This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqah, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
Eating the meat of the sacrifice oneself, feeding relatives and friends, giving it as charity, storing it, and taking it as provisions for a journey is permissible and lawful. The evidences for the permissibility of all these cases are as follows.
① Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَافَّ ۖ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ﴾
"And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good. So mention the name of Allah upon them when lined up [for sacrifice]; and when they are [lifeless] on their sides, then eat from them and feed the needy and the beggar."
Reference: Surah Al-Hajj: 36
② Allah Almighty says at another place regarding the distribution of the meat of sacrificial animals:
﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ﴾
"So eat from them and feed the poor who is staying in the way."
Reference: Surah Al-Hajj: 28
③ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salamah bin Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said regarding the meat of sacrifice:
كلوا وأطعموا وادخروا
"Eat the meat of sacrifice, feed others, and store it."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter: What is eaten from the meat of sacrifices: 5569. Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter explaining the prohibition of eating sacrificial meat after three days in early Islam: 1974.
④ It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Companions asked about the permissibility of storing the meat of sacrifices for more than three days, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
إنما نهيتكم من أجل الدافة التى دفت عليكم، فكلوا وتصدقوا وادخروا
"I had forbidden you (from storing the meat of sacrifices for more than three days) because of the poor and needy people’s difficult condition, but now you may eat the meat of sacrifices, give charity, and store it."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter explaining the prohibition of eating sacrificial meat after three days: 1971. Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on the type of sacrificial meat: 2812. Sunan an-Nasa’i, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on storing from sacrifices: 4432.
Benefits:
According to the mentioned evidences, it is permissible and lawful to eat the meat of the sacrifice oneself, to feed the poor and needy, to feed relatives and loved ones, to give as charity, and to store it.
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding whether it is obligatory or recommended for the one who performs the sacrifice to eat its meat. Some scholars (such as Abu Tayyib bin Salmah and others) hold that it is obligatory for the sacrificer to eat the meat of the sacrifice. Their evidences are these verses:
﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ ﴾
"So eat from it and feed the needy who is present."
Reference: Surah Al-Hajj: 28
The divine command is:
﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ﴾
"So eat from them and feed the one who asks and the one who is in need."
Reference: Surah Al-Hajj: 36
According to those who believe in the obligation of eating the meat of the sacrifice, these verses imply a mandatory command to eat from the sacrifice. Some scholars hold that eating from the sacrifice is obligatory and due to this command, giving the entire sacrifice as charity is not permissible.
Reference: Al-Mughni with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 811/11.
Preferred Position:
Eating the meat of sacrifice is permissible, lawful, and recommended, but not obligatory; because according to the commentators, the mentioned verses regarding sacrifice and eating are not commands of obligation but rather of permissibility and recommendation.
① Hafiz Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
فكلوا منها "Eat from the sacrifices."
Here, the command to eat from the sacrifices is for permissibility, not obligation.
② Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, states that some scholars have deduced from ﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ﴾ that eating the meat of sacrifices is obligatory, but this is a rare and weak opinion, and the majority of scholars hold that this command is for permissibility and recommendation (not obligation).
Reference: Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 240/3.
③ Imam Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes in the commentary of ﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا﴾ that according to the majority of scholars, this is a matter of recommendation, and eating from the Hadi and sacrifice and giving most of the meat as charity is recommended; also, giving all the sacrifice as charity and eating all the meat is permissible.
Reference: Tafsir Qurtubi: 44/12.
Also, Hafiz Ibn Jawzi in Zad al-Maseer
Reference: (426/5)
and Qadi Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, in Fath al-Qadeer have given the same interpretation of this verse.④ Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, states that eating the meat of sacrifice is recommended, not obligatory. This is also the position of the Shafi'is and all scholars, except Abu Tayyib bin Salmah who believed in obligation.
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi: 13/13.
⑤ Abdullah bin Qurt, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, slaughtered five or seven camels, and when they fell down, the Prophet, peace be upon him, spoke softly, which I could not understand. The narrator asked what the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, and Abdullah bin Qurt, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: من شاء اقتطع "Whoever wishes may cut (from them)."
Reference: Sahih: Sunan Abi Dawood: 1765. Musnad Ahmad: 35/40. Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2917. Mustadrak Hakim: 221/4.
Benefits:
Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, states: This hadith is evidence that eating the meat of the sacrifice is recommended, not obligatory. Also, since the sacrifice is performed to attain Allah's reward, eating from it is not obligatory like in the case of 'Aqiqah'. The command to eat from the sacrifice mentioned in the verse is for recommendation and permissibility.
Reference: Al-Mughni with Al-Sharh Al-Kabeer: 110/11.
