This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqah, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
One household, one Qurbani:
Is one sacrifice sufficient for an individual alone, or is one sacrifice sufficient for the entire household? Scholars differ on this matter.
① Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, states: "The Shafi'is and the majority of scholars hold the position that it is permissible for the head of the household to offer one sacrifice on behalf of the entire household, and for all members of the household to share in that one sacrifice."
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi: 122/13
② Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ولا بأس أن يذبح الرجل عن أهل بيته شاة واحدة أو بقرة أو بدنة، نص عليه أحمد وبه قال مالك والليث والأوزاعي وإسحاق، وروي ذلك عن ابن عمر وأبي هريرة
"A person can slaughter one goat, cow, or camel on behalf of his household (there is no objection to this). Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, has narrated a text permitting this, and Malik, Layth, Awza'i, and Ishaq, may Allah have mercy on them, hold the same opinion. It is also narrated from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him."
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah and Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 98/11
③ Sufyan al-Thawri, Abu Hanifah, and the Hanafi scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, have considered one sacrifice on behalf of the entire household to be disliked (makruh). According to them, a separate sacrifice should be made for each individual, and one sacrifice suffices for one individual only. One sacrifice cannot include more than one person, whether they are household members or strangers.
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi: 122/13
④ Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
وكره ذلك الثوري وأبو حنيفة لأن الشاة لا تجزئ عن أكثر من واحد، فإذا اشترك فيها اثنان لم تجزئ عنهما كالأجنبيين
"Sufyan al-Thawri and Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on them, considered this practice (one goat sacrifice on behalf of the entire household) to be disliked, because (in their view) one goat is insufficient for more than one person. Thus, if two individuals share one goat sacrifice, it will not suffice for those two individuals, just as one goat is insufficient for strangers."
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah and Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 98/11
⑤ وقال الهادي والقاسم، تجزي الشاة عن ثلاثة
"Hadi and Qasim say that a goat suffices for only three individuals."
Dominant Position:
The established position of the majority of scholars is that one goat (or a ram, a camel, or a portion of a cow) is sufficient on behalf of the head of the household as well as all family members, even if the number of family members is one hundred.
The evidences are as follows:
① Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Hisham (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يضحي بالشاة الواحدة عن جميع أهله
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to offer one goat as a sacrifice on behalf of all his household.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Judgments, Chapter on the Small Sacrifice: 7210. Mustadrak Hakim: 229/4. Sunan Bayhaqi: 79/6. Musnad Ahmad: 233/4
② It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر بكبش أقرن، يطأ فى سواد، ويبرك فى سواد وينظر فى سواد، فأتي به ليضحي به قال لعائشة: هلمي المدية، ثم قال: اشحذيها بحجر، ففعلت ثم أخذها، وأخذ الكبش فأضجعه، ثم ذبحه، ثم قال: باسم الله، اللهم تقبل من محمد وآل محمد، ومن أمة محمد، ثم ضحى به
Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered to bring a horned ram that used to walk in the darkness, sit in the darkness, and see in the darkness. When it was brought for slaughter, he (peace be upon him) said to Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "Sharpen the knife." She sharpened the knife, then he took the knife, held the ram down, and began to slaughter it. Then he said these words: "In the name of Allah, O Allah! Accept from Muhammad, the family of Muhammad, and the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him)." Then he slaughtered it.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on the Recommendation of a Good Sacrifice: 1967. Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on What is Recommended Regarding Sacrifices: 2792. Musnad Ahmad: 78/6. Sunan Bayhaqi: 267/9
Benefits:
① Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
واستدل بهذا من جوز تضحية الرجل عنه وعن أهل بيته، واشتراكهم معه فى الثواب، وهو مذهبنا ومذهب الجمهور
"From this hadith, those scholars have deduced who say that it is permissible for a person to offer a sacrifice on his own behalf and on behalf of his family and to share them in the reward of the sacrifice. This is also the position of us (the Shafi'is) and the majority of scholars."
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 122/13
② Hafiz Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
قوله من محمد وآل محمد ومن أمة محمد، فيه دليل على أن الشاة الواحدة تجزئ عن الرجل وعن أهله، وإن كثروا
"The statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him), 'Accept from Muhammad, the family of Muhammad, and the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him),' is evidence that one goat is sufficient for a person and his family, even if their number is large."
Reference: Awn al-Ma'bud: 23/8
③ Ata bin Yasar Hilali, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
سألت أبا أيوب الأنصاري كيف كانت الضحايا على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: كان الرجل فى عهد النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يضحي بالشاة عنه وعن أهل بيته، فيأكلون ويطعمون، ثم تباهى الناس، فصار كما ترى
I asked Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, about the condition of sacrifices during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? (That is, how many sacrifices did the household members perform?) He replied that in the time of the Prophethood, a person would slaughter one goat on his own behalf and on behalf of his household. They themselves would eat from this sacrifice and also feed others. Then competition in pride and boasting among people began, and the practice of offering more sacrifices started, which you see today.
Reference: Sahih: Jami' Tirmidhi, Chapters of Sacrifices, Chapter on the fact that one sheep suffices for the household: 1505, Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapters of Sacrifices, Chapter on who sacrifices a sheep on behalf of his family: 3147. Sunan Bayhaqi: 26/9. Kabir al-Tabarani: 3822
Benefits:
Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
وهو نص صريح فى أن الشاة الواحدة تجزئ عن الرجل وعن أهل بيته، وإن كانوا كثيرين، وهو الحق
"This hadith is a clear text that one goat is sufficient for a person and his household, no matter how many they are, and this is the correct understanding."
Reference: Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 68/5
④ Sayyiduna Abu Shuraih, may Allah be pleased with him, states:
حملني أهلي على الجفاء بعد ما علمت من السنة، كان أهل البيت يضحون بالشاة والشاتين والآن يبخلنا جيراننا
"(Regarding sacrifice) Despite knowing the Sunnah, my household has forced me into neglecting the Sunnah. During the time of the Messenger, all household members would slaughter one or two goats, but now (for practicing this Sunnah) our neighbors consider us stingy."
Reference: Authentic: Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapters of Sacrifices, Chapter on Who Sacrificed a Sheep: 3148. Mustadrak Hakim: 228/4. Sunan Bayhaqi: 269/9. Tabarani Kabir: 2987. In the chains of Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi, and Tabarani Kabir, there is Tadlees by Sufyan Thawri, but in Mustadrak Hakim's chain, Zaida bin Qudamah is a trustworthy narrator, and this chain is authentic.
Benefits:
① Shams al-Haq Azimabadi, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
المذهب الحق هو أن الشاة الواحدة تجزئ عن أهل البيت لأن الصحابة كانوا يفعلون فى عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
"The prevailing opinion is that one goat suffices as a sacrifice on behalf of all the family members because during the time of the Prophet, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to do the same."
Reference: Uun al-Ma'bood: 22/8
② Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
والحق أنها تجزئ عن أهل البيت وإن كانوا مائة نفس أو أكثر كما قضت بذلك السنة
"The correct issue is that one goat is sufficient on behalf of all the household members, even if the household consists of a hundred souls, as the Sunnah necessitates its permissibility."
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 128/5
