Sheep with more than a third of its tail cut

Question:-

Please can you provide me with the ruling on the following matters relating to sheep that have less than two thirds of their tails:

1. I have read certain Fataawa stating that if there are sheep with full tails available for Qurbani, then it will not be permissible to slaughter a sheep that has less than two thirds of its tail cut off. My question is, if a sheep with less than two thirds of its tail is slaughtered  (when full-tailed sheep are available), then will the meat still be halaal to consume (even though Qurbani is not valid), or will it be considered to be Haraam to consume (when all other requirements for Halaal slaughter were met)?

2. A person invests in a sheep farming business (a free range sheep farm where sheep are bred and thereafter live sheep are sold to customers and abattoirs. The farmer managing the farm, cuts the tails less than two thirds of its normal size for health reasons to prevent disease. Is the income generated from the sale of such sheep halaal?

Answer:-

1. There are requisites that must be met for an animal to qualify as a Qurbani animal. If these requisites are not met, then the Qurbani of a person will not be valid. The ruling that you have come across is correct, that if more than 1/3 of the tail is cut, then the animal does not qualify as a Qurbani animal. If there aren’t any sheep or goats with full tails, or with more than two thirds of the tails remaining, then one will be required to purchase a share in a cow or a camel. He cannot slaughter sheep or goat that is without a tail, or with more than a third of its tail cut.

However, if an animal without a tail, or an animal with majority of its tail cut, is slaughtered for consumption (and not for Qurbani), then the animal will be considered as Halaal (although it does not meet the requirements of a Qurbani animal).

2.The income generated from the sale of such sheep (whose tails have been cut more than a third) will be considered as Halaal. Again, the requirement for the validity of Qurbani is that at least two thirds of the tail must remain. This is not a general requirement that is applicable at all times, hence the income derived therefrom will be Halaal.

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 03 Jumadal Ukhra 1443 / 06 January 2021