Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil Kitāb wa Sunnat kī Roshnī meṅ by Shaykh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbānī
What kind of animal did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offer as Qurbānī? Can guidance on this matter be found in the Hadith?
Sayyidunā Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه reports:
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would sacrifice a horned, plump ram with blackness around its eyes, mouth, and legs."
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُضَحِّي بِكَبْشٍ أَقْرَنَ فَحِيلٍ، يَنْظُرُ فِي سَوَادٍ، وَيَأْكُلُ فِي سَوَادٍ، وَيَمْشِي فِي سَوَادٍ
Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Aḍāḥī, Bāb Mā Yustaḥabb min al-Aḍāḥī – Ḥadīth 2796
This ḥadīth reflects the Sunnah of selecting a healthy, strong, and beautiful animal for Qurbānī — a practice showing both devotion and reverence in fulfilling this sacred act.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ
✦ Question:
What kind of animal did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offer as Qurbānī? Can guidance on this matter be found in the Hadith?
✦ Answer:
Sayyidunā Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه reports:
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would sacrifice a horned, plump ram with blackness around its eyes, mouth, and legs."
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُضَحِّي بِكَبْشٍ أَقْرَنَ فَحِيلٍ، يَنْظُرُ فِي سَوَادٍ، وَيَأْكُلُ فِي سَوَادٍ، وَيَمْشِي فِي سَوَادٍ
Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Aḍāḥī, Bāb Mā Yustaḥabb min al-Aḍāḥī – Ḥadīth 2796
Key Points:
- The Prophet ﷺ selected a horned ram (kabsh aqran), a symbol of strength and completeness.
- It was plump, indicating its good health and quality.
- The ram had black color around the eyes, mouth, and legs, which shows attention to aesthetics and distinctiveness in choosing the sacrificial animal.
This ḥadīth reflects the Sunnah of selecting a healthy, strong, and beautiful animal for Qurbānī — a practice showing both devotion and reverence in fulfilling this sacred act.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ
