On ‘Atirah and Fara‘

Hazrat Abu Huraira narrates from the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no (practice of) Fara’ and ‘Atirah." (‘Atirah: the animal slaughtered in the first ten days of Rajab. Fara’: the first offspring of an animal which people used to sacrifice for their deities.)

Hazrat Abu Huraira narrates from the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no (practice of) Fara' and no (practice of) 'Atirah." Imam Zuhri says: Fara' is the offspring that is the first to be born among the livestock of the people, which they used to slaughter for their deities. And 'Atirah was (a practice) in the month of Rajab.

25881 - Al-Zuhri said: As for (al-far‘) (1), it is the first offspring they get from their livestock; they slaughter it for their gods. And (al-‘atirah) (2) is in Rajab.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Ishaq that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Ibn Masood did not consider 'Uteerah' to be correct.

Hazrat Usama bin Zaid narrates about Hazrat Qasim. He says: I asked him about 'Atirah? He replied: It is a sacrifice performed in the month of Rajab among the sacrifices of the people of ignorance.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Aun. He says that I asked Hazrat Sha'bi about 'Atirah? He replied: Among the people, your neighbors used to perform it the most. I asked: What is this? He replied: It used to be in the last ten days of Rajab.

It is narrated from Hasan. He says that 'Atirah is among the sacrifices of the people of ignorance.

Ibn Aun reports that Abu Ramla told him on the authority of Mukhnif bin Sulaym that he stood with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at the place of Arafah, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O people! For every household, there is an udhiyah (sacrifice) and an 'atirah every year." Do you know what 'atirah is?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is the same sacrifice which people call the Rajabi (sacrifice)."

It is narrated from Muhammad. He says that it used to be slaughtered in every Rajab. Hazrat Mu'adh says: And I have seen the 'Atirah of Ibn 'Aun.

25888 - Mu'adh said: And I saw 'Atirah ibn 'Awn.

Hazrat Amr bin Shu'aib narrates from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about Fara'? So he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Fara' is a right. And that you leave it until the offspring becomes two or three years old, then you make it carry loads in the way of Allah, or you give it to a widow, this is better than that you slaughter it and mix its meat with its hair, and pour it into the pot, and make your she-camel mad." And the questioner asked you, peace and blessings be upon him, about 'Atirah? So he, peace and blessings be upon him, remained silent. A man asked Hazrat Umar about it, so he said: "We used to call it Rajabiyyah. Every family would slaughter a goat in the month of Rajab and eat it."

Hazrat Hafsah bint Abdur Rahman narrates about Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to give the offspring of one goat for every five goats.

Hazrat Ibrahim bin Maisarah and Hazrat Tawoos narrate from their father. They say that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about Fara’. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If you wish, you may slaughter the first offspring. And if you raise it until it grows up, then you may use it for carrying loads in the way of Allah or use it for maintaining ties of kinship; this is better than slaughtering it in such a way that its meat gets mixed with its hair.”

Hazrat Waki’ Aqili narrates from his uncle Hazrat Abu Razin, whose name is Hazrat Laqit bin ‘Amir, that he asked: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! We used to slaughter some animals in the month of Rajab, which we ourselves would eat and also feed to those who came to us. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is no harm in this.” The narrator says: Upon this, Hazrat Waki’ said, “I will never abandon this.”

25893 - He said: Waki‘ said: I will never leave it.