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CHAPTER-TWENTY : Regulations of the Sacrifice

There are regulations connected to the sacrifice, which a Muslim must know about, so that he has knowledge of his acts of worship and is on clear guidance in his affairs (of his life). I shall by the will of Allaah in what follows summarise these regulations.

First: The Prophet (SAW) used to sacrifice two rams,129 after the 'Eid prayer and he (SAW) informed us that: "Whosoever slaughters before the 'Eid prayer, then it is not from the sacrifice: rather it is meat which he gives to his family."130

Second: He (SAW) used to order his Companions to slaughter a sheep which is a jadha 'a and a than iyaa from other than the sheep.131 Mujaashi 'a ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (SAW) said: "Indeed a sheep which is a jadha 'a is equal, as a sacrifice, to the slaughtering of a goat which is a thaniyaa. "132

Third: It is permissible to delay the slaughtering until the second or the third day after 'Eid. This is taken from what is established upon the Prophet (SAW) who said: "All the days of Tashreeq are days of slaughtering."133

Ibn al-Qayyim said: "This is the opinion of Ahmad, Maalik and Aboo Haneefah (may Allaah have mercy on them). Ahmad said: 'It is the opinion of many of the Companions of Muhammad (SAW).' Athram mentioned this (view) upon Ibn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them)."134

Fourth: From the Prophet's guidance is that whosoever desires to offer a sacrifice and the (first) ten days of Dhul-Hijjah have begun then he should not remove anything from his hair or from his finger nails, as there is a prohibition upon doing this.135

Imaam an-Nawawee said in Sharh Muslim (13/138-139): "The meaning of the prohibition of removing any hair or finger nails is a prohibition from cutting the finger nails, or breaking them or other means and a prohibition of removing hair by shaving, shorting, plucking, burning, or by using cream or any other means. This applies to hair of the arms, moustache, private areas, head and other bodily hair."

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughnee (11/96): "... and if one does this then one seeks forgiveness from Allaah. There is an ijmaa that there is no fidyaah (redemption) regardless of whether it was done intentionally or forgetfully." I say: This is an indication from him, may Allaah have mercy on him, that it is haraam and totally forbidden. This is clear in the original basis of the prophetic prohibition.

Five: He (SAW) used to select a sacrificial animal that was free from defects and he deemed this as being better. He prohibited the sacrific ing of an animal whose ears were cut or had broken horns.136 He ordered looking for the flawlessness of the animal, and prohibited slaughtering a one eyed animal, a muqaabil a mudaabirah, a shar qaa 'a, and a kharqaa 'a. This is because they have been prohibited.137 As for a ram that has been castrated then it is permissible to be used as a sacrifice, due to what is established from the Prophet (SAW). This has been transmitted by Aboo Ya'laa (1792) al-Baihaqee (9/267) with a chain of narration that has been declared hasan by al- Haithamee in Majmoo az-Zawaa 'id (22/4).

Six: He (SAW) used to slaughter at the musallaa.138

Seven: From the guidance of the Prophet (SAW) is that a sheep is sufficient for a man and his family, even if the number of the family be many, as 'Ataa bin Yassar139 said: "I asked Aboo Ayyoob al-Ansaaree how was the slaughtering done at the time of Allaah's Messenger (SAW)? So he replied: 'Indeed A man used to slaughter a sheep for himself and his family, and they would eat of it and feed others with it."'140

Eight: It is preferable to make takbeer and tasmiyah when slaughtering. This is due to what is confirmed from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: "The Prophet sacrificed two horned rams, which were white with black markings. He slaughtered them himself, while saying: "Bismillaah, Allaahu Akbar" (In the name of Allaah, Allaah is the Greatest) and he had his foot placed on their sides."141

Nine: The best sacrificial animal is that which is a large horned ram, being white mixed with black around its eyes and its legs; as this is the description that the Prophet (SAW) preferred and sacrificed.142

Ten: It is preferred that a Muslim carries out his own sacrifice, but if he deputises someone else to do the slaughter for him, then that is per missible and there is no problem in doing so.143

Eleven: It is preferred that the family who offered the sacrifice eat from the sacrifice, give gifts from its meat and give sadaqa from it. It is permissible for them to store some of the meat. This is taken from the saying of the Prophet (SAW): "Eat, store and give sadaqa."144

Twelve: A camel suffices as a sacrifice for seven, and similarly a cow. Muslim reports in his Saheeh ( 350) from Jaaber ibn Adullaah who said: "We slaughtered at Hudaibiyah with the Prophet (SAW) a camel which sufficed for seven and a cow sufficed for seven."

Thirteen: The butcher is not given payment for his work from the sac rifice because of what is established upon 'Alee (May Allaah be pleased with him), who said: "The Prophet (SAW) ordered me to watch over his slaughtered meat, to give sadaqa from its meat, skin and jalaalee145; and not to give the butcher anything from the sacrifice." He ('Alee) said: "...we pay the butcher from ourselves."146

Fourteen: Whosoever, from amongst the Muslims is unable to offer a sacrifice then he still takes the reward of those who offer a sacrifice from the Prophet's ummah. This because the Prophet (SAW) said when he was slaughtering one of the two rams: "O Allaah! this is on my behalf and on behalf of those of my ummah who do not offer a sacrifice."147

Fifteen: Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughnee (11/95): "Indeed The Prophet (SAW) performed the sacrifice as did the rightly guided Khulafa, after the Prophet (SAW). And if they knew that giving sadaqa is better they would have turned to it and enacted it. However giving the sadaqa instead of the Sacrifice leads to abandoning a sun nah which the Prophet (SAW) established."

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FOOTNOTES:

129.The evidence for this will come later with point eight, as the two issues share the same evidences.

130. Reported by al-Bukhaaree (5560), Muslim (1961), from the hadeeth of Baraa ibn 'Aazib.

131. Haafidh Ibn Hajr said in Fath-ul-Baare (10/5): "...Jadha'a is a term used for the specific age of farm animals. Thus, a sheep which is a jadha'a is a sheep which is one year old. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars. However it is said that ajadha'a is a sheep "less than one year old" but they then differed as to its actual age. Some said '8 months' and others '10 months.'". A camel which is a thaniyaa, is a camel which is five years old. A cow or goat which is a thaniyaa, is a cow or goat which is two years old. Refer to Zaad-ul-Ma 'aad (2/317) and the footnotes on it.

132. Saheeh al-Jaami' (1592). Refer to Silsilatul Ahaadeeth ad-Da'eefah (1/87-95).

133.Reported by Ahmad (4/8) from Jubair bin Mut'im, but the chain of narrators is disconnected. Also reported by Ibn Hibbaan (1008 in Mawrid), but it too has a chain of narration which is disconnected, also reported by at-Tabaraanee in his Mu' jam and its isnaad is laieen (weak). However the hadeeth has some supporting narrations found with Ibn 'Adee in al-Kaamil, From Aboo Sa'eed al-Khudree and its isnaad is da'eef. Nevertheless the hadeeth becomes hasan-insha'Allaah. Refer to Nasb-ur-Raayah (3/61).

134. Zaad-ul-Ma'aad (2/319).

135. Its reference has preceded in no.102. Refer back to Nail-u/-Awtaar (5/200-203), for it is essential.

136. As is reported in Ahmad (1/83,127,129,150) Aboo Daawood (2805). at- Tirmidhee (1504), an-Nasaa'ee (7/217). Ibn Maajah (3145), al-Haakim (4/224) from the hadeeth of 'Alee and its isnaad is hasan.

137. Muqaabil - It is an animal which has had the front (inner side) of its ear cut. Mudaabir - It is an animal which has had the back (outer side) of its ear cut. Sharqaa'a - It is an animal which has had the ear cleaved. Kharqaa'a - It is an animal which has had the ear pierced. The hadeeth conceming this has a chain of narration which is hasan and it is report ed by Ahmad (1/80,l08), Aboo Daawood (2804), at-Tirmidhee (4198), an- Nasaa'ee (7/216), Ibn Maajah (3143), ad-Daarimee (2/77). al-Haakim (4/222) - from the hadeeth of 'Alee.

138. Reported by al-Bukhaaree (5552) an-Nasaa'ee (7/213) and Ibn Maajah (3161) from Ibn 'Umar.

139. He died in the year 103 A.H. His biography is found in Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (7/217).

140. Reported by at-Tirmidhee (1505), Maalik (2/37), Ibn Maajah (3147) al-Baihaqee (9/267) and its isnaad is hasan.

141. Reported by al-Bukhaaree (5558, 5564,5575), Muslim (1966) and Aboo Daawood (2794).

142. As in the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah which is with Muslim (1967) and Aboo Daawood (2792).

143. I do not know of any difference of opinion amongst the people of knowledge concerning this issue. Refer to point thirteen, for mention of it.

144. Reported by al-Bukhaaree (5569), Muslim (1971), Aboo Daawood (2812) and others from the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah and that which is found concerning the prohi bition of storing/saving (part of the sacrifice), then it is abrogated. Refer to Fath-ul- Baaree (10/25-26) and 'Itibaar (120-122).

145. In al-Qamoos: "it is that which is worn on the animal for protection."

146. Reported with this wording by Muslim (317), Aboo Daawood (1769) ad- Daarimee (2/74) Ibn Maajah (3099) al-Baihaqee (9/294) and Ahmad (1/79,123,132,154). Also by al-Bukhaaree (1716) but without the wording "we pay him ourselves."

147. Reported by Aboo Daawood (2810), at-Tahaawee (4/177), al-Haakim (4/229), al-Baihaqee (9/264,287) and Ahmad (3/356,362) from the hadeeth of Jaabir. Refer to Irw'aa al-Ghaleel (4/349-354).