Indeed, Allah has enjoined Ihsān (kindness/excellence) in all things

Authentic Explained hadiths 66521

عَنْ أَبِي يَعْلَى شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا القِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ، وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ».

Abu Ya‘la Shaddād ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

"Indeed, Allah has enjoined Ihsān (kindness/excellence) in all things. So, when you kill, kill with kindness; and when you slaughter, slaughter with kindness. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare the animal he slaughters suffering."

Reported by Muslim (No. 1955a, 1955b), Abu Dawud (No. 2815), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1409), An-Nasa’i (No. 4405, 4411, 4412, 4413, 4414), Ibn Majah (No. 3170), Ahmad (No. 16490, 16494, 16506, 16516) and Ad-Darimi (No. 1888).رواه مسلم

Original references (6)

صحيح مسلم (3/ 1548) (1955).
التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثا النووية (ص38).
شرح الأربعين النووية، لابن عثيمين (ص185).
فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، للعباد (ص65).
فتح الباري، لابن حجر (9/ 644).
شرح النووي على مسلم (13/ 107).

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah Almighty prescribed ihsān (kindness/excellence) upon us in everything. Ihsān: It is constantly being heedful of Allah in worshipping Him, doing good, and abstaining from harming other created beings. An aspect of this is ihsān in killing and slaughtering.

Ihsān in killing, for legal retribution, is to choose the easiest method which causes the least suffering to the one being killed and the quickest in taking his life.

Ihsān in slaughtering animals is to show kindness toward the animal by sharpening the blade and not sharpening it while the animal is looking on, and not slaughtering an animal while another animal is looking.

Lessons

The Hadīth shows Allah's mercy and kindness toward His creation.
Ihsān in killing and slaughtering is to do it in the manner prescribed by the Shariah.
The Shariah is perfect and comprises all forms of goodness, one of which is mercy and kindness toward animals.
It is prohibited to mutilate a person after killing him.
Anything that causes suffering to animals is prohibited.

Explanation in Arabic

يُخبرُ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أن الله تعالى أوجبَ علينا الإحسانَ في كل الأشياء، والإحسان: هو مراقبة الله على الدوام، في عبادته وفي بذل الخير وكف الأذى عن المخلوقين، ومن ذلك الإحسان في القتل والذبح.

فالإحسان في القتل عند القصاص: بأن يختار أسهلَ الطُّرُق وأخَفَّها وأسرعَها زهوقًا للمقتول.

والإحسان في الذبح عند الذكاة: بأن يرفق بالبهيمة بإحداد الآلة، وألّا تُحَدَّ أمام الذبيحة وهي تنظر إليها، وألَّا تُذبح وهناك من الماشية ما ينظر إليها.

رحمة الله عزّ وجل ولطفه بالخلق.
إحسان القتل والذبح بأن يكون على الوجه المشروع.
كمال الشريعة واشتمالها على كل خير، ومن ذلك رحمة الحيوان والرفق به.
النهي عن المُثْلة بالإنسان بعد قتله.
تحريم كل ما فيه تعذيب للحيوان.

Scholars’ grades

Original grading term, without a named scholar: صحيح

Other versions

Authentic Sahih Muslim 1955a

Verily, Allah has enjoined kindness in all things

"Verily, Allah has enjoined kindness in all things. So, when you kill, kill with kindness; and when you slaughter, slaughter with kindness. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare the animal he slaughters from suffering."

اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ فَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws Explained

Authentic Sahih Muslim 1955b

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Khalid al-Hadhdha' through different chains o transmitters.

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ…

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 2815

There are two characteristics that I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Allah has decreed that everything should be done in a good way, so when you kill use a good method. The version of the narrators other than Muslim says: "So kill in a good manner." And when you slaughter, you should use a…

‏"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ غَيْرُ مُسْلِمٍ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ…

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Authentic Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1409

that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Indeed Allah has decreed Ihsan in everything. So when you kill, then do the killing well, and when you slaughter, then do the slaughtering well. Let one of you sharpen his blade, and let him comfort his animal (before slaughtering)."

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 4405

"There are two things that I memorized from the Messenger of Allah, who said: 'Allah has decreed proficiency in all things, so when you kill, kill well, and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.'" (Sahih)

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Differing grades Sunan an-Nasa'i 4411

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has decreed proficiency in all things, so when you kill, kill well, and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughters" (Sahih)

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ إِذَا ذَبَحَ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ…

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

See all 20 versions

Differing grades Sunan an-Nasa'i 4412

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Allah has decreed proficiency in all things, so when you kill, kill well, and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.'"

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Differing grades Sunan an-Nasa'i 4413

"I heard two things from the Messenger of Allah He said 'Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, ahs decreed proficiency in all things, so when you kill, kill well, and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spear suffering to the animal he slaughter."" (Sahih )

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ ثُمَّ لِيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Differing grades Sunan an-Nasa'i 4414

"Two things that I memorized form the Messenger of Allah; 'Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has decreed proficiency in all things, so when you kill, kill well, and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughter,"" (Sahih )

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ لِيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Authentic Sunan Ibn Majah 3170

“Allah has prescribed Al-Ihsan (proficiency) in all things. So if you kill, then kill well, and if you slaughter, then slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.”

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws

Not graded Musnad Ahmad 16490