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Nawawi #17 Character

Even slaughter has its ethics — because iḥsān is owed everywhere.

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws (شداد بن أوس)

The Prophet ﷺ said

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَةَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ

"Allah has written iḥsān — excellence — upon everything. So when you kill, kill well; and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Sharpen your blade and bring ease to the animal."

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1955
Classical commentary

The hadith extends iḥsān beyond worship into every human action — including actions that involve harm. If mercy is required even where killing is permitted, how much more in ordinary dealings? Classical jurists drew from this the principle that the Muslim is held to a standard of craftsmanship in whatever they do.

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In the classical library

Passages that draw on this hadith

  1. "and mercy, the perfection of His kindness, His veiling, His forbearance, His overlooking and His remission — and that His mercy toward him is sheer benefaction bestowed upon him, not a recompense given in exchange for anything he has done; and that unless He enfolds him in His mercy and His bounty, he is doomed beyond escape. By God, how much wisdom lies in the very decreeing of sin, and how much benefit and mercy it holds for the servant when repentance is truly realized!"

  1. "Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Allah does not show mercy to those who do not show mercy to people. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, also mentioned, The just ruler will be shaded by Allah in his shade on the day when there is no shade except his."

Volume Three
Ibn al-Qayyim
  1. "The one whose attribute is mercy encompasses everything with both mercy and knowledge. His mercy extends as far as His knowledge reaches. He is established upon His Throne with His mercy, so it encompasses everything,"

Volume One
Ibn al-Qayyim
  1. "The Ranks of Humility and Submission Reflect on the words of the mother: "Do not compel me with your disobedience to act contrary to the mercy and compassion I am naturally inclined to." And consider the saying of the Prophet مُحَمَّد, peace be upon him: "اللّٰه is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child." Where does a mother's mercy stand in comparison to the mercy of اللّٰه, which encompasses everything?"

  1. "He replied: "No, but by the mercy of God," and she said: Not even you? He said: "Not even I, unless God envelops me in His mercy," and he placed his hand on his head. This is because God Almighty owes no one any right, nor is He obligated to fulfill any covenant. Rather, He does as He wills, punishing whom He wills and forgiving whom He wills, showing mercy to whom He wills and bestowing blessings upon whom He wills."

  2. "The sixth: Do not declare anyone from the people of the Qibla to be a polytheist, disbeliever, or hypocrite, for this is closer to mercy, higher in rank, and the completion of the Sunnah. It distances you from entering into God's knowledge, distances you from God's wrath, and brings you closer to God's pleasure and mercy, for it is a noble and honored door with God that bequeaths the servant mercy for all creation."

  1. ""Say: in the bounty of God and in His mercy — in that let them rejoice." The sayings of the early generations varied in explaining bounty and mercy, but the sound view is that they are guidance and blessing: His bounty is His guidance, and His mercy is His blessing. For this reason He joins guidance and blessing together, as in His words in Surat al-Fatiha:"

  1. "By God, I have ten children and I have never kissed one of them." He said, "Whoever shows no mercy is shown no mercy." In another report, "What can I do if God has stripped mercy from your heart?" He was among those whose hearts the Messenger of God, God's peace and blessings be upon him, sought to win, and he gave him a hundred camels on the day of Hunayn,"

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