MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — Chairperson of Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Religious Opinion and Reform Council, Hamim Ilyas, explained the new religious ruling permitting the dam slaughter (hadyu), the sacrificial animals required in the Hajj pilgrimage, outside Islam’s sacred precincts under specific conditions.
Hamim Ilyas delivered the message during a religious study session held on Wednesday (8/4).
He said the ruling responds to growing inquiries from the public. Questions came from Muhammadiyah members, Hajj guidance groups, organizational leaders, and government institutions such as the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia.
“The council issued this fatwa due to the volume of requests and questions from the community,” Hamim said.
He explained that deliberations on the ruling began in 2022 and followed years of discussion and scholarly review. After extensive analysis, the council concluded that the dam slaughter may take place outside the Haram area, including in pilgrims’ home countries, providing certain requirements are met.
Conditions of Permissibility
Hamim outlined three primary conditions that justify relocating the slaughter.
First, the practice becomes permissible if large-scale slaughter in the Haram area risks environmental damage. During the Hajj season, millions of animals may be slaughtered, potentially leading to pollution of water and air. “Mass slaughter can create environmental hazards from blood and animal waste,” he said.
Second, relocation is allowed when there is a risk that the benefits of the sacrifice will not be fully realized. In some cases, he noted, meat from sacrificial animals is not optimally distributed, which undermines its intended social function. “If the meat is not utilized, its potential to enhance human well-being is lost,” Hamim said.
Third, the ruling applies when communities in the pilgrims’ home countries still face poverty or unmet nutritional needs. In such cases, distributing the meat locally may yield greater social benefit than slaughtering animals in Mecca.
Contextual interpretation and Broader Religious Principle
Hamim said the ruling draws on Qur’anic guidance, particularly a verse from Surah Al-Hajj (22:36), which instructs believers to consume and share sacrificial meat with those in need. According to him, the verse highlights the underlying rationale: meeting the needs of both pilgrims and surrounding communities.
However, contemporary conditions differ significantly. Today, pilgrims’ food needs are met through organized catering services provided by the authorities. As a result, the original rationale does not fully apply the same way.
He referred to a principle of Islamic legal theory (ushul fiqh): “Al-hukmu yaduru ma’a ‘illatihi wujudan wa ‘adaman,” meaning that the legal rulings depend on the presence or absence of their underlying causes. Consequently, when circumstances change, legal interpretations may also evolve.
The council also offered a contextual interpretation of the phrase balighal ka’bah, suggesting it should not be understood solely in a physical sense. Instead, it symbolizes the acceptance of worship by God. This interpretation aligns with another Qur’anic verse stating that neither the meat nor the blood reaches God, but rather the devotion of the believer.
Moreover, the principle of taisir, or ease in religious practice, supports flexibility in determining the place of slaughter. Hamim emphasized that classical Islamic schools of thought—Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali traditions—has flexibility under certain conditions.
Historically, he added, sacrificial practices during the time of the Prophet extended beyond the immediate vicinity of the Kaaba to various locations in Mecca. This precedent demonstrates that the practice has never been strictly confined to a single site.
In today’s context, that flexibility can extend further, including outside the Haram area, when greater public benefit is at stake. Ultimately, Hamim said, the ruling seeks to maximize the social and humanitarian value of Hajj sacrifices. “The sacrifice should revitalize human life,” he said, “not lose its purpose.”
