This excerpt is taken from Dr. Tariq Humayun Sheikh's book Eid ul-Adha.
The Divine Command for Pure and Lawful Earnings (Halal Sustenance):
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنفِقُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَمِمَّا أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُوا الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسْتُم بِآخِذِيهِ إِلَّا أَن تُغْمِضُوا فِيهِ ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ ﴿٢٦٧﴾
"O you who have believed! Spend from the good things which you have earned and from what We have produced for you from the earth, and do not aim to spend the bad (things) while you would not take it except with closed eyes, and know that Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:267)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيبا
"Indeed, Allah is pure and accepts only that which is pure (lawful)."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1015, 1051; Sahih Bukhari: 1410)
Sincerity in Actions
The Divine command is:
لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ
"(Remember) neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah, but your piety reaches Him."
Reference: (22-Al-Hajj:37)
Which animal is recommended for sacrifice?
It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered that a ram be brought which has horns, black feet, black eyes, and a black chest and belly.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1967, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2792)
Note:
The summary of the above hadith is that the animal should be beautiful.
Age of the sacrificial animal
❀ Sayyiduna Bara' bin Azib رضي الله عنه narrates that his maternal uncle Sayyiduna Abu Burda رضي الله عنه sacrificed before the Eid prayer. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم told him to slaughter another animal after the prayer. Sayyiduna Abu Burda رضي الله عنه said that he only had a goat less than a year old. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: "Slaughter it, but after you, it will not be permissible for anyone else to do such a sacrifice."
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 983, 555; Sahih Muslim: 1961; Sunan Abu Dawood: 2800; Sunan Nasai: 4399; Sunan Tirmidhi: 1508; Muwatta Imam Malik: 1051)
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: "Do not slaughter any animal for sacrifice except one with two teeth, except if it becomes difficult for you to find an animal with two teeth, then slaughter a sheep."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1963; Sunan Abu Dawood: 2797; Sunan Ibn Majah: 3141; Sunan Nasai: 4383; Sunan Tirmidhi: 1500)
❀ The sacrificial animal (camel, cow, bull/castrated bull, goat) should have at least two teeth.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1963; Sunan Abu Dawood: 2797; Sunan Ibn Majah: 3141; Sunan Nasai: 4394; Sunan Tirmidhi: 1500; Muwatta Imam Malik: 1050)
Explanation:
Two teeth: The two front milk teeth have fallen out and new two teeth have come in their place.
Juz’: The prevailing opinion about the age of Juz’ is that it has completed one year.
➊ A camel with two teeth is five years old.
➋ A cow with two teeth is two years old.
➌ A bullock / goat / ram with two teeth is one year old.
The sacrificial animal must be free from defects
❀ The animal should not be blind in one eye (both eyes should be healthy).
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 1497, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2802, Sunan Nasai: 4374, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3144, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1049)
❀ The animal should not be lame (should not limp).
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 1497, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2802, Sunan Nasai: 4374, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3144, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1049)
❀ An animal that is visibly sick is not eligible for sacrifice.
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 1497, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2802, Sunan Nasai: 4374, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3144, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1049)
Sacrifice of an extremely weak and emaciated animal is prohibited.
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 1497, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2802, Sunan Nasai: 4374, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3144, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1049)
❀ The sacrifice of an old animal that has no flesh on its bones is also prohibited.
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 1497, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2802, Sunan Nasai: 4374, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3144, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1049)
❀ The animal for sacrifice should neither have its ear cut nor pierced, nor should it have slits along the length.
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2804, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1498, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3142, Sunan Nasai: 4379)
❀ The animal's horn should not be broken nor uprooted from the root.
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2804, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1498, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3142, Sunan Nasai: 4382)
The Castration of the Sacrificial Animal
❀ Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنهما is the narrator of this hadith. He states that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم slaughtered two rams on the day of sacrifice, which were horned, spotted, and castrated.
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2795, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3121, Musnad Ahmad: 3/375)
Pregnancy of the Sacrificial Animal
❀ If after slaughtering the sacrificial animal, a fully formed fetus comes out of its womb, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: "If you wish, you may eat it. Indeed, slaughtering its mother is considered slaughtering it."
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2827, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1475, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3199)
Explanation:
If the fetus is alive when it comes out, it must be slaughtered; otherwise, it is considered part of the mother's slaughter and is lawful, and eating it is permissible.
Sacrifice of a Milking Animal is Prohibited:
A man asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: "If I do not find any animal other than a milk-giving animal, should I sacrifice that animal?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "No, rather cut the hair of your head, trim your nails and mustache, and clean the hair of your armpits and below the navel. This is your complete sacrifice in the sight of Allah."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1963, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3123, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2789, Sunan Nasai: 4370)
The Reward of Sacrifice
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said about the worshippers who come after the call to Friday prayer: "When the day of Friday comes, the angels write down the names of those who come to the congregational mosque at the door. The first one to come is recorded as if he has sacrificed a camel. The next one is recorded as if he has sacrificed a cow, then the reward of sacrificing a ram, then a chicken, and then an egg. But when the Imam comes to deliver the sermon and sits on the pulpit, the angels close their registers."
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 929, Sahih Muslim: 850, Sunan Nasai: 1386)
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, preferred sacrificing rams with horns.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 5565, Sahih Muslim: 1966, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1494, Sunan Nasai: 4399, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2807)
Explanation:
➊ If a Muslim slaughters a camel, this sacrifice is the most virtuous in terms of reward.
➋ If someone slaughters a whole cow, it ranks second in terms of reward.
➌ Slaughtering a ram / goat / lamb ranks third in terms of reward.
➍ If there are partners involved in the sacrifice of a cow or camel, then the sacrifice of a ram / goat / lamb is preferable compared to those shares.
How many animals should be slaughtered for sacrifice?
If showing off and ostentation are not intended, more than one animal can be sacrificed.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1966, 1965 Sunan Ibn Majah: 3147, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1505, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1058)
One should avoid showing off
Tabe'i Sayyiduna Ata bin Yasar, may Allah have mercy on him, states that he asked Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him: How were sacrifices performed during the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him? He replied: "In the blessed time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, a person would sacrifice a goat on his own. Later, people began to slaughter more animals as a matter of pride, and the situation became as you see now."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3147, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1505, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1058)
Sharing in the Sacrificial Animal
❀ Up to a maximum of seven people can participate in the sacrifice of a camel.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1318, 1316 Sunan Abu Dawood: 2809, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3131, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1503, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1057)
❀ Up to a maximum of seven people can participate in the sacrifice of a cow.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1318 Sunan Abu Dawood: 2807 - 2809 Sunan Ibn Majah: 3132, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1503, Sunan Nasai: 4389, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1057, Musnad Ahmad: 3/304)
❀ A ram / male goat / goat can be slaughtered by a single financially capable person.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 556, Sahih Muslim: 1961, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2810, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3147, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1521, Muwatta Imam Malik: 1058)
Storing the meat of the sacrifice
❀ Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah رضي الله عنها narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade keeping the meat of sacrifice due to the poverty and hunger of the people, then he permitted it. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "I had forbidden you from keeping the meat of sacrifice for more than three days, now eat and store it."
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 5570, 5423; Sahih Muslim: 1971; Sunan Ibn Majah: 3159; Sunan Abu Dawood: 2812; Sunan Nasai: 4431; Muwatta Imam Malik: 1055; Musnad Ahmad: 3/331)
❀ The Prophet of Allah, the Noble صلى الله عليه وسلم said to eat the meat of sacrifice, give charity, and also keep it.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 1719; Sahih Muslim: 1973; Sunan Abu Dawood: 2812; Muwatta Imam Malik: 1056; Sunan Nasai: 4236; Sunan Ibn Majah: 3160; Musnad Ahmad: 3/38)
Until when can the sacrifice be done?
❀ The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "All the days of Tashreeq are days of slaughter."
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 16/3)
Explanation:
The days of Tashreeq for sacrifice are from the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah after the Eid prayer until the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah (before sunset).
