This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqah, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
It is a condition that the sacrificial animals must have two tusks, and if two-tusked sacrificial animals are available, then it is necessary to select these (two-tusked) animals for sacrifice.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا تذبحوا إلا مسنة، إلا أن يعسر عليكم، فتذبحوا جذعة من الضأن
“Sacrifice only two-tusked animals, but if it becomes difficult for you to get two-tusked ones, then sacrifice a sheep.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on the Age of Sacrifice 1963. Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on what is permissible regarding the age of sacrifices: 2797. Sunan an-Nasa’i, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on the two-tusked and one-tusked: 4383. Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on what suffices for sacrifices: 3141. Extracted by Abi Awana: 6338.
Hadith Verification:
Allama Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared this hadith weak
Reference: (Silsilat al-Da‘ifah under Hadith: 65. Arwa’ al-Ghalil: 1145 and Hidayat al-Ruwat, etc.)
, but his declaration of this hadith as weak is not correct.① In Bukhari and Muslim, the tadlis (concealment) of the mudallis (one who practices tadlis) is not detrimental; Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, explains regarding the narrations transmitted from mudallis in Sahihain:
واعلم أن ما كان فى الصحيحين عن المدلسين بعن ونحوها، محمول على ثبوت السماع من جهة أخرى
“Undoubtedly, in Sahihain (Bukhari and Muslim), the narrations transmitted from mudallis with ‘an’ and other similar words of tadlis are to be understood as having proof of hearing through other chains.”
(Therefore, the ‘an’anah’ of mudallis in Bukhari and Muslim is not detrimental to the authenticity of the hadith)
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi, Chapter on Tadlis: 153/1
② Then, in Mustakhraj Abi Awana, there is explicit evidence of Abu Zubair’s hearing, may Allah have mercy on him, so the suspicion of tadlis is completely removed, hence no doubt or suspicion should arise regarding the authenticity of this hadith.
Definition of __ARABIC_2:
① Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, explains in ARABIC_3:
ARABIC_4__
“A musinnah is an animal among camels, cows, sheep, or goats that has two teeth or is older than that.”
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi: 117/13
② Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, states that scholars explain:
المسنة هى الثنية من كل شيء من الإبل والبقر والغنم فما فوقها، و هذا تصريح بأنه لا يجوز الجذع ولا يجزى إلا إذا عسر على المضحى وجود المسنة
“A musinnah is an animal among camels, cows, sheep, or goats that has two teeth or is older than that, and (as is clear in the chapter’s hadith) it is explicitly stated that the sacrifice of a sheep musinnah is only permissible and sufficient when it becomes difficult for the sacrificer to obtain an animal with two teeth.”
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 120/5
③ الثني and المسنه are synonymous terms, and al-thani and al-musinnah refer to an animal whose front two teeth have fallen out.
Benefits:
① Sacrifice of a two-toothed, four-toothed, six-toothed, etc. animal is permissible, provided it is free from defects that are conditions for the validity of the sacrifice.
② If a two-toothed animal is readily available, it is obligatory to sacrifice a two-toothed animal.
③ Amir Yamani, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
والحديث دليل على أنه لا يجزئ الجذع من الضأن فى حال من الأحوال إلا عند تعسر المسنة
"The hadith of the chapter is evidence that the sheep with a broken tooth is not valid for sacrifice in any case; however, if it is difficult to find a two-toothed animal, then the sheep with a broken tooth is permissible."
Reference: Sabil al-Salam 1356/4
