Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 603
Is the practice of Qurbānī (animal sacrifice) established through verbal and practical tawātur (continuous transmission)?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
Some individuals, who doubt the reliability of ḥadīth and refuse to accept any religious ruling based solely on it—insisting instead on direct Qur’ānic evidence—often claim that the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام (i.e., sacrifice) was restricted only to the rites of Ḥajj. They argue that the Qur’an limited this practice exclusively to pilgrims and that outside the context of Ḥajj, there is no divine command for animal sacrifice.
Indeed, it is true that the original sacrifice of Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام took place within the context of the pilgrimage, and that the Qur’an mentions it in that framework.
However, if these individuals’ only objection is the authenticity of the ḥadīth reports—not the principle that something outside the Qur’an can serve as religious proof—then their doubt is unfounded.
They themselves admit that if a saying or action of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is proven authentic, it is binding in religion and constitutes a legitimate source of law.
In that case, they must know that the reports concerning the Prophet’s ﷺ sacrifice are among the most authentic and widely transmitted traditions, both verbally and practically, passed down continuously (mutawātir) through the generations without any possibility of fabrication.
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated:
أَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ يُضَحِّيّ
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained in Madīnah for ten years and offered sacrifice every year.”
(Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī)
Another narration states:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَذْبَحُ وَيَنْحَرُ بِالْمُصَلَّى
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to slaughter and sacrifice (his animals) at the place of prayer (muṣallā).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
Is it conceivable for any rational person to believe that such a tremendous falsehood could have been fabricated and accepted by the entire Ummah — that the Prophet ﷺ performed an act publicly for ten consecutive years in front of large congregations, while in reality, he never did it?
It is utterly unreasonable to think that such reports could have been invented later, or that they might be false.
Even if one argues that the ḥadīth collections were compiled later, consider: if these reports had been fabricated, it would have been impossible for such a fabrication to succeed, especially regarding a public act repeatedly performed before thousands of Companions.
Had this been false, would no single Arab among the Prophet’s followers have raised an objection — saying:
“Our generations have always followed the Prophet ﷺ in every matter, yet we have never seen or heard of this continuous practice of sacrifice; now you people of Bukhārā and Tirmidh come and tell us that the Prophet ﷺ offered sacrifice every year for ten years!”
Such an objection never occurred—proving that the practice was universally recognized and passed down generation after generation.
The Prophet ﷺ not only practiced sacrifice regularly but also verbally emphasized its virtue and issued stern warnings for neglecting it:
مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ سَعَةٌ وَلَمْ يُضَحِّ، فَلَا يَقْرَبَنَّ مُصَلَّانَا
“Whoever has the means and does not offer sacrifice should not approach our place of prayer (on ʿĪd).”
(Musnad Aḥmad, Sunan Ibn Mājah; authenticated by al-Ḥākim though others preferred its mawqūf form)
Could it be believed that such a powerful exhortation and warning would remain unknown to the entire community for centuries, and that the Companions, Followers, and generations thereafter would begin practicing sacrifice without ever having heard of it?
Such a notion is absurd.
This shows beyond doubt that the practice of Qurbānī was well-known, continuous, and universally transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ to his Ummah.
The reports of sacrifice are not of the kind that depend on a single narration or an isolated chain.
Rather, they are supported by tawātur ʿamalī — continuous public practice — passed down openly through every generation of Muslims.
Even though the ḥadīth compilations were recorded later, the absence of any objection or controversy regarding this practice throughout the centuries proves its authenticity and continuity.
This generational consensus (tawāruth) is itself a decisive proof—
and only a person who doubts the authenticity of the Qur’an itself (which is likewise preserved through tawātur) could deny such evidence.
❖ Question:
Is the practice of Qurbānī (animal sacrifice) established through verbal and practical tawātur (continuous transmission)?
✿ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
Some individuals, who doubt the reliability of ḥadīth and refuse to accept any religious ruling based solely on it—insisting instead on direct Qur’ānic evidence—often claim that the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام (i.e., sacrifice) was restricted only to the rites of Ḥajj. They argue that the Qur’an limited this practice exclusively to pilgrims and that outside the context of Ḥajj, there is no divine command for animal sacrifice.
Indeed, it is true that the original sacrifice of Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام took place within the context of the pilgrimage, and that the Qur’an mentions it in that framework.
However, if these individuals’ only objection is the authenticity of the ḥadīth reports—not the principle that something outside the Qur’an can serve as religious proof—then their doubt is unfounded.
They themselves admit that if a saying or action of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is proven authentic, it is binding in religion and constitutes a legitimate source of law.
In that case, they must know that the reports concerning the Prophet’s ﷺ sacrifice are among the most authentic and widely transmitted traditions, both verbally and practically, passed down continuously (mutawātir) through the generations without any possibility of fabrication.
❀ Evidence from Authentic Ḥadīth:
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated:
أَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ يُضَحِّيّ
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained in Madīnah for ten years and offered sacrifice every year.”
(Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī)
Another narration states:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَذْبَحُ وَيَنْحَرُ بِالْمُصَلَّى
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to slaughter and sacrifice (his animals) at the place of prayer (muṣallā).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
❀ Reflection:
Is it conceivable for any rational person to believe that such a tremendous falsehood could have been fabricated and accepted by the entire Ummah — that the Prophet ﷺ performed an act publicly for ten consecutive years in front of large congregations, while in reality, he never did it?
It is utterly unreasonable to think that such reports could have been invented later, or that they might be false.
Even if one argues that the ḥadīth collections were compiled later, consider: if these reports had been fabricated, it would have been impossible for such a fabrication to succeed, especially regarding a public act repeatedly performed before thousands of Companions.
Had this been false, would no single Arab among the Prophet’s followers have raised an objection — saying:
“Our generations have always followed the Prophet ﷺ in every matter, yet we have never seen or heard of this continuous practice of sacrifice; now you people of Bukhārā and Tirmidh come and tell us that the Prophet ﷺ offered sacrifice every year for ten years!”
Such an objection never occurred—proving that the practice was universally recognized and passed down generation after generation.
❀ Further Proofs:
The Prophet ﷺ not only practiced sacrifice regularly but also verbally emphasized its virtue and issued stern warnings for neglecting it:
مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ سَعَةٌ وَلَمْ يُضَحِّ، فَلَا يَقْرَبَنَّ مُصَلَّانَا
“Whoever has the means and does not offer sacrifice should not approach our place of prayer (on ʿĪd).”
(Musnad Aḥmad, Sunan Ibn Mājah; authenticated by al-Ḥākim though others preferred its mawqūf form)
Could it be believed that such a powerful exhortation and warning would remain unknown to the entire community for centuries, and that the Companions, Followers, and generations thereafter would begin practicing sacrifice without ever having heard of it?
Such a notion is absurd.
This shows beyond doubt that the practice of Qurbānī was well-known, continuous, and universally transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ to his Ummah.
❀ Nature of the Transmission:
The reports of sacrifice are not of the kind that depend on a single narration or an isolated chain.
Rather, they are supported by tawātur ʿamalī — continuous public practice — passed down openly through every generation of Muslims.
Even though the ḥadīth compilations were recorded later, the absence of any objection or controversy regarding this practice throughout the centuries proves its authenticity and continuity.
This generational consensus (tawāruth) is itself a decisive proof—
and only a person who doubts the authenticity of the Qur’an itself (which is likewise preserved through tawātur) could deny such evidence.
Conclusion:
- The Prophet ﷺ consistently performed the sacrifice every year in Madīnah for ten years.
- The act was public, communal, and continuously practiced by the Ummah.
- The command for Qurbānī was issued by the Prophet ﷺ himself, and his Ummah preserved both his words and actions faithfully.
- The verbal and practical tawātur surrounding this act removes any possibility of doubt.
- Therefore, sacrifice (Qurbānī) is a confirmed and integral part of the dīn of Muḥammad ﷺ, not a later innovation or addition.
