182-Definition of udhiyah and ruling thereon

✍🏻MUJAHIDUL ISLAM AZIMABADI

What is meant by udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is it obligatory or Sunnah?.

Praise be to Allaah. 
The word udhiyah means an animal of the ‘an’aam class (i.e., camel, cow, sheep or goat) that is slaughtered during the days of Eid al-Adha because of the Eid and as an act of worship, intending to draw closer to Allaah thereby.

This is one of the rituals of Islam prescribed in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and according to the consensus of the Muslims.

In the Qur’aan: 

1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)”

[al-Kawthar 108:2]

2 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims”

[al-An’aam 6:162]

The word nusuk (translated here as sacrifice) means sacrifice; this is the view of Sa’eed ibn Jubayr. And it was said that it means all acts of worship, including sacrifice, which is more comprehensive. 

3 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God Allaah), so you must submit to Him Alone (in Islam). And (O Muhammad) give glad tidings to the Mukhbitoon [those who obey Allaah with humility and are humble from among the true believers of Islamic Monotheism]”

[al-Hajj 22:34]

In the Sunnah:

1 – It was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5558) and Saheeh Muslim (1966) that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two white rams speckled with black. He slaughtered them with his own hand, said ‘Allaahu akbar’ and put his foot on their necks.”

2 – It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stayed in Madeenah for ten years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid).” Narrated by Ahmad, 4935; al-Tirmidhi, 1507; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1475.

3 – It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) shared out sacrificial animals amongst his companions, and ‘Uqbah got a sheep that was six months old. He said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I got a sheep that is six months old.” He said, “Offer it as a sacrifice.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5547.

4 – It was narrated from al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever offers a sacrifice after the prayer has completed his rituals (of Eid) and has followed the way of the Muslims.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5545.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered sacrifices, as did his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). And he said that sacrifice is the way of the Muslims.

Hence the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is prescribed in Islam, as was narrated by more than one of the scholars.

But they differed as to whether it is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) or it is obligatory and it is not permissible to omit it.

The majority of scholars are of the view that it is Sunnah mu’akkadah. This is the view of al-Shaafa’i, Maalik and Ahmad according to his most well-known view.

Others were of the view that it is obligatory. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and one of the views narrated from Ahmad. This was also the view favoured by Ibn Taymiyah who said: “This is one of the views narrated in the madhhab of Maalik, or it appears to be the view of Maalik.”

From Risaalat Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wa’l-Dhakaah by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Udhiyah is Sunnah mu’akkadah for the one who is able to do it, so a person should offer the sacrifice on behalf of himself and the members of his household.”

Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/661

179-Slaughtering the sacrifice is better than giving its price in charity

✍🏻MUJAHIDUL ISLAM AZIMABADI

My brother and I each have a house and on Eid in sha Allaah we want to slaughter one ram and give the other in charity without actually slaughtering it. Do we have to slaughter the two rams or not?.

Praise be to Allaah.
What is prescribed in your case is for you to slaughter the two sacrifices. It is not acceptable for you to share in one sacrifice, because you stated that you live separately from your brother. We have listed the conditions for sharing sacrifices in the answer to question no. 175.

There we mentioned the difference of scholarly opinion concerning the ruling on sacrifices, and stated that it is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu’akkadah) according to the majority and it is obligatory according to a few fuqaha’.

The scholars stated that slaughtering the sacrifice is better than giving its price in charity. Based on that, you can offer the sacrifice and give the meat in charity, or you can delegate someone to sacrifice it on your behalf in countries or regions where there is a great deal of need.

It says in Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha (2/473): Slaughtering the sacrifice or the ‘aqeeqah is better than giving its price in charity. This was stated by Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him). The same applies to the hadiy (sacrifice offered during Hajj). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) slaughtered his sacrifice and hadiy, as did the caliphs who came after him. If giving the price in charity was better they would not have failed to do that. End quote.

And Allaah knows best

178-He has two wives; should he offer two sacrifices?

✍🏻MUJAHIDUL ISLAM AZIMABADI

I have two wives, each of whom lives in her own house. Is it sufficient for me to offer one sacrifice or do I have to offer two?.

Praise be to Allaah.
It is sufficient for you to offer one sacrifice. In the answer to question no. (45916) we stated that one sacrifice is sufficient for a man and the members of his family even if they are one hundred strong, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to offer a single sheep on behalf of himself and his family, and when he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died he left behind nine wives.

Al-Qurtubi said:

There is no report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered each of his wives to offer a separate sacrifice, even though the sacrifice was repeated every year and his wives were numerous. This would have been narrated if it has happened, as other minor issues were narrated. This is supported by the report narrated by Maalik, Ibn Maajah and al-Tirmidhi, who classed it as saheeh via ‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar: I asked Abu Ayyoob: How was the sacrifice done at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? He said: A man would offer a sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his family, and they would eat some and feed others with some.” End quote from Fath al-Baari. The hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

Al-Bukhaari (7210) narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Hishaam (may Allaah be pleased with him), that he met the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when his mother Zaynab bint Humayd took him to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, accept his oath of allegiance.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “He is too young.” He patted him on the head and made du’aa’ for him, and he used to sacrifice a single sheep on behalf of his whole family.

Al-Haafiz said: The phrase “and he used to sacrifice a single sheep on behalf of his whole family” refers to ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Hishaam. End quote.

The Standing Committee was asked:

I have two households which are about fifteen kilometers apart, and I want to offer the sacrifice. Should I offer a sacrifice at each house, or at one house?

They replied:

It is sufficient for you to offer one sacrifice on behalf of your two households, so long as the head of both is one person. But if you offer a separate sacrifice at each house, that is better. End quote.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 11/407

177-One sacrifice is sufficient on behalf of the members of a household even if they are one hundred strong

✍🏻MUJAHIDUL ISLAM AZIMABADI

Is one sacrifice sufficient on behalf of all the members of a household, even if they are many?.

Praise be to Allaah.
One sacrifice is sufficient on behalf of all the members of a household, no matter how many of them there are. 

Al-Tirmidhi (1505) narrated that ‘Ata’ ibn Yassaar said: I asked Abu Ayyoob: How was the sacrifice done at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? He said: A man would offer a sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his family, and they would eat some and feed others with some.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

It says in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi:

This hadeeth clearly states that a single sheep is sufficient on behalf of a man and the members of his household, even if they are many, and that is correct.

Al-Haafiz ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma’aad: The teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was that a sheep is sufficient on behalf of a man and the members of his household, even if they are many in number. 

Al-Shawkaani said in Nayl al-Awtaar: In fact a single sheep is sufficient on behalf of the members of a household, even if there are one hundred or more, as is indicated by the Sunnah. End quote.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (5/275):

There is no limit to how many people may share in the reward. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire ummah, and a man may offer a single sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his household, even if they are one hundred strong. End quote.

The Standing Committee was asked: There are twenty-two people in this family, and they have one income and one budget. On Eid al-Adha they offer a single sacrifice, and I do not know whether that is sufficient or whether they should offer two sacrifices?

They replied:

If the family is big but they live in one house, one sacrifice is sufficient for them, but if they offer more than one sacrifice, that is better. End quote.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 11/408.