This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqah, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
Seven individuals can share in the Hadi (sacrificial animal for Hajj) camel and cow.
The evidences are as follows:
① Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
نحرنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عام الحديبية البدنة عن سبعة، والبقرة عن سبعة
"We slaughtered a camel on behalf of seven people and a cow on behalf of seven people with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during the year of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Chapter on Permissibility of Sharing in Hadi: 1318. Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on the Cow and the Number Required: 2809. Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Sacrifices, Chapter on What Has Been Reported About Sharing in Sacrifice: 152. Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapters on Sacrifices, Chapter on How Many Share in a Camel and Cow: 3132
② Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
خرجنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مهلين بالحج، فأمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نشترك فى الإبل والبقر، كل سبعة منا فى بدنة
"We set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) (intending to perform Hajj) raising the Takbirs, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) commanded us to share seven persons in a camel and seven persons in a cow."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Chapter on Permissibility of Sharing in Hadi: 1318
Seven individuals can share in the Hadi camel and cow. By consensus, seven individuals can share in the cow for both Qurbani and Hadi, and only seven individuals can share in the Hadi camel, whereas ten individuals can share in the Qurbani camel.
Ten Shares in the Sacrificial Camel:
In sacrificial animals, seven people can share in a cow and ten in a camel.
① Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates:
كنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى سفر فحضر الأضحى، فاشتركنا فى البقرة سبعة وفي البعير عشرة
“We were traveling with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when Eid al-Adha arrived, so we shared seven people in a cow and ten in a camel.”
Reference: Hasan: Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Chapters of Sacrifices, Chapter on Sharing in Sacrifice 1511. Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapters of Sacrifices, Chapter on How Many Share in a Camel and Cow: 3131. Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 4007. Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2908. Al-Tabarani al-Kabir: 11761. Sunan an-Nasa’i, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on What is Sufficient in a Camel for Sacrifice: 4397. ‘Ulayyah bin Ahmar Bashkari is truthful and all other narrators are trustworthy.
Benefits:
① Imam Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
فيه دليل على أن البدنة تجزئ فى الأضحية عن عشرة
"This hadith is evidence that one camel suffices for ten people in sacrifice."
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 198/5
② Sayyiduna Rafi' bin Khadij, may Allah be pleased with him, states:
كنا مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بذي الحليفة، فأصاب الناس جوع فأصابوا إبلا وغنما، قال: وكان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى أخريات القوم فعجلوا وذبحوا ونصبوا القدور، فأمر النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بالقدور فأكفئت ثم قسم فعدل عشرة من الغنم ببعير
"We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at Dhu al-Hulayfah. When the people became hungry, they took camels and goats from the spoils of war and hastened to slaughter some before division, and they set up cauldrons, while the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was among those who stayed behind the people. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, received this information, he ordered the cauldrons to be overturned, so they were overturned. Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, divided the spoils and equated ten goats to one camel."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Partnership, Chapter on Division of Sheep: 2488. Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on What Suffices for the Sacrifice: 4396. Sahih Ibn Hibban: 5886. Sunan Bayhaqi: 61/9
Benefits:
This hadith is evidence that one camel is equivalent to ten goats and that ten people can share in the sacrifice of one camel.
Imam Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
وقد اختلف فى البدنة فقالت الشافعية والحنفية والجمهور: إنها تجزئ عن سبعة وقالت العترة وإسحاق بن راهويه وابن خزيمة: إنها تجزى عن عشرة وهذا هو الحق هنا لحديث بن عباس المتقدم فى باب أن البدنة من الإبل والبقر عن سبع شياء والأول هو الحق فى الهدي للأحاديث المتقدمة هنالك وأما البقرة فتجزى عن سبعة فقط إتفاقا فى الهدي والأضحية
"How many people does the sacrifice of a camel suffice for? Scholars differ on this matter. The Shafi'is, Hanafis, and the majority of scholars say that the sacrifice of a camel suffices for seven people, while Atra, Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, and Ibn Khuzaymah hold the view that the sacrifice of a camel suffices for ten people. The latter view (of these scholars) is the stronger opinion regarding the issue of sacrifice, that the sacrifice of a camel on Eid al-Adha suffices for ten people, as evidenced by the hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, under the title ”باب ان البدنة من الابل عن سبع شياه“. The former view (of the majority of scholars) is correct regarding the issue that the Hadi (sacrifice during Hajj) of a camel suffices for seven people; however, for both sacrifice and Hadi, it is unanimously agreed that a cow suffices for seven people."
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 198/5. 'Awn al-Ma'bud: 21/8. Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 66/5
Sharing more than one share of a cow and a camel:
If a person wants to share more than one share of a cow and a camel, for example, if he wants to sacrifice two or more shares, this act is permissible, because in sacrifice a cow is equivalent to seven goats and a camel is equivalent to ten goats. So when sacrificing two or more goats is permissible, sacrificing two or more shares of a cow and a camel is also permissible.
Also, when it is permissible for a single person to sacrifice a whole camel or cow, then sacrificing more than one share is permissible on the basis of preference. However, one and a half, two and a half, or three and a half shares, when the division results in a half share, is a different matter. Avoidance of this is necessary.
