This excerpt is taken from Dr. Tariq Humayun Sheikh's book Eid ul-Adha.
The Virtue of Sacrifice
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"On the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah, there is no deed better in the sight of the son of Adam than shedding blood (sacrifice). These animals will come on the Day of Resurrection with their horns, hooves, and hair, and before the blood falls on the ground, it has a status with Allah, so give this sacrifice willingly."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3126, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1493)
❀ The noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them, asked: O Messenger of Allah, what are these sacrifices? He, peace be upon him, said: "They are the tradition of your father Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him." Then they asked: What will we gain from this? He said: "For every hair, a good deed." They said: And for the wool as well? The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "For every hair of the sheep's wool, a good deed will also be rewarded."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3127)
❀ Regarding the Muslim who is not able to afford a sacrifice, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "(After the Eid prayer) cut the hair of your head, trim your nails and mustache, and clean the hair under the armpits and below the navel. This is your complete sacrifice in the sight of Allah."
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2789, Sunan Nasai: 4370)
Is sacrifice obligatory on every person who is financially able?
❀ Divine instructions.
لِّيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ ۖ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ ﴿٢٨﴾
"So that they (Muslims) may be present for their benefit, and on appointed days they mention the name of Allah over the livestock He has provided them. So eat from them yourselves and feed the distressed needy."
Reference: (22-Al-Hajj:28)
وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَافَّ ۖ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرْنَاهَا لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾ لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ
"And (consider) the camels, We have made them among the symbols of Allah for you; there is good in them for you. So mention the name of Allah over them when they are lined up (for sacrifice), and when they fall down on their sides (and become cool), then eat from them yourselves and feed the contented (needy) and the beggar (needy). Thus We have subjected them to you so that you may be grateful. It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is your piety that reaches Him."
Reference: (22-Al-Hajj:36-37)
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
"So (it is the command of your Lord) perform prayer for your Lord and sacrifice (offer a sacrifice) for Him."
Reference: (108-Al-Kawthar:2)
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿١٦٢﴾ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ
"(O Muhammad, this is the command of your Lord) Say, indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner."
Reference: (6-Al-An'am:162-163)
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ
"Indeed, in the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) there is the best example for you."
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab:21)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ ﴿٣٣﴾
"O you who have believed! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and do not waste your deeds (by disobeying Allah and His Messenger)."
Reference: (47-Muhammad:33)
The Saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As رضي الله عنهما narrates that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: "I have been commanded by Allah regarding the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) to celebrate it as an Eid which Allah Almighty has specially designated for this Ummah."
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2789, Sunan Nasai: 4370)
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: "Whoever has the means to offer a sacrifice and does not do so, he should not even come near our Eid gathering."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3123, Musnad Ahmad: 2/321)
❀ Sayyiduna Mukhnif bin Sulaym رضي الله عنه states that we were all standing with the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم at Arafat when he said: "Every household has a sacrifice every year."
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2788, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1518, Sunan Nasai: 4229, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3125)
❀ The Prophet of Allah Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to offer a sacrifice every year during his ten-year stay in Madinah Munawwarah.
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 1507)
❀ Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما was asked whether sacrifice is obligatory or not? He replied: The sacrifice was performed by the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and the Muslims. When asked again, he said: Do you not understand (that I am saying) the sacrifice was performed by the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and the Muslims performed the sacrifice.
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 1505, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3124)
❀ The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم offered 100 camels as sacrifice on the occasion of Hajj al-Wida. Out of these, sixty-three (63) camels were slaughtered by his own blessed hands, and the remaining thirty-seven (37) camels were slaughtered by Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1218, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3074)
❀ The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم slaughtered a cow on behalf of the family of Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم during Hajj al-Wida.
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 1750, 1751; Sunan Ibn Majah: 3133, 3135; Sunan Nasai Kubra: 4129)
Explanation:
Sacrifice is obligatory every year for the one who is financially able.
➊ According to Quranic verses and Hadiths, it is obligatory for a financially able person who follows the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to perform sacrifice every year.
➋ According to the scholars of Hadith, sacrifice is a confirmed Sunnah; however, those who are able must perform the sacrifice.
➌ If people live in the same house and cook food in the same place, the sacrifice given by the head of the household suffices for the rest of the family.
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3147, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1505)
➍ If financially able people live together in the same house but cook food separately, then each one must perform the sacrifice.
➎ If financially able people live in separate houses, then each one must perform the sacrifice.
