Is “two teeth” required in a sacrificial animal

Question

Question: A Gujarati newspaper named Muslim Gujarat is published in Surat. An article has appeared in it under the heading “A sacrificial animal must have two teeth”, whose content is as follows: “Both thani (ثني) and musinna (مسنة) are translated as ‘having two teeth’; this covers animals of every kind, and the sign has become so clear that anyone can see and recognise it. That is, the conclusion is that no animal — for example a he-goat, a cow, a camel, etc. — is permissible for sacrifice until it has two teeth.

Answer

Fatwa of the Mufti Aʿzam, the respected Hazrat Mufti Kifayatullah ﵋ The answer — and He (Allah) is the Grantor of success. This fatwa which I gave, or which is attributed to me, is correct. The common and correct method of determining the age of animals is precisely that they are recognised by their teeth.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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