This excerpt is taken from Professor Dr. Fazl Elahi's book Issues of Sacrifice.
It is established from the pure Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that more than one person can share in the sacrifice of a camel or cow slaughtered for Hajj and Eid al-Adha. Please see the following three ahadith on this matter:
➊ Imam Muslim narrated from Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
”خرجنا مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم مهلين بالحج فأمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نشترك فى الإبل والبقر كل سبعة منا فى بدنة“
“We set out for Hajj with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ calling out Labbaik, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us that seven people should share one camel or cow.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Chapter on Sharing in the Sacrifice, The Reward of the Cow and the Camel Each for Seven, Hadith No. 351 - (1318), 955/2
➋ Imam Muslim narrated from Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
”نحرنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عام الحديبية البدنة عن سبعة والبقرة عن سبعة“
“In the year of Hudaybiyyah [i.e., at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah], we slaughtered camels and cows on behalf of seven people each.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 350 - (1318), 955/2
➌ Imam Tirmidhi and Imam Ibn Majah narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that he said:
”كنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى سفر فحضر الأضحى فاشتركنا فى البقرة سبعة وفي البعير عشرة“
“We were traveling with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and when Eid al-Adha came, seven persons shared in the sacrifice of a cow, and ten persons shared in the sacrifice of a camel.”
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Sacrifices, Chapter on Sharing in the Sacrifice, Hadith No. 1537, 72/5 and Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapters on Sacrifices, How Many Are Rewarded by the Camel and the Cow? Hadith No. 3169, 205/2. The wording is from Jami` at-Tirmidhi. Sheikh Albani graded it as (Sahih).
Reference: (See: Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah 200/2).
From the above noble ahadith, the following points are understood:
⟐ More than one person can share in the sacrifice of camels and cows slaughtered on the occasion of Hajj and Eid al-Adha.
⟐ Seven persons can share in the sacrifice of a cow slaughtered for Hajj and Eid al-Adha.
⟐ In the presence and company of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, seven companions shared in each camel slaughtered for Hajj, and ten persons shared in each camel slaughtered for Eid al-Adha sacrifice.
◈ How many people can participate in a camel?
There is a difference of opinion among the scholars of the Ummah on this matter. Two views are presented below:
⟐ The first view is that only seven people can share in the sacrifice of a camel slaughtered on the occasion of Hajj and Eid al-Adha. However, if at any time the price of camels increases and the price of one camel becomes equal to the price of ten goats, then it will be correct for ten people to share in one camel. The scholars of the Ummah who hold this view have explained this as the reason for the participation of ten persons in the sacrifice of a camel in the above-mentioned hadith of Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them). This view is preferred by Imam Nawawi, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, and Allama Aini.
Reference: See: Sharh al-Nawawi: 27/13; Fath al-Bari 627/9 and Umdat al-Qari 113/21.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote about this:والذي يتحرر فى هذا أن الأصل أن البعير بسبعة ما لم يعرض عارض من نفاسة ونحوها ، فيتغير الحكم بحسب ذلك
The summary of the matter is that if there is no reason for the camels to be expensive due to their excellence, etc., then the sacrifice of one camel will be made on behalf of seven persons. In case of price increase, the ruling will change according to the circumstances."
Reference: Fath al-Bari 627/9.
⟐ The second view is that seven persons can share in the sacrifice of a camel slaughtered for Hajj, and ten persons can share in the sacrifice of a camel slaughtered for Eid al-Adha. The scholars of the Ummah who hold this view argue that according to the narration of Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered the participation of seven persons in the camels slaughtered for Hajj, and according to the hadith narrated by Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), ten persons shared in the sacrifice of camels slaughtered on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Both hadiths will be acted upon on the occasions mentioned in them. This view is preferred by Imam Shawkani. The inclination of Allama Muhammad Shams al-Haq Azimabadi and Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri is also towards this view. والله تعالىٰ اعلم بالصواب
Reference: See: Nayl al-Awtar 211/5; ‘Awn al-Ma‘bud 361/7; Tuhfat al-Ahwazi 73/5.
