Supplications Before Slaughtering the Sacrificial Animal
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
◈ Duʿāʾs Established from the Prophet ﷺ
Before slaughtering the animal, various supplications from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ are authentically reported. Among them are the following:
① بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ
From the narration of Anas رضي الله عنه:
«ضحى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بكبشين أملحين أقرنين ذبحهما بيده وسمى و كبر»
"The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed two horned, white rams. He slaughtered them with his own hand, pronouncing the name of Allāh and saying ‘Allāhu Akbar.’"
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5565② بسم الله وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ هَذَا عَنِّى وَعَمْنُ لَمْ يُضَحِّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي
From the narration of Jābir رضي الله عنه:
"In the name of Allāh, and Allāh is the Greatest. This (sacrifice) is on my behalf and on behalf of those of my Ummah who have not offered a sacrifice."
Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 2436, 2810; al-Tirmidhī: 1520; Aḥmad: 3/362; al-Ḥākim: 4/229; al-Bayhaqī: 4/275③ اللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمِنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ
From the narration of ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها:
"O Allāh! Accept (this sacrifice) from Muḥammad, from the family of Muḥammad, and from the Ummah of Muḥammad."
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1967; Aḥmad: 6/78; Abū Dāwūd: 2792④ Extended Duʿāʾ Before Slaughter
In another narration from Sunan Abī Dāwūd:
The Prophet ﷺ, when he directed the two rams towards the Qiblah on the day of Eid, recited:
وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ 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، بِسْمِ اللهِ وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ
Then he slaughtered them.
Abū Dāwūd: 2795
Summary
- Saying بسم الله والله أكبر is the basic Sunnah.
- Additional supplications like اللهم تقبل… and هذا عني… are also authentically reported.
- Reciting verses of dedication (إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي…) before sacrifice is likewise established.
Thus, one may combine these supplications at the time of slaughter for maximum adherence to the Sunnah.
Hādhā mā ʿindī wa-Allāhu Aʿlam bi-ṣ-ṣawāb.
