Q 1: In Al-Kharj agricultural project, the laying hens that no longer lay eggs are collected in a large box that can contain 2500-3000 hens. They are thrown on top of each other until most of them die from the pressure. When they reach the mincing machines, the remaining hens that are alive, are killed and minced, and the outcome of the minced meat and blood is mixed with beans, calcium and corn, to be given to the laying hens as fodder. (Part No. 26; Page No. 179) This process takes place almost every fourteen months. The project also buys the leftovers of slaughterhouses, such as legs, heads and bowels to be minced and used as fodder as well. This project gives food to the other projects this way.Is this permissible? Is it permissible for those who know this to work in such a project? What should they do? Is it permissible to eat the meat or eggs of these chickens if they are fed this way?

A: It is not permissible to kill the chickens in the way mentioned in the question, as it entails torture to them, whereas the sanctified Shari`ah (Islamic law) enjoins us to be mild to animals and not harm them, even when slaughtering them. It was related by Imam Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith, on the authority of Shaddad ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, Allah has enjoined goodness to everything. When you kill, do it in a good way; and when you slaughter, do it in a good way. Every one of you should sharpen their knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably. Thus, killing the chicken in the mentioned way and turning them into fodder for the living chickens is prohibited, and those who do it are sinners who deserve Allah's punishment unless they perform Tawbah (repentance to Allah). They have also betrayed the trust they were given and cheated in it. This was strongly warned against, according to what was narrated by Al-Hasan Al-Basry (may Allah be merciful to him), that `Ubaydullah ibn (Part No. 26; Page No. 180) Ziyad visited Ma`qil ibn Yasar in his last illness. So, Ma`qil told him, "I will tell you something I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I heard him say, Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people, but he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never even find the smell of Jannah (Paradise). (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim), and the wording is for Al-Bukhari. In another narration by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (Hadith compilation), (vol. 1, p. 25), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, Any man who is entrusted with the affairs of some people, and he dies while being dishonest towards them, Allah will prevent him from entering Jannah. The chickens that were not lawfully slaughtered are considered carrion; they are therefore Najis (ritually impure); they should not be eaten or made as fodder for animals, even if mixed with lawful substance. Thus, it is not permissible to eat these chickens or their eggs, as what is fed on Najis materials is Najis as well.Accordingly, it is prohibited to work in this project, whether in killing the chickens in the mentioned way or giving the dead chickens as fodder to the living chickens after being minced and mixed with beans and corn.The workers in this project who know these facts should advise those who are in charge of this project in a nice way and tell them the ruling of Shari`ah on (Part No. 26; Page No. 181) this, so that they might perform sincere Tawbah and quit this. If they do not, they should be reported to the officials, so that one's conscience becomes clear and is not considered a partner in this crime.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.