Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani
حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَشْعَثِ، عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ، قَالَ خَصْلَتَانِ سَمِعْتُهُمَا مِنْ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا " . قَالَ غَيْرُ مُسْلِمٍ يَقُولُ " فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ " .
There are two characteristics that I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Allah has decreed that everything should be done in a good way, so when you kill use a good method. The version of the narrators other than Muslim says: "So kill in a good manner." And when you slaughter, you should use a good method, for one of you should sharpen his knife, and give the animal as little pain as possible.