The Permissibility and Ruling of Sacrificing a Buffalo
There is no disagreement regarding the general permissibility of buffaloes
, however, concerning their sacrifice, scholars have the following three opinions:
1. Prohibition: The sacrifice of a buffalo is not permissible. Because for sacrifice, the animal must be from “Bahimat al-An’am” (domesticated livestock), and those are “Thamaniyat Azwaj” (eight pairs), namely camel, bull, goat, ram, and their equivalents, totaling eight, and buffaloes are not among them. Therefore, a buffalo is not an animal for sacrifice, and hence its sacrifice is not permissible or valid.
2. Precaution: The precaution is that the sacrifice of a buffalo should not be performed. Because it is a condition for the sacrificial animal to be among the “beheemat al-an’am” (cattle), and buffaloes are not included in them. Although some linguists have classified the buffalo as a type of cow, and some scholars have reported consensus on this, since the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, did not practically perform sacrifice with it, therefore, as a precaution, the sacrifice of a buffalo should not be done. [This is the opinion of the author of Miraat al-Mafatih, Shaykh al-Hadith Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri and Hafiz Zubair Ali Za’i, may Allah have mercy on them.]
Note: It should be noted that Shaykh al-Hadith, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote about the permissibility with precaution in Miraat al-Mafatih, whereas in his collection of fatwas he gave a general ruling permitting the sacrifice of cows and buffaloes. Fatwa of Shaykh al-Hadith Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, compiled and arranged by Fawaz Abdul Aziz Ubaidullah Mubarakpuri. 400/2 – 402, Dar al-Iblagh Lahore
3. Permissibility: The sacrifice of a buffalo is permissible because it is a type of cow that was found in Persia and other non-Arab regions, so it falls under بہيمته الانعام. However, during the time of the Prophet, this breed was not present or known in Arabia, especially in Hijaz, so there is no evidence from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or the Companions regarding the sacrifice of this type. Later, Arabs became familiar with this breed of cow, and scholars of Arabic language, commentators, hadith scholars, and jurists of the Ummah, especially the four Imams and scholars of their schools, unanimously declared it a type of cow and ruled its sacrifice according to the same rulings as the cow. Zakat was also obligatory on it, and throughout history, it has been raised in large numbers. The consensus of the scholars of the Ummah is transmitted on the buffalo being a type of cow and the similarity of rulings for both; therefore, the sacrifice of a buffalo is permissible. [This is the unanimous view of the scholars of the Ummah from the Salaf to the Khalaf, the Tabi‘in, Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in, the four Imams, commentators, hadith scholars, jurists, and others. For example: Imam Nawawi; similarly, among contemporaries, Allama Ibn Uthaymeen, the respected teacher Allama Abdul Mohsin bin Hamad Al-Abbad, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad Al-Salman, and scholars of Ahl al-Hadith in the subcontinent such as Allama Sanaullah Amritsari, the researcher of the era Allama Abdul Qadir Arif Hisari Sahiwal, Allama Sheikh al-Hadith Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri, Mian Nazir Hussain Muhaddith Dehlavi, Allama Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan Bhopali, senior Muhaddith Abdul Jalil Samarwadi, Allama Hafiz Muhammad Gondalvi, Maulana Aminullah Peshawari, Hafiz Naeem ul Haq Multani, and Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, may Allah preserve and have mercy on them.]
Rajih: Among the three opinions, the preferred view is that the sacrifice of a buffalo is permissible, while from the perspective of precaution, the intention is also to permit it. Otherwise, if one is satisfied and broad-minded about its impermissibility, nothing prevents specifying its impermissibility.
From the details of previous chapters, it is clear that the buffalo, being of Persian or foreign breed, is a type of cow, thus it is established that the buffalo is included in “Beheemat al-An’am” (cattle). The Quran and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ have practically established the sacrifice of a cow, as narrated by Mother Aisha رضي الله عنها:
ضحی رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن نسائه بالبقر
The Messenger of Allah sacrificed a cow on behalf of his wives.
Therefore, with the permissibility of the buffalo, there remains no doubt about the permissibility of its sacrifice, because the Islamic Shariah has named the types of “Beheemat al-An’am”: [Imam Ibn Manzur رحمه الله, giving examples of species, says: فالناس جنس والإبل جنس والبقر جنس والشاء جنس
(People are a species, camel is a species, cow is a species, and goats are species)]
1. “Ibil” (camel, male and female, whether Arab or non-Arab of any breed).
2. “Al-Baqar” (cow, male and female, whether Arab or non-Arab of any breed).
3. “Ad-Dhan” (bull, male and female, whether Arab or non-Arab of any breed).
4. “Al-Ma’iz” (goat, male and female, whether Arab or non-Arab of any breed).
Now, if a Muslim sacrifices any of these cattle, regardless of breed, type, or region, the legitimacy and permissibility of the sacrifice will not be affected. A very clear evidence of this is the incident of the people of Musa عليه السلام. Allah says:
﴿وَاِذْ قَالَ مُوْسٰى لِقَوْمِهٓ ٖ اِنَّ اللّـٰهَ يَاْمُرُكُمْ اَنْ تَذْبَحُوْا بَقَرَةً ۖ قَالُوٓا اَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ۖ قَالَ اَعُوْذُ بِاللّـٰهِ اَنْ اَكُـوْنَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِيْنَ ● قَالُوْا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِىَ ۚ قَالَ اِنَّهٝ يَقُوْلُ اِنَّـهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا فَارِضٌ وَّّلَا بِكْـرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذٰلِكَ ۖ فَافْعَلُوْا مَا تُؤْمَرُوْنَ ● قَالُوْا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا ۚ قَالَ اِنَّهٝ يَقُوْلُ اِنَّـهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَآءُ فَاقِـعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِيْنَ ● قَالُوْا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَّنَا مَا هِىَ اِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَاِنَّـآ اِنْ شَآءَ اللّـٰهُ لَمُهْتَدُوْنَ ● قَالَ اِنَّهٝ يَقُوْلُ اِنَّـهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا ذَلُوْلٌ تُثِيْـرُ الْاَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِى الْحَرْثَ ۚ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيْـهَا ۚ قَالُوا الْاٰنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوْهَا وَمَا كَادُوْا يَفْعَلُوْنَ ● وَاِذْ قَتَلْتُـمْ نَفْسًا فَادَّارَاْتُـمْ فِيْـهَا ۖ وَاللّـٰهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنْتُـمْ تَكْـتُمُوْنَ ● فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوْهُ بِبَعْضِهَا ۚ كَذٰلِكَ يُحْىِ اللّـٰهُ الْمَوْتٰى وَيُرِيْكُمْ اٰيَاتِهٖ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُوْنَ ●﴾
And when Musa عليه السلام said to his people that Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow, they said: Are you mocking us? He replied: I seek refuge in Allah from being ignorant. They said: O Musa! Pray to your Lord to clarify for us its nature. He said: Listen! It is a cow neither too old nor too young, but of middle age. Now fulfill what you are commanded. Then they said: Pray to your Lord to tell us its color. He said: It is a yellow cow, bright and pleasing to the eyes. They said: Pray to your Lord to make clear to us more about it, for indeed cows are many, and we do not know which one is meant. If Allah wills, we will be guided. He said: Allah says it is a cow not used for tilling the soil or watering the fields, healthy and without blemish. They said: Now you have made the truth clear, though they were reluctant to obey, but they accepted and sacrificed the cow. When you killed a man, then disputed among yourselves, and Allah was to reveal your hidden matters. We said: Strike the slain man’s body with a piece of that cow, and he will come to life and tell you who killed him. Thus Allah revives the dead and shows you His signs so that you may reason.
That is, Allah سبحانه وتعالى commanded the people of Musa to sacrifice a “Baqarah” (cow) in a murder case to identify the killer by striking the dead body with a part of it, which would bring the dead to life and reveal the murderer.
The Children of Israel began to ask unnecessary questions about the color, breed, form, condition, and age of this cow through Prophet Musa عليه السلام to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, resulting in their being afflicted with hardships. However, if they had sacrificed any cow to which the term “cow” applies, regardless of type, breed, or color, the command would have been fulfilled, because Allah سبحانه وتعالى only named the species “Baqarah” (cow), without specifying type or breed. Accordingly, Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari رحمه الله writes on this matter:
أنهم كانوا فى مسالتهم رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم موسى ذلك مخطین ، وأنهم لو كانوا استعرضوا أدنى بقرة من البقر إذ أمروا بذبحھا بقوله: ﴿اِنَّ اللّـٰهَ يَاْمُرُكُمْ اَنْ تَذْبَحُوْا بَقَرَةً﴾
So they sacrificed it, fulfilling the obligation imposed on them by Allah’s command in that matter, being dutiful and obedient to the truth, as the people were not restricted to a specific type of cow or age… and what was necessary for them in the first instance was to follow the apparent command and sacrifice any cattle they wished to which the name cow applied.
The Children of Israel erred by asking unnecessary questions from Allah’s Messenger Musa عليه السلام, because if they had found and sacrificed even the smallest cow, as commanded by Allah: {اِنَّ اللّـٰهَ يَاْمُرُكُمْ اَنْ تَذْبَحُوْا بَقَرَةً} (Indeed, Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow), they would have been fulfilling the divine command imposed upon them and obedient to the truth, since the people were not bound to any particular type or age of cow… and in the first instance, it was incumbent upon them to act upon the apparent command and sacrifice any cattle to which the name “cow” applied.
This is why the offspring of any breed of cow is called “Ajl” (calf), whether they are of Arab lineage or non-Arab, common cows known among people or buffaloes (Jawamis), as the scholars of Tafsir have written in the interpretation of the word Ajl mentioned in the Quran.
Bheemah Al-An’am: Types and breeds of camels, cows, and goats:
From the actual situation and the explanations of the experts, it is evident that there are many types and breeds of camels, cows, and goats in the country and region, each having its own shapes, forms, temperaments, and characteristics. The buffalo is also a very fine type of the genus “Baqr” (cow), which has its own special appearance, temperament, and characteristics. Below, observe the various types of “Bheemah Al-An’am” — camels, cows, and goats:
First: Types of Camels:
Allama Batal bin Ahmad Rakbi says:
والبخاتي من الإبل: معروف أيضا ، وهو معرب ، و بعضهم يقول: عربي الواحد: بختي والأنثي: بختية ، وجمعه: بخاتي (غير مصروف) وأما العراب من الإبل ، فان الجوهري قال: هي خلاف البخاتي ، كالعراب من الخيل خلاف البراذين . وقال فى الشامل: العراب: جرد ملس حسان الألوان كريمة
There are several types of camels:
1. “Bakhti”: These are well-known; this word is Arabized, although some say it is Arabic. Its singular is “Bakhti,” feminine “Bakhtiyah,” and plural “Bakhti” (non-declinable).
And the famous linguist Allama Khalil Farahidi writes:
Al-Bakht and Al-Bakhti are foreign loanwords: the Khorasani camels that are produced from Arabian camels and “Falej.”
Bakht and Bakhti are foreign loanwords; they refer to Khorasani camels that were bred from Arabian camels and Sindhi camels called “Falej.”
2. “Arab”: Regarding the Arabs, Allama Johari states that they are contrary to Bukhati, just as Arabs are opposite to “Barazeen” horses (a strong, solid, and heavy type of horse used for transportation). In Al-Shamil, it is mentioned that Arabs are hairless, smooth, beautifully colored, and very lovely.
Similarly, Allama Abu Mansura Zahri writes:
والمهاري من الإبل منسوية إلى مهرة بن حيدان وهم قوم من أهل اليمن و بلادهم الشحر بين عمان وعدن وابين ، وإبلهم المهرية وفيهانجائب تسبق
الخيل والأرحبية من إبل اليمن ايضا وكذلك المجيدية . وأما العقيلية فهي نجدية صلاب كرام و نجائبها نفيسة ثمينة تبلغ الواحدة ثمانين دينارا إلى مائة دينار ، والوانها الصهب والأدم والعيس ، والقرملية إبل الترك ، والفوالج فحول سندية ترسل فى الابل العراب فتنتح البخت الواحد بختي والانثى بختية
3. Mahari: These belong to Mehra bin Haidan, a tribe from Yemen. Their area is a place called “Shahr” between Oman and Aden. Their camels are known as “Mahrita.” Among them, some are “Najaib” (meaning solid, slender, light, fast, and excellent) that run faster than horses.
4. Arjabiya: This is also a type of camel found in Yemen.
5. There is also a type of camel called Majidiya. Two things have been said about Majidiya:
One is that these camels are also found in Yemen. The second is that they are attributed either to a stallion (male camel) named Majid or to a man named Majid.
6. Aqiliya is a type of Najdi camels, which are very solid and fine, and among them, the Jonjaib, meaning fine and slender, are considered very elegant. The price of one of them ranges between eighty to one hundred dinars, and their colors are reddish-blackish, spotted, and white with a reddish tint.
7. “Qarmaliya” refers to Turkish camels.
8. Fawalej refers to Sindhi male camels, which are sent to Arab camels, resulting in Bakhti camels, whose male is called “Bakhti” and female is called “Bakhtiya.”
Allama Muhammad bin Abdul Haq Yafrani says:
و ”الإبل العراب“ : هي العربية . و ”البخت“ : إبل بجهة خراسان ، يزعمون أنها تولدت بين الإبل العراب و ”الفوالج“ ، و ”الفوالج“ : إبل لكل واحد منها سنامان ، واحدها: فالج ، وواحد البخت: بختي
“Arab” are Arabian camels, and “Bakht” is a camel from the Khorasan region, about which people say that it is born from Arabian and Fawaleej camels, and “Fawaleej” (Sindhi) are camels. Each of these has two humps; the singular of Fawaleej is Faleej, and the singular of Bakht is Bakhti.
Similarly, Allama Ahmad bin Muhammad, known as Ibn Al-Raf’ah, says:
البخاتي بتشديد الياء وتخفيفها والعراب: نوعان للإبل كما أن المهرية ، والأرحبية ، والمحيدية ، والعقيلية ، والقرملية أنواع لها
Bakhati – with and without shaddah on the letter ya. And Arab camels have two types; similarly, Mahriya, Arhabiya, Majidiya, Aqiliya, and Qarmaliya are also types of camels.
Likewise, regionally, there are different types of camels: such as Arabian, Khorasani, Sindhi, Turkish, Yemeni, Najdi, etc., and their names are also different.
Secondly: Types of Cows:
Allama Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Asimi Al-Najdi Al-Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
جواميس: واحدها جاموس فارسي معرب ، قال الأزهري: أنواع البقر منها الجواميس وهى أنبل البقر وأكثرها ألبانا وأعظمها أجساما قال ومنها العراب وهى جرد ملس حسان الألوان كريمة ومنها الدربان بدال مهملة مفتوحة ثم راء سا كنة ثم بلموحدہ ثم ألف ثم نون وهى التى تنقل عليها الأحمال وقال ابن فارس: الدربانية ترق أظلافها وجلودها ولها أسنمة
Jawamis: The singular of Jawamis is Jamus, which is a Persian loanword. Allama Azhari says: There are several types of cows:
1. “Al-Jawamis” (buffaloes): These are very fine cows, giving a lot of milk and having the heaviest bodies.
2. “Al-Arab”: These are very clean, hairless, beautifully colored, and very lovely.
3. “Al-Darban”: These are extremely strong, used for carrying loads and transportation.
Allama Ibn Faris says:
The “Darbanitah” has thin hooves and skin, and they have a hump. It is understood that the buffalo is not just a type of cow, but the finest type.
Allama Ahmad Ibn Al-Raf’ah also mentioned these types and clarified this point.
Allama Muhammad bin Abdul Haq Yafri says:
وأما ”الجواميس“ فإنها نوع من البقر فى ناحية مصر تعوم فى النيل ، وتخرج إلى البر ، ولكل بقرة منها قرن واحد ، والواحد منها: جاموس
As for “Jawamis” (buffaloes), they are a type of cow found in the regions of Egypt, they roam in the Nile, and also come out on land. Each of these cows has one horn (hump), and it is called a single buffalo.
Similarly, the author of Mu’jam Al-Ghani Al-Zahir, Dr. Abdul Ghani Abu Al-Azm writes:
جاموسة ج: جواميس: . . . من كبار البقر ، وهو أنواع: داجن ووحشی ، يوجد بإفريقيا واسيا
Jamusa, whose plural is Jawamis… these are among the large cows, and they have many types: domestic and wild, found in Africa and Asia.
Similarly, Allama Ibn Ashur states:
ومن البقر صنف له سنام فهو أشبه بالإبل ويوجد فى بلاد فارس ودخل بلاد العرب وهو الجاوس ، والبقر العربي لا سنام له وثورھا یسمی
الفريش
And there is a type of cow that has a hump, therefore it resembles a camel more, and it is found in the region of Persia, has entered the Arab regions, and it is the “Jamoos” buffalo. The Arabian cow does not have a hump, and its bull is called a “Frish.”
Thus, regionally, there are different types of cows as well, such as Asian, African, Egyptian, Indian, Persian, etc., and their names also vary.
Thirdly: Types of Goats:
Like camels and cows, goats also have multiple varieties. Thus, Allama Ahmad bin Muhammad ibn al-Raf’ah states:
‘والضأن والمعز: نوعان للغنم ، وكذا العربية والملكية والبلدية أنواعها
“Sheep” meaning goats have two types:
1. Mendha (woolly)
2. Bakra (hairy)
3. Arabi
4. Malkiya
5. Baladiya
6. Makiya
7. Laziya — these are also varieties of goats found in the regions of Tabaristan.
As the Shafi’i scholar Imam Abu al-Muhasin Abdul Rahman bin Ismail Ruyani states:
ولو كانت له أنواع مختلفة من الإبل والبقر والغنم بعضها أجود من بعض كالأغنام العربية والمكية واللأزية والبلدية فى ناحية طبرستان . .
And if a person has various types and varieties of camels, cows, and goats, some of which are better than others, such as Arabic, Maki, Lazi, and Baladi goats found in the regions of Tabaristan.
Similarly, regionally there are many varieties of goats, such as Arabic, Asian, and Tabaristani, etc., and their names also differ from one another.
The conclusion is that the different varieties, breeds, and forms of livestock exist in various countries, cities, and regions of the world. Obviously, due to differences in color, breed, and regional varieties, provided the species of the livestock are the same, there will be no effect on the legitimacy and permissibility of sacrifice. Likewise, there will be no difference in the legitimacy and obligation of zakat on the various types and sub-regional varieties of livestock. This is because Allah Almighty has mentioned the species.
The obligation of Zakat and the permissibility and conditions of sacrifice in all types of camels, cows, and goats without distinction:
Firstly: Zakat:
Shafi’i scholar Imam Abu al-Mahasin Abdul Rahman bin Ismail Ruyani states without any doubt regarding the obligation of Zakat on all types of camels, cows, and goats:
ولو كانت له أنواع مختلفة من الإبل والبقر والغنم بعضها أجود من بعض كالأغنام العربية والمكية واللازية والبلدية فى ناحية طبرستان والإبل المهرية والأرحبية والمجيدية وهى المنسو بة إلى بلدان اليمن – وقيل النجدية بدل المجيدية – والعقيلية ، ويقال نجابتها تعيسة بحيث يبلغ عن الواحد ثلاثين دينارًا
إلى مائة دينار والقر ملية وهى إبل الترك وقيل المهرية منسو بة إلى قوم يقال هم مهرة والبقر الجواميس والعراب والدربانية فالجاموس أكثرها ألباناً وأعظمها أجسامًا ، والدربانية هي التى تنقل الأحمال عليها ، والعرابية جرد ملس حسان الألوان كرام؛ فيضم بعضها إلى بعض بلا إشكال
And if a person possesses various types and kinds of camels, cows, and goats, some of which are superior to others, such as Arabic Maki, Lazi, and Baladi goats found in the regions of Tabaristan, and camels like Mahriya, Arhabiya, and Majidiya which are attributed to the cities of Yemen. Instead of Majidiya, it is also said Najdiya. And Aqiliya, among which the superior and slender camels are called Ta’isa, whose price ranges from thirty to one hundred dinars, and Qarmaliya, which are Turkish camels. It is said that Mahriya are attributed to a tribe named Mahra. And cows and buffaloes are either Arab or Darbaniya. The “buffalo” among them is the one that gives the most milk and has the heaviest body, the “Darbaniya” is the one used for carrying loads, and the “Arab” is very clean, without hair, beautifully colored, and very lovely. So without any doubt, some of these will be combined with others for Zakat.
Secondly: Sacrifice:
Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, has classified all types of camels, similarly all types of cows, including the species of Jomais, as well as all types of goats and their varieties as livestock (Bheemah al-An’am). Clarifying the permissibility and validity of sacrifice of all these types, he explicitly states:
أما الأحكام فشرط المجزي فى الأضحية أن يكون من الأنعام وهى الإبل واليمر والعنم سواء فى ذلك جميع أنواع الإبل من البحاتي والعراب وجميع أنواع البقر من الخواميس والعراب والدربانية وجميع أنواع الغنم من الضأن والمعر وأنواعهما ولا يجزئ غير الأنعام من بقر الوحش وحميره والصبا وغيرها بلا خلاف
As for the rulings, the condition for the sacrifice to be valid is that the animal must be from the livestock (Bheemah al-An’am), meaning: camel, cow, and goat. Among camels, all types such as Bukhati and Arab are equal; among cows, all types such as buffalo, Darbaniya, and Arab are equal; similarly, among goats, all types such as bullocks and goats are equal. Sacrifice of animals other than these, such as wild cows, wild donkeys, deer, etc., will not be sufficient without dispute.
In the upcoming chapters, please refer to the clarifications and explanations by linguists, Imams and scholars of the four schools of thought, and other scholars of jurisprudence, hadith, and tafsir, may Allah have mercy on them, regarding the buffalo being a type of cow.
