By: Imran Ayoob Lahori
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ﴾ (Al-Hajj: 36)
“So eat from it and feed the needy who do not ask and the beggar who asks.”
Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) reported:
When the Prophet ﷺ slaughtered a camel, he ordered that a piece from each camel be placed in a pot and cooked.
فأكلا من لحمها وشربا من مرقها
“Then he ﷺ and Hazrat ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) ate from its meat and drank from its broth.”
References: [Muslim: 1218; Ahmad: 3/320; Nasai: 5/236; Abu Dawood: 1905]
From this, it is clear that a person may eat from his own sacrificial animal, whether it is a voluntary (nafl) or obligatory (wajib) sacrifice, as the Qur’anic verse “فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا” carries a general meaning.
Imam al-Shawkani (رحمه الله) also held this view.
Reference: [Nayl al-Awtar: 3/466]
1 – Qur’anic Evidence
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ﴾ (Al-Hajj: 36)
“So eat from it and feed the needy who do not ask and the beggar who asks.”
2 – Hadith Evidence
Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) reported:
When the Prophet ﷺ slaughtered a camel, he ordered that a piece from each camel be placed in a pot and cooked.
فأكلا من لحمها وشربا من مرقها
“Then he ﷺ and Hazrat ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) ate from its meat and drank from its broth.”
References: [Muslim: 1218; Ahmad: 3/320; Nasai: 5/236; Abu Dawood: 1905]
Ruling
From this, it is clear that a person may eat from his own sacrificial animal, whether it is a voluntary (nafl) or obligatory (wajib) sacrifice, as the Qur’anic verse “فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا” carries a general meaning.
Imam al-Shawkani (رحمه الله) also held this view.
Reference: [Nayl al-Awtar: 3/466]
