This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqah, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the method of distributing Qurbani meat.
First Position:
Imam Shafi'i and the Shafi'i school of thought hold that the meat of the sacrifice should be divided into three parts: one-third for the one who offers the sacrifice to eat, one-third to give as charity, and one-third to feed others.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 34/10. Sharh al-Nawawi: 131/3. Nayl al-Awtar: 130/5.
Their arguments are as follows:
① The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ﴾
"So eat from them and feed the needy and the beggar."
Reference: Surah Al-Hajj: 36
Imam Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, derived the meaning of the mentioned division from this verse, but this reasoning is not correct. Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, explains: The verse from which Imam Shafi'i took the evidence for dividing the sacrifice into three equal parts does not specify the amount of meat to be eaten or given as charity (rather, it encourages eating, feeding, and giving charity from the meat of the sacrifice).
Reference: Al-Mughni with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 110/11.
② Imam Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, also took the following hadith:
كلوا وتصدقوا وأطعموا
"Eat the meat of the sacrifice, give charity, and feed others" as evidence for the correctness of the mentioned division.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, states that the general wording of "feed from the meat of the sacrifice" is used as evidence that there is no fixed amount for feeding from the meat of the sacrifice, but it is recommended for the one who offers the sacrifice to eat some of the meat himself and give the rest as charity and gifts.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 34/10. Sharh al-Nawawi: 131/3.
Second Opinion:
Ibn Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, states that some scholars hold the view that it is recommended to eat half of the sacrificial meat and give half as charity. The evidence for this view is this verse: ﴿فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ﴾
”Eat from them and feed the needy poor.“
Reference: Surah Al-Hajj: 28
Preferred Opinion:
The preferred opinion on this issue is that the one who offers the sacrifice may eat the sacrificial meat without any specified limit as he wishes, and if he wants, he may give all the meat as charity. The evidences are as follows:
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Buraydah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
نهيتكم عن زيارة القبور، فزوروها، ونهيتكم عن لحوم الأضاحي فوق ثلاث، فأمسكوا ما بدا لكم
”I had forbidden you from visiting graves, so now visit them, and I had forbidden you from keeping the meat of sacrifices for more than three days, so now keep as much meat as you want.“
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on the prohibition of eating sacrificial meat after three days: 977. Sunan an-Nasa’i, Book of Drinks, Chapter on permission for some of it: 5655. Sahih Ibn Hibban: 5400.
Benefits:
① The one who offers the sacrifice can eat as much meat as he wishes and can store it, and there is no restriction on giving the sacrificial meat as charity or eating it equally among the poor and needy.
② Qadi Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
فكلوا ما بدا لكم "Eat as much of the sacrificial meat as you want." These words are evidence that there is no specific limit set for eating the sacrificial meat; rather, a person can eat as much as he wishes from his sacrifice, even if the amount is large, provided that the command "أطعموا" "Feed the people with the sacrificial meat" can be fulfilled.
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 136/5.
② It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إني كنت حرمت لحوم الأضاحي فوق ثلاثة أيام، فكلوا، وتزودوا، وادخروا ما شئتم
"Indeed, I had forbidden the meat of sacrifices for more than three days, so (now) eat as much as you want, take as much as you want for your journey, and store as much as you want."
Reference: Sahih: Musnad Ahmad: 57/3.
And it is narrated from Ibn Sirin on the authority of Abu Saeed, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
كلوا وأطعموا وادخروا ما شئتم
"(The meat of sacrifices) eat as much as you want, feed as much as you want, and store as you wish."
Reference: Sahih: Musnad Ahmad: 57/3.
This hadith is evidence that the use of sacrificial meat is at the discretion of the one who offers the sacrifice. He has the authority to eat and feed the sacrificial meat; he may eat a large amount himself or give a large portion as charity, provided that the rules regarding the use of sacrificial meat are observed.
