This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqah, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
The sacrifice of a castrated animal is permissible, and the animal being castrated is not a defect. In fact, the sacrifice of a castrated animal is proven from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and if castration were a defect, the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, would never have chosen a castrated animal.
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates:
ذبح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الذبح كبشين أقرنين أملحين موجوءين
"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, slaughtered two horned, castrated rams on the day of Eid al-Adha."
Reference: Hasan: Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on Recommended Sacrifices: 2792. Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapters on Sacrifices, Chapter on the Sacrifices of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: 3121. Musnad Ahmad: 370/3. Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2899
Benefits:
① Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
وفي هذا دليل على أن الخصي فى الضحايا غير مكروه وقد كرهه بعض أهل العلم لنقص العضو وهذا النقص ليس بعيب لأن الخصاء يزيد اللحم طيبا وينفي فيه الزهومة وسوء الرائحة
"Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him, states: This hadith is evidence that it is not disliked for sacrificial animals to be castrated. However, some scholars have considered the sacrifice of a castrated animal to be disliked due to the defect of the organ (lack of masculinity). But the castration of the animal is not a defect in sacrifice because castration increases the quality of the meat and removes the decay and bad smell from the meat."
Reference: Uun al-Ma'bood: 12/8, 13. Fath al-Bari: 14/10
② Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
"The sacrifice of a castrated animal is permissible because the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, sacrificed two castrated rams, and an animal whose testicles have been cut off or are paralyzed is also considered a castrated animal. Also, the sacrifice of a castrated animal is permissible because castration causes the removal of the disliked organ, resulting in better and more meat, and such an animal becomes fat. Hasan al-Basri, Ata al-Khurasani, Sha'bi, Nakha'i, Malik, Shafi'i, Abu Thawr, and the companions of opinion also hold this view, and there is no disagreement on its permissibility."
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah and Al-Sharh al-Kabir: 103/11
Is the sacrifice of a castrated animal recommended?
The sacrifice of a castrated animal is not superior to that of a non-castrated animal; rather, the sacrifice of both castrated and non-castrated animals is permissible. Qadi Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“It has been argued from the hadith of the chapter that the sacrifice of a castrated animal is recommended. This is also the position of Adwiya, but the apparent meaning of the hadith does not prove the superiority of the sacrifice of a castrated animal because the sacrifice of a non-castrated animal is also established from the Prophet ﷺ, therefore the reward for sacrificing both castrated and non-castrated animals is equal.”
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 127/5
The sacrifice of a non-castrated animal, such as a ram (bull), is also Sunnah.
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
ضحى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بكبش أقرن فحيل يأكل فى سواد، ويمشي فى سواد، وينظر فى سواد
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sacrificed a horned non-castrated ram which ate in blackness (meaning its mouth was black), walked in blackness (its legs were black), and looked in blackness (meaning its eyes were black)."
Reference: Hasan: Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on Recommended Sacrifices: 2796. Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Sacrifices, Chapter on What is Recommended Regarding Sacrifices: 1496. Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on Sunnah and Young Animals: 4395. Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapters on Sacrifices, Chapter on What is Recommended Regarding Sacrifices: 3128. Mustadrak Hakim: 228/4. Sunan Baihaqi: 273/9. Except for Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Husayn known as Ja'far as-Sadiq, all narrators of this hadith are trustworthy, and Ja'far as-Sadiq is a truthful narrator.
Reference: Benefits:
Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) states: "This hadith is evidence that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) sacrificed a castrated animal as well as a non-castrated animal (therefore, the sacrifice of both castrated and non-castrated animals is Sunnah)."
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 126/5
