Sacrificial animal

Allah ordained the Udhiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims) with His Saying: "Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)." [Surat Al Kawthar: 2].

It is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim[1] from the Hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) slaughtered two rams, black and white in color (as sacrifices), and I saw him putting his foot on their sides and mentioning Allah's Name and Takbir (Allahu Akbar). Then he slaughtered them with his own hands."

It is obligatory upon the one whom Allah granted plenty of money to offer sacrifice because of the Hadith that was reported in Sunan Ibn Majah on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever can afford it but does not offer a sacrifice let him not come near our prayer place."[2]

It is one of the loveable and best actions to be performed on the day of `Eid-ul-Adha because of the Hadith that was reported in Sunan At-Tirmidhy from the Hadith of `A'ishah, the Mother of the believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Of the deeds a man does on the day of sacrifice the dearest to Allah is the flow of blood (sacrifice). It will come on the day of Resurrection with its horns, its hair, and its hoofs. Indeed, blood will be accepted by Allah at once even before it falls on the ground. So, please yourselves with it!"[3]

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days (i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah), over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice) (at the time of their slaughtering by saying: Bismillah, WAllahu-Akbar, Allahumma Minka wa Ilaik). Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor who have a very hard time." [Surat Al Hajj: 28].

Ibn Kathir (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: As for Allah's Saying: "over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food." As Allah (may He be Exalted) detailed in Surat Al An`am: "Eight pairs: of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female)." [Surat Al An`am: 143].[4]

Whoever wants to sacrifice should pay attention to the conditions of Udhiyah, which are:

- Soundness of defects: It was reported in Sunan Ibn Majah from the Hadith of Al Bara' ibn `Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "There are four that will not be accepted as sacrifices: The one-­eyed animal that is obviously blind in one eye; the sick animal that is obviously sick; the lame animal with an obvious limp; and the animal that is so emaciated that it is as if there is no marrow in its bones."[5]

- The time of slaughter begins directly after Salatul-`Eid. It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim from the Hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, he just slaughtered it for himself, and whoever slaughtered it after the prayer, he slaughtered it at the right time and followed the tradition of the Muslims."[6]

-It is part of the Sunnah for those who perfect slaughter to slaughter their sacrificial animals themselves and should say: "Bismillah wa Allahu Akbar [in the name of Allah and Allah is the greatest]" O Allah, this [offering] is on behalf of so and so and mentions himself or the one who autherized him to slaughter following the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as was reported in Sunan At-Tirmidhy and Abu Dawud from the Hadith of Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "I witnessed sacrificing along with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) at the place of prayer. When he finished his sermon, he descended from his pulpit, and a ram was brought to him. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) slaughtered it with his hand, and said: In the name of Allah, Allah, is Most Great. This is from me and from those who did not sacrifice from my community."[7]

- It is part of the Sunnah for a slaughterer to eat from his sacrificial animal and offer its meat to his friends and neighbors and offer some of it to the poor and the needy in accordance to Allah's Saying: "Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor having a hard time." [Surat Al Hajj: 28].

- Whoever wants to offer a sacrifice should not cut his hair, trim his nails, or cut any of his skin until he slaughters his sacrifice as was reported in the Hadith of Sahih Muslim on the authority of Um Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When the ten (days of Dhul-Hajjah) begin, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let nothing touch his hair or skin."[8]

In another narration: "When anyone of you intends to sacrifice the animal and enter in the month of Dhul-Hijjah, he should not get his hair cut or nails pared till he has offered his sacrifice.''[9]

This Hadith denotes that it is not permissible for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice to cut any of these three: hair, nails, and skin until he slaughters his sacrifice.

The meaning of the skin is the dried small pieces of skin that exist at the end of nails or at the bottom of his feet.

Imam Ahmad held the view that abstaining from these things are obligatory as was reported in the Hadith of Um Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), whereas the majority held the view of reprehensibility.

The first view is more correct because the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade that and the origin in forbiddance is prohibition.

The one who wants to offer a sacrifice should abstain from these things but his household should not abstain from that.

In case he authorizes someone to slaughter for him, that person is not confined by these three things also because he is only an agent but the person who shall offer a sacrifice should do so.

The one who wants to offer a sacrifice may comb his hair and apply perfume.

Of common errors is that some may offer in behalf of the dead, leaving out the living, but it become more obligatory in the right of the living more than the dead.