Q 3: What is the ruling on animals which are slaughtered by a person who wears Tama'im containing Qur'an or other things or knotted threads etc.?

A: The word "Tama'im" is a plural of "Tamimah" which refers to any beads, cowries, and amulets which are hung on the necks of boys, animals, women, etc. These things are sometimes put in one's belt or hair to protect them against evils and harm. Doing so is not only Haram (prohibited) but is considered Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) for Allah (Exalted be He) is the Only One Who can cause benefit and harm. Proof for the foregoing is the authentic Hadith which is reported on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying: Spells, charms and love-potions are Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). Moreover, it is narrated in a Hadith Marfu` (a Hadith narrated from the Prophet with a connected or disconnected chain of narration) on the authority of `Abdullah ibn Hakim: (Part No. 22; Page No. 434)  Whoever wears any charm of luck will be subjected to its control. Besides, according to the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith: Abu Bashir Al-Ansary narrated that he was in the company of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) when he sent a messenger ordering: There shall not remain any necklace of string or any other kind of necklace around the necks of camels except it is cut off. Thus the Prophet (peace be upon him) denied hanging strings to camels' necks whether such strings are knotted or not and he (peace be upon him) ordered that such strings had to be cut off. This is because people of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic time of ignorance) used to hang strings and necklaces to camels' necks and hang amulets and charms to such strings and necklaces believing that doing so would provide protection from epidemics and the evil eye. However, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade people of Jahiliyyah to indulge in such practices and denied it practically by ordering these strings to be cut off. Moreover, whoever believes that amulets etc. Bring a benefit or repel an evil is in a state of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) that takes them outside the realm of Islam - may Allah protect us - and animals which are slaughtered by them are impermissible to be eaten. Nevertheless, whoever believes that amulets etc. Are just a means and that Allah Alone is the Beneficent and the One Who can cause harm, and it is He Alone (Exalted be He) Who links ends to their means; such a person is in a state of minor Shirk (associating other partners with Allah that is not tantamount to taking the Muslim out of Islam) because amulets are neither normal nor Shar`y (Islamic legal) means; they are just illusive means. (Part No. 22; Page No. 435) It may be worth mentioning that some scholars allowed using amulets containing Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) and explained the Sahih Hadith that prohibit wearing amulets as referring to amulets containing anything other than Ayahs. However, the correct view is that the concerned Hadith are general for nothing is narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to make them specific. This is also to block the means leading to sin for allowing amulets containing Ayahs may lead to using amulets containing things other than the Qur'an and it may lead to degrading the Qur'an as well.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.