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Is there any detestability in the work of a butcher?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Some scholars disliked the work of a butcher, as it leads to hardness of heart. However, Islam encourages earning a livelihood, and the majority of jurists believe that all permissible earnings are equal in their permissibility. Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "An earning that involves some baseness is better than begging from people." Professional occupations that are necessary for society, such as butchery, blacksmithing, carpentry, and construction, are considered communal obligations (fard kifaya). Some scholars even held that performing them yields greater reward than individual obligations (fard ayn) due to their widespread benefit.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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