وَسْم

وَسْم

Wasm (branding) in the lexicon is the mark left by a burn. Branding animals is lawful, and the Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold it sunna for the camels, cattle and sheep of zakat, of fay' and of the poll-tax; zakat animals are marked with a word such as "zakat" or "sadaqa" and poll-tax animals with "jizya". ¹² The mark goes on a firm, visible place, the ear for sheep and the thigh for camels and cattle. Branding the face is forbidden according to the preferred Shafi'i view, on the report that the Prophet cursed whoever branded a donkey's face; the Malikis, the weaker Shafi'i view and some Hanbalis regard it as disliked. Branding a human being is forbidden by consensus unless it is for treatment. ²³