This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqah, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
It is preferable to slaughter the sacrificial animal with one's own hands, because this was mostly the practice of the Prophet ﷺ.
❀ Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates:
ضحى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بكبشين أملحين أقرنين ذبحهما بيده
"The Noble Prophet ﷺ slaughtered two horned, two-year-old rams and he ﷺ slaughtered them with his own hands."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter: Takbeer at the time of slaughter: 5565.
Benefits:
① Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
ذبحهما بيده، فيه أن يستحب أن يتولى الإنسان ذبح أضحيته بنفسه ولا يوكل فى ذبحها إلا بعذر
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) slaughtered both rams with his own hands. These words are evidence that it is a recommended act for a person to slaughter their own sacrifice and not appoint someone else as the overseer of the sacrifice without a valid excuse.
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi: 120/13.
② Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him, states that it is preferable to slaughter the sacrifice with one's own hands because the Prophet (peace be upon him) slaughtered two large-horned rams with his own hands on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Also, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (peace be upon him) slaughtered sixty-three camels with his own hands. This act is also preferable because it is a means of drawing closer to Allah, and for an act that brings one closer to Allah, it is better to perform it oneself rather than appointing a deputy.
Reference: Al-Mughni with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 117/11.
It is permissible and allowed to take assistance from another person while slaughtering the sacrificial animal. Abu al-Khair al-Masri, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that an Ansari told the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:
أنه أضجع أضحيته ليذبحها فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم للرجل: أعني على ضحيتي فأعانه
Indeed, when you, peace be upon you, laid down your sacrifice for slaughter, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said to a person: Help me in slaughtering the sacrificial animal, so he helped the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Reference: Authentic: Musnad Ahmad: 373/5. Hafiz Ibn Hajar has declared this hadith authentic in Fath al-Bari (25/10).
Sacrificing on behalf of someone else and having the sacrifice slaughtered by another person are both permissible and lawful; the evidences are as follows.
① Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
وضحى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن نسائه بالبقر
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) slaughtered a cow on behalf of his wives.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari: 5559. Sahih Muslim: 1311
② Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) describes the events of Hajj:
ثم انصرف إلى المنحر، فنحر ثلاثا وستين بيده، ثم أعطى عليا فنحر ما غبر
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) turned towards the place of sacrifice and personally slaughtered sixty-three camels, then he gave the knife to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and he slaughtered the remaining camels.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Chapter: The Hajj of the Prophet (peace be upon him): 1218. Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Manasik, Chapter: Description of the Prophet’s Hajj: 1905. Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Manasik, Chapter: The Prophet’s Hajj: 3074.
Benefits:
① Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, states that it is a recommended act to slaughter one's own sacrifice, and without a valid excuse, one should not appoint another person as a deputy to slaughter the sacrificial animal. However, if the sacrificial animal is slaughtered by a Muslim on one's behalf, this act is generally permissible, and having the sacrifice slaughtered by a person from the People of the Book is disliked (makruh tanzihi), but the sacrifice is still valid, and the owner of the sacrifice is considered to have fulfilled the sacrifice. This is the position of all Shafi'i scholars except for Malik, may Allah have mercy on him.
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi: 120/13.
② Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, states: It is permissible to appoint a deputy to slaughter the sacrifice because the Prophet, peace be upon him, after slaughtering sixty-three camels during the Farewell Pilgrimage, appointed deputies for the remaining camels.
Reference: Al-Mughni with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 117/11.
