Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
“I twisted the neckbands for the sacrificial animals of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then he marked them and tied the bands around their necks—or I tied them—and then he sent them to the House (Kaʿbah), while he remained in Madinah. Nothing that was lawful for him became unlawful (i.e., he did not enter the state of ihram).”
✔ It identified the animal as meant for sacrifice at the Kaʿbah.
✔ It protected it from theft or harm as it was recognized as a sacred offering.
✔ It allowed the sender (in this case, the Prophet ﷺ) to remain in their usual lawful state (non-ihram) while the animals were dispatched towards the sacred precinct.
② The Prophet ﷺ sent his sacrificial animals with markings and neckbands while remaining in Madinah, not in a state of ihram.
③ Camels are marked (ishʿār) by cutting the hump, and goats or sheep are marked by tying neckbands.
④ This practice is both a symbol of sacrifice and a means of security.
⑤ Merely sending a sacrificial animal to the Haram does not make anything unlawful for the sender.
“I twisted the neckbands for the sacrificial animals of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then he marked them and tied the bands around their necks—or I tied them—and then he sent them to the House (Kaʿbah), while he remained in Madinah. Nothing that was lawful for him became unlawful (i.e., he did not enter the state of ihram).”
✿ Lexical Explanation:
- Al-Hady (الهدي): Refers to camels, cows, or goats dedicated for sacrifice and sent towards the Sacred House (Kaʿbah).
- Qalāʾid (قلائد): Plural of qaladah, meaning the neckbands placed around the sacrificial animals.
- Ashʿaraha (أشعرها): From ishʿār, it refers to making a small cut on the hump of the camel to let some blood flow—indicating that it is a sacrificial animal and thus protected.
✿ Explanation of the Ḥadīth:
This ḥadīth establishes the recommendation of adorning and marking sacrificial animals with distinctive signs such as tying a neckband and applying ishʿār. This served both a religious and practical purpose:✔ It identified the animal as meant for sacrifice at the Kaʿbah.
✔ It protected it from theft or harm as it was recognized as a sacred offering.
✔ It allowed the sender (in this case, the Prophet ﷺ) to remain in their usual lawful state (non-ihram) while the animals were dispatched towards the sacred precinct.
✔ Summary:
① Tying a neckband to sacrificial animals is a recognized Sunnah practice.② The Prophet ﷺ sent his sacrificial animals with markings and neckbands while remaining in Madinah, not in a state of ihram.
③ Camels are marked (ishʿār) by cutting the hump, and goats or sheep are marked by tying neckbands.
④ This practice is both a symbol of sacrifice and a means of security.
⑤ Merely sending a sacrificial animal to the Haram does not make anything unlawful for the sender.
