This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Zubair Ali Zai Rahimahullah's Book on the Rules and Issues of Qurbani.
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلوٰة والسلام على رسوله الامين ، اما بعد:
The rulings and issues related to the sacrifice performed on the occasion of Eid al-Adha are as follows:
➊ It is narrated from Sayyida Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
إذا رأيتم هلال ذى الحجة و أراد أحدكم أن يضحى فليمسك عن شعره و أظفاره
"When you see the moon of Dhu al-Hijjah and any one of you intends to offer a sacrifice, he should refrain from cutting his hair and nails."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1977, Darussalam numbering: 5119)
From this hadith, it is clear that the intention to sacrifice indicates that it is not obligatory but rather Sunnah.
Reference: See Al-Hujjah by Ibn Hazm (355/7, Issue: 973)
From the above hadith, it is also established that for the one who intends to offer sacrifice, it is not permissible to cut nails or shave or trim hair.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Suraiah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) were both my neighbors and neither of them used to offer sacrifice.
Reference: (Ma'rifat as-Sunan wal-Athar 198/7, Hadith 5633, and its chain is Hasan, and it is graded Hasan by An-Nawawi in Al-Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab 383/8, and Ibn Kathir said in Musnad al-Farooq: "This chain is authentic")
Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir Al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I intended to abandon sacrifice, although I have more wealth than you, out of fear that someone might consider it obligatory."
Reference: (As-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi 365/9, and its chain is strong)
Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Sacrifice is Sunnah, not obligatory, and whoever has the means, I do not like that he abandons it."
Reference: (Al-Muwatta 487/2 under Hadith 1073)
Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Sacrifice is Sunnah, and I do not like abandoning it."
Reference: (Kitab al-Umm vol. 2 p. 221)
,
Reference: Also see Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah (1345/9, Issue: 7851)
Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: ”باب سنة الأضحية“
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari before Hadith 5545)
➋ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
من كان له سعة ولم يضح فلا يقربن مصلانا
"Whoever has the means and does not offer sacrifice, let him not come near our Eid prayer ground."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3123, and its chain is Hasan, authenticated by Al-Hakim 4/232, agreed upon by Adh-Dhahabi and narrated by Ahmad 2/321)
In this narration, the narrator Abdullah ibn 'Ayyash Al-Masri is disputed by scholars, but the majority have authenticated it; there is a balance of about five or six narrators.
Reference: Imam Ibn Mu'in, Ibn Hayan, Ibn Manda, Muhammad ibn Tahir Al-Maqdisi, etc., explicitly authenticated it; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri, etc., narrated it and authenticated it. About thirteen (13) trustworthy narrators versus some who criticized like Abu Hatim ar-Razi and Ibn Hazm. Note: The criticism of Ibn Yunus Al-Masri is invalid due to contradiction with his authentication. For Ibn Yunus's authentication see At-Tawhid by Ibn Manda (52, and its chain is authentic). For detailed conditions of this narrator see Tahqiqi Maqalat 230/5 [Mu'adh]
The meaning of this narration is that whoever belittles or disrespects sacrifice and does not offer it despite having the means, should stay away from the Muslims' Eid prayer ground. This narration supports the recommendation and Sunnah of sacrifice and refutes the deniers of the hadith.
➌ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with them) that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "What do you think if I only get a lactating animal for sacrifice, should I sacrifice it?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No, but you should cut your nails and hair, trim your mustache, and shave the pubic hair; then your sacrifice is complete in the sight of Allah."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawud: 2789, and its chain is Hasan, authenticated by Ibn Hibban, Al-Mawared: 1043, Al-Hakim 223/4 and Adh-Dhahabi)
The narrator of this hadith, 'Isa ibn Hilal As-Sadafi, is trustworthy.
Reference: See Taqreeb at-Tahdheeb (5337)
He was declared trustworthy by Ya'qub ibn Sufyan Al-Farsi
Reference: (Al-Ma'rifah wal-Tarikh 515/2, 487)
and Ibn Hibban and others. Such a narrator's hadith never falls below the grade of Hasan. 'Ayyash ibn 'Abbas Al-Qatbani was trustworthy. See At-Taqreeb
Reference: (5269)
The rest of the chain is authentic.From this hadith, it is understood that a person who does not have the means to offer sacrifice, if he refrains from cutting hair and nails from the sighting of the moon of Dhu al-Hijjah until after the Eid prayer, he will receive the reward of sacrifice.
➍ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
لا تذبحوا إلا مسنة إلا أن يعسر عليكم فتذبحوا جذعة من الضأن
"Do not slaughter animals with two teeth (i.e., young animals) except if you are in hardship, then slaughter the young of a sheep."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1963, Darussalam numbering: 5082)
The young goat (or sheep) is called "Jadh'ah" when it is eight or nine months old.
Reference: See Al-Qamus Al-Muheet (p. 243)
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
According to the majority, the young sheep (Jadh'ah) is one that has completed one year.
Reference: (Fath al-Bari under Hadith 5547)
It is better that the Jadh'ah be one year old, but eight or nine months is also permissible. Allah knows best.
Important Note:
The criticism of Sheikh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) on this hadith of Sahih Muslim is rejected.
Reference: (See Ad-Da'ifah: 65, Arwa' al-Ghaleel: 1145)
The hadith in Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim
Reference: (226/4 Hadith 7538, and its chain is authentic)
also indicates that in the absence of a mature animal, the sacrifice of a Jadh'ah is sufficient.➎ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Bara' ibn 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
أربع لا تجوز فى الأضاحي: العوراء بين عورها والمريضة بين مرضها والعرجاء بين ظلعها والكسير التى لا تنقي
"The sacrifice of four types of animals is not permissible: a one-eyed animal whose blindness is obvious, a sick animal whose illness is obvious, a lame animal whose lameness is obvious, and a very weak animal that is just skin and bones."
The narrator 'Ubaid ibn Firooz (a Tabi'i) said: "I also dislike an animal with a defect in its teeth." Then Sayyiduna Bara' (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Leave what you dislike and do not make it forbidden for others."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawud: 2802)
The chain of this hadith is authentic and it is graded authentic by Tirmidhi
Reference: (1497)
, Ibn Khuzaymah
Reference: (2912)
, Ibn Hibban
Reference: (1046, 1047)
, Ibn al-Jarood
Reference: (481, 907)
, Al-Hakim
Reference: (467, 468)
, and Adh-Dhahabi.It is understood that it is permissible to avoid doubtful things and things about which there is suspicion.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the sacrifice of an animal with a broken horn.
The famous Tabi'i Imam Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "An animal whose half or more of its horn is broken."
Reference: (Sunan an-Nasa'i 217/7 Hadith 4382, and its chain is Hasan and authenticated by Tirmidhi: 1504)
In another narration from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to check the eyes and ears of the sacrificial animal.
Reference: (Sunan an-Nasa'i 217/7 Hadith 4381, and its chain is Hasan and authenticated by Tirmidhi: 1503, Ibn Khuzaymah: 2914, Ibn Hibban Al-Ihsan: 5890, Al-Hakim 225/4, and Adh-Dhahabi)
The summary of these hadiths is that the sacrifice of blind, lame, obviously sick, very weak, horn-broken or cut, and one-eyed animals is not permissible.
❀ Allama Khatib (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (died 388 AH)
said:"This hadith narrated by Sayyiduna Bara' ibn 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) is evidence that minor defects in the sacrifice are excused."
Reference: (Ma'alim as-Sunan 199/2 under Hadith 683)
It is understood that if there is a minor defect or a small cut or break in the horn, the sacrifice of that animal is permissible.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "There is consensus that the sacrifice of a blind animal is not permissible."
Reference: (Al-Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab 404/8)
➏ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to eat the meat of the sacrifice and distribute the rest among the people without giving anything to the butcher as a fee.
Reference: See Sahih Bukhari (1717) and Sahih Muslim (1317) and the same subject in item number 27
From this hadith, it is understood that selling the animal slaughtered for the sake of Allah's nearness (e.g., sacrifice and 'Aqiqah) is not permissible.
Reference: See Sharh as-Sunnah by Al-Baghawi (188/7)
➐ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) personally slaughtered two white and black rams with horns, saying the Bismillah and Takbir ( بسم الله والله أكبر ), and placed his foot on their necks.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1926 Darussalam numbering: 5087, Sahih Bukhari: 5564)
He ordered Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to sharpen the knife with a stone. Then he laid the ram down and slaughtered it, saying: "In the name of Allah, O my Allah! Accept from Muhammad, the family of Muhammad, and the nation of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them)."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1967, Darussalam numbering: 5091)
➑ Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We slaughtered with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the year of Hudaybiyyah one camel for seven men and one cow for seven men.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1318, Darussalam numbering: 3185)
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said: We were traveling with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when Eid al-Adha came, so we shared one cow among seven men and one camel among ten men.
Reference: (Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 1501, and he said: "Hasan Gharib" and its chain is Hasan)
From these hadiths, it is established that seven or ten men can share a camel, and only seven partners in a cow. It is agreed that only one person is sufficient for a goat or ram.
From the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), it is also established that offering sacrifice while traveling is permissible.
➒ Sacrifice should be done after the Eid prayer. See Sahih Bukhari
Reference: (5545)
and Sahih Muslim
Reference: (1961)
. Sacrifice before the Eid prayer is not permissible.
Reference: Also see item number 24
➓ Sayyiduna Abu Imamah ibn Suhail ibn Hanif (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Among the Muslims, whoever bought his sacrifice (in Medina) would fatten it by feeding it well, then slaughter it in the last days of Dhu al-Hijjah after Eid.
Reference: (Al-Mustakhraj li Abi Nu'aym with reference to Ta'liq at-Ta'liq 7/5, and its chain is authentic, and Ahmad said: "This hadith is strange" Sahih Bukhari before Hadith 5553 as a comment)
Reference: Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) that ”هذا حديث عجيب“. (Al-Sharh al-Kabir 'ala al-Muqni': 368/9, Al-Mughni 13/387, also see Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani: 10/10 [Mu'adh])
Note: The words "people of Medina" are in Sahih Bukhari.
⓫ The hadith mentioning sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is weak due to the concealment (narrating from 'an) by Sharik al-Qadi and Hukm ibn 'Utaybah, two narrators who practiced tadlis, and the ignorance of Abu al-Hasna' Majhool.
Reference: See Sunan Abi Dawud (2790 research), Sunan at-Tirmidhi (1495), and Adwaa' al-Masabih (1462).
However, it is permissible to offer sacrifice on behalf of the deceased as charity, so all the meat and skin of this sacrifice must be given as charity to the poor or needy.
Note: For general sacrifice (which is not charity), use the skin yourself or gift it to a friend or give it as charity to a poor person.
Reference: Also see Fatawa 'Ilmiyyah: 243/2-244/2 Mu'adh
⓬ Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We used to offer one goat as sacrifice, a man would sacrifice one goat on behalf of himself and his family, then later people started competing and boasting."
Reference: (Muwatta Imam Malik vol. 2 p. 638 Hadith 1069, and its chain is authentic, Pakistani edition p. 497, As-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi 268/9, Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 1505, and he said: "Hasan Sahih", Sunan Ibn Majah: 3147, Muhammad An-Nawawi in Al-Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab 384/8)
In Sunan Ibn Majah and others, it is explicitly mentioned that this practice of Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Sahabah was during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). (Its chain is Hasan)
It is understood that if the head of the household or any person offers one sacrifice, it suffices for all the household members.
⓭ It is permissible to offer sacrifice in the Eidgah and also permissible to offer sacrifice outside the Eidgah, such as at home.
Reference: See Sahih Bukhari (5551, 5552)
⓮ It is Sunnah to slaughter the sacrificial animal oneself, and it is also permissible to have someone else slaughter it.
Reference: See Al-Muwatta (Narration of Ibn al-Qasim: 135 research, and its chain is authentic), As-Sunan as-Sughra by an-Nasa'i, Musnad Ahmad 388/3
⓯ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) slaughtered cows on behalf of his wives.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 5559, Sahih Muslim: 1211)
Note: None of the narrations that mention disease in cow meat are authentic.
Reference: For more details see the same book (p. 108) [Mu'adh]
⓰ Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do not eat the slaughtered animals of the Christians of Banu Taghlib because except for drinking wine, they do not adhere to any other part of their religion."
Reference: (As-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi 284/9, and its chain is authentic)
It is understood that the slaughter of apostates and atheists is not halal.
⓱ It is not necessary to eat the meat of the sacrifice oneself, but it is recommended.
Reference: Also see item number 19
⓲ Once Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) offered sacrifice in Madinah Tayyibah and shaved his head. He used to say: Whoever does not perform Hajj and offers sacrifice, shaving the head is not obligatory on him.
Reference: (As-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi 288/9, and its chain is authentic, Al-Muwatta 483/2 Hadith 1062)
⓳ Eating the meat of the sacrifice oneself, feeding friends and relatives, and gifting to the poor are all permissible.
Reference: For example, see Surah Al-Hajj (verse 36, 28) and Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah 309/2 etc.
(20) Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said: Whoever sends the sacrificial animal (towards the Ka'bah) and it gets lost, if it was a vow, it must be sent again, and if it was a voluntary sacrifice, it is up to him whether to send again or not.
Reference: (As-Sunan al-Kubra 389/9, and its chain is authentic), also see Monthly Al-Hadith: 52 p. 130
(21) Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn az-Zubair (may Allah be pleased with them) saw a one-eyed she-camel among the sacrificial animals and said: "If it became one-eyed after purchase, then sacrifice it, but if it was one-eyed before purchase, then exchange it and sacrifice another she-camel."
Reference: (As-Sunan al-Kubra 389/9, and its chain is authentic)
(22) When slaughtering the sacrificial animal, its face should be towards the Qiblah. Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) considered it disliked to eat the meat of an animal slaughtered without facing the Qiblah.
Reference: (Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq 389/4 Hadith 8585, and its chain is authentic)
(23) The deniers of hadith deny the Sunnah of sacrifice, although it is established from mutawatir hadiths and athar that sacrifice is Sunnah, and in one hadith it is mentioned that there is reward in every living being.
Reference: See Sahih Bukhari (2363) and Sahih Muslim (2244)
(24) The Eid prayer should not be delayed; rather, it is Sunnah to perform it early. Once an Imam delayed the Eid prayer, and Abdullah ibn Basar (may Allah be pleased with him) objected and said: "We used to finish this prayer at the time when the Duha prayer is performed."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawud: 1135, and its chain is authentic, authenticated by Al-Hakim on the condition of Bukhari 1/295 and agreed by Adh-Dhahabi)
,
Reference: For details see the same book (p. 106) [Mu'adh]
,
Reference: Also see item number 9
(25) If a person intending to offer sacrifice cuts his nails or hair and then offers sacrifice, his sacrifice will be valid but he will be sinful.
Reference: (Al-Sharh Majma' 'ala Zad al-Mustaqni' by Ibn Taymiyyah 330/3)
(26) The one who slaughters the sacrifice and the partners must all be of sound belief.
(27) If the sacrifice is offered on behalf of someone else, at the time of slaughter, one should say that this sacrifice is on behalf of so-and-so.
(28) The preferred opinion is that the days of sacrifice are three.
Reference: See Al-Hadith: Issue 24 pp. 6 to 11
Reference: (Tahqiqi Maqalat: 211/2)
Consensus Issues of Sacrifice
From the famous book Al-Ijma' by Imam Ibn al-Mundhir al-Naysaburi, consensus issues regarding sacrifice are presented:
217. It is agreed upon that sacrifice is not permissible before the dawn (Fajr) on the day of sacrifice.
218. It is agreed upon that feeding the meat of sacrifice to poor Muslims is permissible.
219. It is agreed upon that if one sacrifices with a lawful instrument, says Bismillah, cuts the throat and both veins, and lets the blood flow, then eating such a sacrificed animal is permissible.
220. It is agreed upon that the sacrifice of a mute person is valid.
221. It is agreed upon that if a dead fetus is found in the stomach of the sacrificed animal, the sacrifice of its mother will suffice for it.
222. It is agreed upon that the sacrifice of women and children is permissible if they can slaughter properly.
223. It is agreed upon that the sacrifice of the People of the Book is lawful for us if they slaughter after saying Bismillah.
224. It is agreed upon that the sacrifice of the People of the Book residing in Dar al-Harb (land of war) is lawful.
225. It is agreed upon that the sacrifice of Magians (Zoroastrians) is forbidden and their meat is not to be eaten.
226. It is agreed upon that the sacrifice of women and children of the People of the Book is lawful (with the condition of saying Bismillah).
227. It is agreed upon that dogs are hunting animals; if a Muslim teaches them to hunt, and after saying Bismillah releases them to hunt, and the dog catches prey for that person, then eating such prey is permissible, provided it is not a black dog.
228. It is agreed upon that river hunting, or its buying and selling, or eating and drinking in the state of Ihram, etc., is also permissible.
Reference: (Kitab al-Ijma', pp. 52-53, translator Abu al-Qasim Abdul Azim, Tahqiqi Maqalat: 2/219)
Reference: For consensus on the permissibility of sacrificing a naturally hornless animal, see the same book (p. 107) [Mu'adh]
