Question 2088: Is it permissible (jā'iz) to castrate male sheep for the purpose of accelerating their growth, making them fat and plump, calming them down, and improving the taste of their meat?
Answer
✅ Answer: Please pay attention to the following traditions:
1 عَنْ یُونُسَ بْنِ یَعْقُوبَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْإِخْصَاءِ فَلَمْ یُجِبْنِی فَسَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.
📚 Al-Faqih vol. 3 p. 341
Yunus ibn Ya'qub says: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about castration (of animals) and the Imam did not answer me. So I asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) and he said: There is no problem with it (lā ba's bihi)!
2 عَنْ یُونُسَ بْنِ یَعْقُوبَ عَنْ أَبِی الْحَسَنِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ إِخْصَاءِ الْغَنَمِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ.
📚 Qurb Al-Isnad p. 131
Yunus ibn Ya'qub says: I asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) about sterilization and castration of sheep; the Imam said: There is no problem with it (lā ba's bihi)!
3 عَنْ عَلِيٍّ : أَنَ رَجُلًا مِنْ خَرِشٍ كَانَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ مَعَ الْخَرِشِيِّ فَرَسٌ وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يَسْتَأْنِسُ إِلَى صَهِيلِهِ فَفَقَدَهُ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ فَقَالَ مَا فَعَلَ فَرَسُكَ قَالَ اشْتَدَّ عَلَىَّ شَغْبُهُ فَأَخْصَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ مَهْ مَهْ مَثَلْتَ بِهِ الْخَيْلُ مَعْقُودٌ فِي نَوَاصِيهَا الْخَيْرُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ الْخَبَرَ
📚 Mustadrak al-Wasa'il vol. 8 p. 286
Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) said: A man had his donkey with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family), and he had a horse whose neighing the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) enjoyed. So the Prophet did not find it anymore and sent for the man and asked him: What happened to your horse? He said: Its noise became difficult for me, so I castrated it! The Prophet then said: Stop! Hold back! Did you mutilate it?! Goodness is tied to the forelock of the horse until the Day of Resurrection!
4 عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِیرَةِ وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ زَیْدٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِیهِ أَنَّهُ کَرِهَ إِخْصَاءَ الدَّوَابِّ وَ التَّحْرِیشَ بَیْنَهَا.
📚 Al-Mahasin p. 634, hadith 125
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated from his father that he considered the castration of animals and inciting fights among them to be reprehensible (makrūh)!
✅ Based on the above traditions, the castration and sterilization of animals for various purposes is permitted and lawful (rukhṣat and jawāz), although according to narration 4 it is **reprehensible (makrūh)**, and specifically regarding the **horse** in tradition 3 , it has been **prohibited and condemned**.
✅ However, the permission and lawfulness (rukhṣat and jawāz) of castrating a **sheep** has been mentioned in the specific tradition 2 and the general tradition 1 , which share a common narrator. Therefore, the castration and sterilization of male sheep for the purpose of better growth, fattening, calming them down, improving the taste of their meat, and other aims, has religious permission (rukhṣat shar'ī).
✅ Regarding animals, please also read this matter:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر