Dawud, and its chain is weak; however, it is supported by his saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “Eat whatever causes the blood to flow, provided Allah’s name has been mentioned over it.”

Some scholars held that all four must be severed: the windpipe, the esophagus, and the two large blood vessels.

Others held that three of the four must be severed: one large blood vessel together with the windpipe and esophagus; or the two large blood vessels and the esophagus; or the windpipe.

The disagreement on this matter is extensive and complex, because there is no clear text establishing this as a condition. But the view closest to the truth, in my opinion, is that the only condition is to make the blood flow; everything else serves to complete the slaughter. There is no doubt that if a person severs all four, the animal is lawful by scholarly consensus.

If he severs neither the two large blood vessels, nor the esophagus, nor the windpipe, the slaughtered animal is unlawful by the consensus of the scholars, because the intended result—making the blood flow—has not been achieved.

The scholars differed over slaughtering with nails, holding two views. Some said that slaughtering with any kind of nail is impermissible. Thus, even if someone has an animal’s nail resembling a blade—that is, a knife—and slaughters with it, the slaughter is not valid, due to the general prohibition that has been transmitted.

Others said that what is meant is the human nail, because the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “the blades of the Abyssinians,” and they used to slaughter with their nails. However, the general wording is more deserving of application, even if