The prophet (saws) said:

“Any matter of importance which is not begun with the name of Allah the most Merciful, the Gracious, remains defective.”[1]

So, we should begin any matter of importance with “in the name of Allah the most Merciful, the Gracious”. In this regard, saying “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the greatest) before slaughtering an animal is meant to pronounce the name of Allah the Almighty (swt). However, what if the name of Allah (swt) was not mentioned? Imam Abu Hanifa, said in this case: “If you forget to mention Allah’s name (swt), then you are allowed to eat it because you are a believer. But if you do not mention Allah’s name before slaughtering the animal intentionally, or if you slaughter for reasons other than Allah the Almighty (swt), such as for the idols, then it is forbidden. Even before we eat, we say the name of Allah the most Merciful, the Gracious.       

( وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ ) (And why should you not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned): Making things easy is a feature of this religion. Necessities permit prohibitions, and the necessity is estimated as needed.

To clarify, although Allah (swt) prohibited eating the meat of dead animals, but He (swt) made an exception to eat from it, or its blood, if it was out of necessity; in a condition that when a person cannot find anything lawful.

(وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا لَّيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهْوَائِهِم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ) (And indeed do many lead [others] astray through their [own] inclinations without knowledge): Is there anyone who leads others astray without his inclination to do so? The answer is yes, because going astray is the opposite of guidance. A person may either lead astray without knowing because he does not know the ruling of a given issue, or he may lead astray while he knows the ruling, this means he goes astray by his desires.

( إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُعْتَدِينَ ) (Indeed, your Lord – He is most knowing of the transgressors): The person who leads others to go astray has transgressed them. Transgression is not just about physical assault but it is also when the transgressor diverts people from the values mentioned in the Holy Quran. Allah (swt) allows us to eat the meat of some animals and has created them for our benefit. Never say that it is wrong to slaughter sheep to eat, because Allah (swt) has created some animals such as sheep for that purpose.

[1] The book of Tabakat Al/Shafi’iya Al-Kubra, no. 3.