatwa CenterAnesthetizing the animal before slaughtering it
Question
Assalamo alaykum wa rahmato Allah, As Shaikh Qaradawi (may Allah protect him) has mentioned in a previous fatwa in 2003, if an anaesthetic is not used to kill the animal but rather to prevent it from moving while it is being slaughtered, it is lawful and its meat can be eaten by Muslims. There is a new law in the Netherlands which stipulates that slaughtering animals be only practiced after anesthetizing the animal. Once the new law is implemented, any slaughtering of animals without anesthetization will be considered a violation of law. This “violation” (normal Islamic slaughtering) will subject one to a penalty (e.g. a fine). A Muslim who lives in the West should abide by regulations applied in the country where he lives as long as it does not contradict Shari'a. Furthermore, safeguarding oneself and one's property is an Islamic obligation. Is there any objection to the Muslim’s acceptance or support of this new Dutch law on the basis of the fatwa that allows eating meat of animals that were anaesthetized, as long as the anaesthetic does not cause the death of the animal? Is this like supporting a law that makes lawful slaughtering (by cutting the throat) into something “haram” (without anaesthetics)? The new law will also make the Muslim minority in the Netherlands dependent on the availability of anaesthetics in the country in ‘eid al adha’, when the demand for slaughtering is high among Muslims. No anaesthetics will mean no ‘eid al adha’. Jazakum Allah khayran. Hicham Abbassi
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The best method of slaughtering the animal is the method the Sharee’ah has ordered us to follow, like sharpening the knife, lying down the animal (that will be slaughtered), making the animal feet at ease, and slaughtering it according to the advice of the Prophet as he said: “…and when you slaughter (an animal), slaughter (it) in a good way. So, each one of you should sharpen his blade and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably." [Muslim]
If anesthesia is just for paralyzing the animal and not for killing it, then this is permissible and the meat of such animal is lawful as per the Fatwa given by the Dar Al-Iftaa’ [the House of Fatwa] of Egypt. Therefore, abiding by this law is permissible.
Nevertheless, one should not support this law (in any manner) because anesthesia could harm the animal and cause its death before slaughtering it. It is for this reason that the Permanent Committee for Iftaa’ (in Saudi Arabia) issued a Fatwa prohibiting it out of fear that anesthesia could lead to killing the animal.
Allaah Knows best.
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