Slaughtering a stolen sheep while saying “bismillah”

Question

A man stole a sheep and brought it home. The one who stole it slaughtered this sheep, and at the time of slaughter the said man recited “bismillah, Allahu akbar”. Will the said man become a kafir because of this recitation, or a sinner? And if he did not say the takbir, is the slaughtered animal halal or carrion?

Answer

By reciting “bismillah, Allahu akbar” while slaughtering the stolen sheep, that man did not become a kafir; however, eating it before paying compensation (daman) or before the owner’s permission is not permissible, because it is someone else’s property. Theft is haram, and because of it the thief has committed a major sin (kabira).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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