Musnad Ahmad

It is narrated from Hazrat Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that once (on the day of Eid al-Adha) the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us and said: Today we will begin the day by offering the prayer, then return home and perform the sacrifice. Whoever does so has reached our way, and whoever performs the sacrifice before the Eid prayer, it is merely meat that he has given to his family earlier; it has nothing to do with the sacrifice. My uncle, Hazrat Abu Burdah bin Niyar (may Allah be pleased with him), had already slaughtered his animal before the Eid prayer. He said, “O Messenger of Allah! I have already slaughtered my animal, but now I have a six-month-old kid which is better than a year-old animal.” The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Slaughter it in its place, but no one else besides you is permitted to do so.”