Some important rulings concerning the sacrifice (qurbani) performed on Eid al-Adha are presented here:
One who does not have the means to sacrifice should trim his hair and cut his nails on the day of Eid; shaving the head is not necessary, trimming it is sufficient
For this blessed statement of the hadith, such a person will receive the reward of sacrifice.
As the hadith may be seen:
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ،حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ،حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ،حَدَّثَنِي عَيَّاشُ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ الْقِتْبَانِيُّ،عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ هِلَالٍ الصَّدَفِيِّ،عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ،أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ: قَال:َ أُمِرْتُ بِيَوْمِ الْأَضْحَى عِيدًا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ. قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ لَمْ أَجِدْ إِلَّا أُضْحِيَّةً أُنْثَى! أَفَأُضَحِّي بِهَا؟ قَالَ: لَا, وَلَكِنْ تَأْخُذُ مِنْ شَعْرِكَ،وَأَظْفَارِكَ،وَتَقُصُّ شَارِبَكَ،وَتَحْلِقُ عَانَتَكَ،فَتِلْكَ تَمَامُ أُضْحِيَّتِكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
Translation
Sayyidina Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “I have been commanded regarding the day of Adha, to observe it as an Eid, which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has made specially for this Ummah.” A man said: “Tell me, if I do not find any animal except a milk-giving animal, should I sacrifice it?” He ﷺ said: “No, rather take from your hair, your nails, trim your moustache and remove the hair below your navel. This is the complete sacrifice for you with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.”
Note:
عیسی بن ھلال: صدوق، و ثقہ ابن حبان والحاکم وغیرھما و حدیثہ حسن
Note:
It has been narrated by Imam Ahmad, Imam Abu Dawud, Imam al-Nasa’i, Imam al-Daraqutni and Imam al-Hakim, may Allah have mercy on them all, and Imam al-Hakim and Imam al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on them both, declared this hadith sahih.
Sacrifice is a Sunnah Mu’akkadah; see four proofs
وحَدَّثَنِي حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ ، حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَي بْنُ كَثِيرٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ أَبُو غَسَّانَ ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ، أَنَّ ّالنَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ هِلَالَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ وَأَرَادَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يُضَحِّيَ، فَلْيُمْسِكْ عَنْ شَعْرِهِ وَأَظْفَارِهِ.
Translation
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When you see the crescent of Dhul-Hijjah and one of you intends to sacrifice, he should refrain from (cutting) his hair and nails and leave them as they are.”
Note:
In this hadith, the word “intends” makes it clear that sacrifice is not obligatory but a Sunnah. See the reference:
(2) It is narrated from Abu Suraihah that Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were my neighbours, and neither of them used to sacrifice.
Its chain is hasan.
Imam al-Nawawi says: It is authentically established from Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that they did not sacrifice, out of fear that people would consider it obligatory.
Hadrat Uqbah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I intended to give up sacrifice, although I am the most affluent of you all, lest people begin to consider it obligatory.
Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said: Sacrifice is not obligatory. Whoever among you wishes to sacrifice may do so, and whoever wishes not to may refrain.
Further narrations of this kind have also been reported from the righteous predecessors. Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr, after mentioning some such narrations, says:
مَحْمَلُهُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ لِئَلَّا يُعْتَقَدَ فِيهَالِلْمُوَاظَبَةِ عَلَيْهَا أَنَّهَا وَاجِبَةٌ فَرْضًا وَكَانُوا أَئِمَّةً يَقْتَدِي بِهِمْ مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ مِمَّنْ يَنْظُرُ فِي دينه إليهم لأنهم الواسطة بين النبي وَبَيْنَ أُمَّتِهِ فَسَاغَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الِاجْتِهَادِ فِي ذَلِكَ مَا لَا يَسُوغُ الْيَوْمَ لِغَيْرِهِمْ وَالْأَصْلُ فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ أَنَّ الضَّحِيَّةَ سُنَّةٌ مُؤَكَّدَةٌ لأن رسول الله فَعَلَهَا وَوَاظَبَ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ نَدَبَ أُمَّتَهُ إِلَيْهَا وَحَسْبُكَ أَنَّ مِنْ فُقَهَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَرَاهَا فرضا…
The aim and purpose of these narrations, according to the scholars, is this: lest, because of the constant practice of these Companions in sacrifice, someone should consider it fard or wajib. People regarded them as imams and those to be followed, since they were the intermediaries between the Prophet ﷺ and his Ummah. Therefore they had latitude in ijtihad regarding this which is not permissible today for anyone else. Yet in reality it is a Sunnah Mu’akkadah, because the Prophet ﷺ not only performed it but was constant in it, and he encouraged his Ummah towards it.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ،عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ،عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ،أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ سَعَةٌ،وَلَمْ يُضَحِّ،فَلَا يَقْرَبَنَّ مُصَلَّانَا»
Translation
Hadrat Abu Hurairah narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever has the means (to sacrifice) but does not sacrifice, he should not come near our place of prayer (Eid-gah).”
➊ This hadith apparently establishes the obligation of sacrifice, but other evidences show that it is mustahabb and a Sunnah. Therefore, considering all these evidences, the muhaddithin have decided that sacrifice is a Sunnah Mu’akkadah, meaning an important and emphasised ruling, but not fard. Nevertheless, avoiding this Sunnah Mu’akkadah despite having the means is by no means correct.
➋ Sacrifice is a manifestation of the collective unity of Muslims, and through it mutual relations improve.
➌ One who does not sacrifice does not have the right to share in the joys of the Muslims. However, this does not mean that he need not offer the Eid prayer; rather, the purpose is to admonish him so that he does not abandon the sacrifice.
Which animals should be sacrificed
When the Qur’an is studied, it becomes known from two places in the Qur’an that sacrifice is to be made only from four animals.
(1) Camel and she-camel
(2) Cow and bull
(3) Sheep and ram
(4) Goat and he-goat
For reference, see:
By بَهِيۡمَةُ الۡاَنۡعَامِ in the verse of Surah al-Hajj is meant (the Prophet ﷺ and all the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all) camel, cow, sheep, goat and ram only, and sacrifice should also be made from these very animals, because it is the mutawatir Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.
See reference:
What should be the age of the animal for sacrifice
See:
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ الْحَرَّانِيُّ،حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ،حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ،عَنْ جَابِرٍ،قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم:َ لَا تَذْبَحُوا إِلَّا مُسِنَّةً،إِلَّا أَنْ يَعْسُرَ عَلَيْكُمْ،فَتَذْبَحُوا جَذَعَةً مِنَ الضَّأْنِ.
Translation
Sayyidina Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Do not slaughter except a musinnah (a two-toothed animal), unless it becomes very difficult for you; then you may slaughter a jadha’ah of the sheep.”
Musinnah is an animal whose milk teeth have fallen out. In camels, this is usually the case when it has completed five years and entered its sixth year; in cows and bulls, when they have completed two years and entered their third; in goats and sheep, when they have completed one year and entered their second.
See:
Jadha’ah refers to a lamb or sheep that has completed one year; the view of the researchers among the lexicographers and commentators is that this is correct.
Imam al-Nawawi said regarding its age:
The most preferred view regarding the age of the jadha’ is that it has completed one full year.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar said regarding it:
According to the view of the majority, the jadha’ of sheep (lamb/hogget) is one that has completed one full year.
Therefore, those who wish to sacrifice a sheep (lamb/hogget) must keep this in mind: its age should be at least one year.
Sacrificing a castrated animal is also permissible
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى الرَّازِيُّ،حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى،حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ،عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ،عَنْ أَبِي عَيَّاشٍ،عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ،قَالَ: ذَبَحَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ-يَوْمَ الذَّبْحِ-كَبْشَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ مُوجَأَيْنِ
Translation
Sayyidina Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ sacrificed two rams on the day of sacrifice, which were horned, spotted, and castrated.
Note:
➊ Sacrificial animals should be good quality.
➋ The animal should also be good in its outward appearance and form.
➌ Sacrificing a castrated animal is valid; it is not counted as a defect.
➍ One animal sacrificed on behalf of all the members of a household is sufficient.
➎ It is permissible to sacrifice on behalf of someone else.
➏ Sacrificing on behalf of a deceased person is not proven by any authentic hadith.
Deriving evidence from the Prophet ﷺ’s general practice is not valid, because according to some scholars it was particular to him, and for his ummah it is not permissible to follow him in it. See:
Moreover, there is no evidence of sacrificing on behalf of the deceased in the best generations (the best eras of the Companions and Tabi’un) either.
There is only one perspective from which it could be permissible: that giving charity on behalf of the deceased is permissible, i.e., as conveying reward (isal-e-thawab); it is not possible to deny this.
واللہ اعلم۔
A sacrificial animal must be free of defects
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاق، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ فَيْرُوزَ، عَنْ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، رَفَعَهُ، قَالَ: لَا يُضَحَّى بِالْعَرْجَاءِ بَيِّنٌ ظَلَعُهَا، وَلَا بِالْعَوْرَاءِ بَيِّنٌ عَوَرُهَا، وَلَا بِالْمَرِيضَةِ بَيِّنٌ مَرَضُهَا، وَلَا بِالْعَجْفَاءِ الَّتِي لَا تُنْقِي، حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ فَيْرُوزَ، عَنْ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ نَحْوَهُ بِمَعْنَاهُ، قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ،
Translation
Sayyidina al-Bara bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«أربع لا تجوز في الأضاحي:العوراء بين عورها، والمريضة بين مرضها، والعرجاء بين ظلعها، والكسير التي لا تنقى.»
”Four types of animals may not be sacrificed:
➊ A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident.
➋ A sick animal whose sickness is clear.
➌ A lame animal whose lameness is evident.
➍ An extremely weak and emaciated animal with no marrow in its bones.”
declared it sahih.
Imam al-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“ھذا حدیث حسن صحیح“
This hadith is hasan sahih.
Imam al-Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
ھذا حدیث صحیح
This hadith is sahih.
.
Imam al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) agreed with him.
Allama al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared this narration sahih.
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:
“إسنادہ صحیح“
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ , حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ , عَنْ سَعِيدٍ , عَنْ قَتَادَةَ , عَنْ جُرَيِّ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ النَّهْدِيِّ , عَنْ عَلِيٍّ , قَالَ: ” نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُضَحَّى بِأَعْضَبِ الْقَرْنِ , وَالْأُذُنِ ” , قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِسَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ , فَقَالَ: الْعَضْبُ: مَا بَلَغَ النِّصْفَ فَمَا فَوْقَ ذَلِكَ , قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.
Translation
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade sacrificing animals whose horns are broken and whose ears are split. Qatadah said: I mentioned this to Sa’id bin al-Musayyab, and he said: “‘Adb’ (broken horn) means that the horn is broken halfway or more.”
Imam al-Tirmidhi says:
This hadith is hasan sahih.
Takhrij al-hadith: «
This narration is hasan li-dhatihi.
Allama al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) called the narrator Jari bin Kulaib majhul (unknown),
Imam Abu Hatim declared this narrator unfit for proof
However, Jari bin Kulaib is a saduq (truthful) and hasan al-hadith narrator; details follow:
✓ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (may Allah have mercy on him) declared this narration sahih.
✓ Imam al-Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“This hadith is sahih al-isnad”.
✓
declared this narration sahih.
✓ Imam al-Tirmidhi says:
“هذا حديث حسن صحيح“۔
✓ Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned Jari bin Kulaib in Kitab al-Thiqat
.
✓ Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ajli (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 261 AH) wrote:
“جرى بن كليب بصرى تابعي ثقة“
The conclusion is that Jari bin Kulaib is a hasan al-hadith narrator, and by the above details his obscurity is removed. Therefore, declaring him majhul or unfit for proof is not correct.
A blind animal is also not sacrificed, as Abu Zakariyya Muhyi al-Din Yahya bin Sharaf al-Nawawi (d. 676 AH) said:
«أجمعوا على أن العمياء لا تجزئ.»
There is consensus that a blind animal is not valid for sacrifice.
عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ: أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أَنْ نَسْتَشْرِفَ الْعَيْنَ، وَالْأُذُنَ، وَأَنْ لَا نُضَحِّيَ بِمُقَابَلَةٍ، وَلَا مُدَابَرَةٍ، وَلَا شَرْقَاءَ، وَلَا خَرْقَاءَ
Translation
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to carefully examine the eye and the ear (of the animal to be sacrificed), and not to sacrifice an animal whose ear is cut at the front, or whose ear is cut at the back, or whose ear is split (i.e., cut lengthwise), or which has a hole in its ear.
The words of the second narration are:
الْمُقَابَلَةُ: مَا قُطِعَ طَرَفُ أُذُنِهَا، وَالْمُدَابَرَةُ: مَا قُطِعَ مِنْ جَانِبِ الْأُذُنِ، وَالشَّرْقَاءُ: الْمَشْقُوقَةُ، وَالْخَرْقَاءُ: الْمَثْقُوبَةُ۔
Translation
In it there is this addition: “muqabala” is an animal whose ear tip is cut (from the front), “mudabara” is an animal whose ear edge is cut (from the back), “sharqa'” is one whose ear is split (lengthwise), and “kharqa'” is one with a (round) hole in its ear.
Is the sacrifice of an animal with a cut tail permissible or not?
In the hadith of Bara’ bin Azib, only four defects are mentioned as prohibited. Is this prohibition confined to these four defects, or does it refer to defective animals in general?
According to the Hanbalis, the sacrifice of an animal with a cut tail is permissible.
قال ابن حزم: وَأَجَازَ قَوْمٌ أَنْ يُضَحَّى بِالْأَبْتَرِ، وَاحْتَجُّوا بِأَثَرَيْنِ رَدِيئَيْنِ – أَحَدُهُمَا: مِنْ طَرِيقِ جَابِرٍ الْجُعْفِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَرَظَةَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: «اشْتَرَيْتُ كَبْشًا لِأُضَحِّيَ بِهِ فَعَدَا الذِّئْبُ عَلَى ذَنَبِهِ فَقَطَعَهُ فَسَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -؟ فَقَالَ: ضَحِّ بِهِ» ، وَالْآخَرُ: مِنْ طَرِيقِ الْحَجَّاجِ بْنِ أَرْطَاةَ عَنْ بَعْضِ شُيُوخِهِ «أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – سُئِلَ أَيُضَحَّى بِالْبَتْرَاءِ؟ قَالَ: لَا بَأْسَ بِهَا» . جَابِرٌ كَذَّابٌ، وَحَجَّاجٌ سَاقِطٌ، وَعَنْ بَعْضِ شُيُوخِهِ رِيحٌ (محلى7/360)
وقال البيهقى: فَقَدْ رَوَاهُ حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ , عَنْ حَجَّاجٍ , عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ , عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ شَاةٍ قَطَعَ الذِّئْبُ ذَنَبَهَا يُضَحِّي بِهَا؟ قَالَ: ” ضَحِّ بِهَا “وقال:ابن قدامة فى المغنى13/372 وَتُجْزِئُ الصَّمْعَاءُ، وَهِيَ الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ لَهَا أُذُنٌ، أَوْ خُلِقَتْ لَهَا أُذُنٌ صَغِيرَةٌ كَذَلِكَ. وَتُجْزِئُ الْبَتْرَاءُ، وَهِيَ الْمَقْطُوعَةُ الذَّنَبِ كَذَلِكَ.عمرو وسعيدبن المسيب والحسن وسعيد بن جبير والنخعى والحكم انتهى.
According to the Hanafis, if half, more than half, or the whole tail is cut off, the sacrifice is invalid; and if less than half is cut off, it is valid. (Alamgiri and others.)
The correct and true position is that the sacrifice of an animal with a cut tail is prohibited.
: رُوِّينَا مِنْ طَرِيقِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ أَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ آدَمَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ هُوَ ابْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ – عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ السَّبِيعِيِّ عَنْ شُرَيْحِ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ قَالَ «أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – أَنْ نَسْتَشْرِفَ الْعَيْنَ وَالْأُذُنَ وَأَنْ لَا نُضَحِّيَ بِمُقَابَلَةٍ، وَلَا بِمُدَابَرَةٍ، وَلَا بَتْرَاءَ، وَلَا خَرْقَاءَ».
In this hadith, without distinguishing between half or one-third, the sacrifice of an animal with a cut tail in general has been prohibited. The prohibition in the hadith of Bara’ concerning the four defective animals is not confined to these four defects; other hadiths also prohibit sacrificing such animals.
➊ المصفرة:المهزولةأوذاهبة جميع الاذن
➋ المستاصلة:ذاهبة القرن من اصله
➌ اعضب القرن والاذن: الذى ذهب نصف اذنه اوقرنه اولذى جاوز القطع الربع.
➍ المقابلة
➎ المدابرة
➏ شرقاء
➐ خرقاء
And since the sacrifice of a one-eyed animal is not permissible, the sacrifice of a blind animal or one lacking a hand or foot is also not permissible, because it is apparent that the Prophet ﷺ intended to prohibit the sacrifice of every animal with a clearly visible defect.
The sacrifice of an animal with mange is also not permissible.
As Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The sacrifice of an animal with mange and of an animal with a cut tail is not permissible.
Summary:
The summary of these hadiths is that the sacrifice of a one-eyed animal, a lame animal, a clearly sick animal, an extremely emaciated animal, an animal with broken or cut horns, and an animal with cut ears is not permissible.
Allama Khattabi (died 388 AH) said:
In this hadith (narrated by Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib, may Allah be pleased with him) there is evidence that minor defects are excused in sacrifice. Etc.
It follows that if there is a minor defect in the horn, or a small cut or break in it, the sacrifice of that animal is permissible.
Nawawi said:
There is consensus that the sacrifice of a blind animal is not permissible.
The sacrifice of a castrated animal is also permissible
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) intended to sacrifice, he would buy two large, fat, horned, spotted, castrated rams.
The wages of the butcher
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade me to give the butcher the meat or the skins of the sacrifice as his wage.
Storing the meat of the sacrifice. Storing the meat of the sacrifice is permissible, and it may also be divided into three portions
➊ A portion for the poor and needy
➋ A portion for relatives and friends
➌ And a portion for oneself
Sharing in the sacrificial animal
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، ح وحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، – وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ – قَالَ: قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، قَالَ:نَحَرْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَامَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ الْبَدَنَةَ عَنْ سَبْعَةٍ، وَالْبَقَرَةَ عَنْ سَبْعَةٍ
Translation:
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, saying: In the year of Hudaybiyyah, we sacrificed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ one camel on behalf of seven people and one cow on behalf of seven people.
Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:
كنَّا معَ رسولِ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ في سفَرٍ، فحضرَ الأضحى، فاشترَكْنا في البقرةِ سبعةً، وفي البعيرِ عشرةً
Translation
We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a journey when the day of sacrifice arrived, so we shared in a cow among seven people and in a camel among ten people.
One goat suffices for the entire household
When Abu Ayyub Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked how the sacrifices of people were in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he said: In the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), a man would sacrifice one goat on behalf of himself and his household; the whole household would eat from it and feed others. Then people began to boast, and the matter became what you see.
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The sacrifice may be performed at home or at the Eid prayer ground
Both ways are established from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).
Note:
Slaughtering the sacrificial animal oneself and having others slaughter it are both established from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).
See
The ruling on sacrificing a milk-giving animal and a pregnant animal
The fact that an animal is milk-giving or pregnant does not prevent it from being sacrificed. Therefore, a milk-giving or pregnant she-camel, cow and goat may undoubtedly be slaughtered as a sacrifice; there is no harm in it.
عن أبي سعيدٍ الخدري قالَ سألتُ رسولَ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليْهِ وسلَّمَ عنِ الجنينِ فقالَ كلوهُ إن شئتُم . وقالَ مسدَّدٌ قلنا يا رسولَ اللَّهِ ننحرُ النَّاقةَ ونذبحُ البقرةَ والشَّاةَ فنجدُ في بطنِها الجنينَ أنلقيهِ أم نأْكلُهُ قالَ كلوهُ إن شئتُم فإنَّ ذَكاتَهُ ذَكاةُ أمِّهِ
Translation
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the foetus that is taken out of the mother’s belly after slaughter. He ﷺ said: “If you wish, eat it.” In the narration of Musaddad, it is: We said, “O Messenger of Allah! We slaughter a she-camel by nahr, and slaughter a cow and a goat, and find a foetus in its belly. Should we throw it away, or should we eat it too?” He ﷺ said: “Eat it if you wish, for its slaughter is the slaughter of its mother.”
The lessons from this hadith: it is permissible to sacrifice a pregnant animal (she-camel, cow, goat). The second lesson is that the foetus that comes out of the belly after the pregnant animal is slaughtered does not need to be slaughtered separately, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated that the slaughter of the mother is in effect the slaughter of the young as well. So there is no need to slaughter the young; it may be eaten without slaughter, whether it comes out of the belly alive or dead.
Similarly, there is no harm in sacrificing a milk-giving animal; without any doubt, a milk-giving animal may be sacrificed. Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
أمرت بيوم الأضحى عيدا جعله الله عز وجل لهذه الأمة قال الرجل أرأيت إن لم أجد إلا أضحية أنثى أفأضحي بها قال لا ولكن تأخذ من شعرك وأظفارك وتقص شاربك وتحلق عانتك فتلك تمام أضحيتك عند الله عز وجل
Translation:
I have been commanded regarding the day of Adha to observe it as a festival, which Allah the Mighty and Majestic has made special for this Ummah. A man said: Tell me, if I find nothing except a female she-camel or a goat, should I sacrifice that? The Prophet ﷺ said: “No. Trim your hair, cut your nails, trim your moustache, and remove the hair of your pubic area; this is your complete sacrifice in the sight of Allah the Mighty and Majestic (in terms of reward).”
Shaykh al-Albani graded this hadith as da’if because of one narrator, Isa bin Hilal Sadafi, but his reliability (tawthiq) is also established from other muhaddithun.
This hadith mentions “أضحية أنثى“, i.e. a female sacrifice, whereas in Sunan al-Nasa’i there is mention of a milk-giving sacrifice. The words appear as follows:
أرأيتَ إن لم أجِدْ إلَّا مَنيحةً أنثى أفأُضحِّي بِها ؟
Translation
If I have nothing except one milk-giving goat, what is your opinion? Should I sacrifice it?
From these two hadiths it apparently appears that the Prophet ﷺ prohibited the sacrifice of a milk-giving goat, but the matter is not like that. He ﷺ only forbade that companion (who had just one female, i.e. milk-giving, animal for his livelihood) so that he could benefit from that animal’s milk. If he had another animal, or had the means to buy another sacrifice, the Prophet ﷺ would surely have commanded him to sacrifice another animal. So this is a specific incident related to a specific companion; if anyone is in such a situation today, the same ruling will apply to them.
Some people have the doubt that the Shari’ah permitted the sacrifice of a pregnant animal while prohibiting a milk-giving animal. This is not the reality, and this meaning does not emerge from the aforementioned hadith. The meaning of this hadith is that if someone has only one animal which is needed for his own needs, then sacrificing it is not obligatory for him, and the sacrifice of a milk-giving animal is entirely permissible.
Sacrificing a preferred animal in the way of Allah is indeed a very high standard, and a milk-giving animal is regarded as valuable in human society. For this reason the Prophet ﷺ declared the gifting of such an animal to be a means of entry into Paradise. He ﷺ said:
أرْبَعُونَ خَصْلَةً أعْلَاهُنَّ مَنِيحَةُ العَنْزِ، ما مِن عَامِلٍ يَعْمَلُ بخَصْلَةٍ منها رَجَاءَ ثَوَابِهَا، وتَصْدِيقَ مَوْعُودِهَا، إلَّا أدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ بهَا الجَنَّةَ
Translation
There are forty qualities, the highest of which is giving a milch goat as a gift. Whoever acts upon any one of them, seeking its reward and believing in Allah’s promise, Allah will admit him into Paradise because of it.
The summary of the discussion is that sacrificing a pregnant and a milk-giving animal is permissible and lawful, and among scholars there is difference of opinion regarding slaughtering or not slaughtering the young of a pregnant sacrifice; nevertheless, the words of the Messenger of Allah clearly show that slaughtering the young is not necessary; the slaughter of its mother is sufficient, and the flesh of that young may be eaten without slaughter.
Time of Sacrifice
Prohibition of sacrificing before the Eid prayer.
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said that a man sacrificed on the day of sacrifice, i.e. before the Eid prayer, so the Prophet ﷺ commanded him to sacrifice again.
➊ Prayer here means the Eid prayer.
Hadrat Bara (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, he said:
On the day of Eid al-Adha, the Prophet ﷺ went out (to the Eidgah) and offered the two-rak’ah Eid prayer. Then, turning towards us, he said: “The first act of worship on this day is that we pray first, and then, after returning (from the Eidgah), slaughter the animal.”
➋ A sacrifice made before the Eid prayer has the status of ordinary meat.
Such a person will not receive the reward of sacrifice.
➌ The reward depends on the act being in accordance with the Sunnah.
➍ If someone mistakenly sacrifices before the prayer, then, if another animal is available, he should sacrifice another animal after the Eid prayer.
Warning:
From these hadiths it becomes clear that, whether in a city or a village, sacrificing before the Eid prayer is not permissible.
The Supplication for Sacrifice.
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ،عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ،عَنْ أَبِي عَيَّاشٍ،عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ،قَالَ: ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ عِيدٍ،بِكَبْشَيْنِ فَقَالَ: حِينَ وَجَّهَهُمَا «إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا،وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ،إِنَّ صَلَاتِي،وَنُسُكِي،وَمَحْيَايَ،وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ،لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ،وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ،وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ،اللَّهُمَّ مِنْكَ،وَلَكَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأُمَّتِهِ»
Translation
Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, he said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sacrificed the two rams on the day of Eid, and turned them towards the qiblah, he said: قرآن إِنِّی وَجَّہْتُ وَجْہِیَ لِلَّذِی فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِیفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِکِینَ إِنَّ صَلَاتِی وَنُسُکِی وَمَحْیَایَ وَمَمَاتِی لِلَّہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ لَا شَرِیکَ لَہُ وَبِذَلِکَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِین
“I have turned my face, with sincere devotion, towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not among the polytheists. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah, Lord of the worlds; He has no partner. I have been commanded to this, and I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah! This (animal) is from You and for You, on behalf of Muhammad ﷺ and his Ummah.”
اَللّهُمَّ مِنْک وَلَکَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍوَاُمَّتِہْ بِسْم آللَّـهِ وَآللَّـهُ آکبر
Warning:
Abu Ayyash al-Zurqi is a narrator whose hadith is good (hasan al-hadith), and Muhammad bin Ishaq has explicitly stated that he heard the narration directly (sama’).
The animal to be sacrificed should be slaughtered with a sharp knife
As can be seen:
حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يُضَحِّي بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ،وَيَضَعُ رِجْلَهُ عَلَى صَفْحَتِهِمَا وَيَذْبَحُهُمَا بِيَدِهِ
Hadrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to sacrifice two horned, spotted rams, and the Prophet ﷺ would place his foot on their necks and slaughter them with his own hand.
´Order to sharpen the knife.`
Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I have memorised two things from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: “Allah has prescribed excellence (ihsan, good treatment) in everything. So when you kill, kill well, and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each of you sharpen his knife and let him spare comfort to his animal.”
Benefits:
➊ One should sharpen the knife for slaughtering an animal so that the pain caused to the animal being slaughtered is reduced.
➋ Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that this hadith comprises the essentials of Islam. See:
➌ This blessed hadith indicates Allah’s immense kindness and benevolence towards all His creation. It is out of Allah’s mercy and compassion that He has made it obligatory to show excellence towards everything, and He has even commanded good treatment towards animals. Likewise towards slaves and criminals too; for example, if a criminal is ordered to be executed in retribution (qisas), he should not be killed by tormenting him. Moreover, a murderer should not be deprived of food, drink, clothing, and other permissible and appropriate pleasures of life.
➍ Regarding the Messenger of Allah ﷺ’s saying إذا ذبَحتُم فأَحْسِنوا “When you slaughter, slaughter in a good manner”, Imam al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: One should be gentle with the animal while slaughtering it. For the sake of slaughtering, one should not throw it down harshly and cruelly, nor drag it from one place to another, and should slaughter it with a sharp knife. (Also, one should not sharpen the knife in front of the animal.) While slaughtering the animal, one should intend to make it lawful and seek nearness to Allah through it. One should lay it facing the qiblah. One should slaughter it while mentioning the name of Allah. One should slaughter quickly. One should cut the throat and the veins of its neck. One should give it comfort, and (immediately after slaughtering, one should not begin skinning and removing its hide, but) let it cool down (once its thrashing has ended, then one should skin it and remove its hide). And (along with this) one should be thankful to Allah, acknowledging His favour, kindness and bounty, and also thank Allah for the great blessing and favour that He subjected this animal (which one has slaughtered) to him; one should thank Allah again and again. If Allah had willed, (He would not have subjected it, but rather) He would have given it power over us. Likewise, if He had willed, instead of making that animal lawful for us, He would have made it forbidden for us (then what could we have done to it?). And Rabi’ah says that excellence in slaughtering is that one should not slaughter it in front of another animal (so that the onlooker does not feel discomfort). Imam al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) further says that the saying of the Prophet ﷺ إذا قتَلتُم فأَحْسِنوا القِتْلةَ “When you kill, kill in a good manner” is to be understood in its general sense concerning everything, whether one is slaughtering an animal or killing a human being by way of hudud and qisas punishments. (Whether it is slaughtering an animal or killing a human by qisas, in every case) the killing or slaughtering should be done quickly, and they should not be struck or killed with pain and torment. See:
➎ If a person has killed a victim in a bad manner, he too will be killed in a bad manner.
The days of sacrifice are three (10-11-12)
Evidence, please see:
➊ و حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى عَنْ مَالِك عَنْ نَافِعٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ قَالَ الْأَضْحَى يَوْمَانِ بَعْدَ يَوْمِ الْأَضْحَى
It is narrated from Nafi’ that Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) said: “The Adha (sacrifice) is two days after the day of Eid al-Adha.”
➋ وَمَا قَد حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بنُ مَرْزُوْقِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وَھَبُْ بْنِ جَرِیْر ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَۃُ عَن مَیْسَرَۃ بنِ حَبِیْبٍ عَنْ مَنْہَالِ بْنِ عَمْرِو عَنْ سَعِید بن جبیر عَنْ ابِنِ عَبَّاسِ رَضِیْ آللَّـهُ عَنْہُ قَالَ اَلنَحْرُیَوْمَاْنِ بَعْدَیَوْمِ النَحْرِوَاَفْضَلُھَا یَوْمُ النَحرِ
Two days after the day of sacrifice are days of sacrifice, and the most excellent is the day of sacrifice (10 Dhul-Hijjah), (11-12).
Ahkam al-Quran lil-Tahawi, vol. 2, p. 205, hadith (1571), hasan
➋ عَنْ اَنَسِ بْنِ مَالكٍ رَضِیْ آللَّـهُ عَنْہُ قَالَ اَلاضْحٰي يَوْمَانِ بَعْدَہُ
Two days after the first day of sacrifice are days of sacrifice.
➌ عَنْ عَلَيَّ بْنِ آ بی طَالِبٍ رَضِیْ آللَّـهُ عَنْہُ الَنَحْرُثَلاَثَۃُاَیَّام
Two days after the first day of sacrifice are days of sacrifice.
Note:
However, this narration is not found in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (printed edition). (واللہ أعلم)
Benefit:
The summary is this: nothing is explicitly established from the Prophet ﷺ on this matter, and the reports differ. However, from noble companions such as Abu Hurairah, Umar, Ali, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar and Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with them), it is narrated that the days of sacrifice (10-11-12) are three days, and sacrificing on the first day is most excellent.
