So first and foremost, what
is the status of
the sacrifice of Eid Al-Adha
Is it mandatory?
Is it required?
Is it recommended?
So there's a difference of opinion.
Some of the scholars, like the Hanafi
scholars, the Ahnaf
if they are of the opinion
that it is actually
something that is mandatory.
The majority of the scholars
are of the opinion that it's
a very strongly emphasized
Sunnah (practice of the Prophet (pbuh))
where they do state that
if somebody is capable
of making that sacrifice
and they deliberately
choose not to do so,
that they could be doing something
that is what we call makruh
or blameworthy within the Deen
So there is an emphasis on doing it.
My personal recommendation
would be, once again, to do it. Now who should be doing the sacrifice?
Who should be offering a sacrifice?
So there's a little bit of a discussion
difference of opinion here.
The Ahnaf, the Hanafi School says that anyone who is capable
of paying zakat on an annual basis
should be offering a sacrifice.
The majority of the scholars
are of the opinion.
Anyone who has enough money
to offer a sacrifice.
So I will just use
a certain number as an example.
Let's say that sacrificing a goat
cost 250 dollars.
So the majority of the scholars say
if you have an extra 250 dollars
outside of what you need to feed yourself
and your dependents,
then you should go ahead
and make the sacrifice
and pay for that sacrifice.
All right.
Once again, my recommendation would be
that if you have that amount of money
extra beyond your needs,
that it is good to make that sacrifice
because that's what these days are
for, is for making that sacrifice
for the sake of Allah (swt) and, you know,
providing assistance and helping those
who might be in need of some assistance.
Thirdly, the third question is.
Is one sacrifice enough
for a whole household?
Or does each person
need to have a sacrifice on their behalf?
Once again, there's
some agreement here
and some disagreement.
The sacrifice only needs to be done
by or on behalf of an adult.
The majority of the scholars
are of the opinion.
You can do it on behalf of a minor,
but that is purely optional.
It is not required
or emphasized for the minor,
but rather this is only for adults
who have some kind of financial ability.
All their needs are met
and they have that extra money
where they can offer a sacrifice.
However, the next issue
is that this if there are,
you know, husband and wife
and then there are two kids
in one household,
there's a husband
and because of the wife as well.
Do there need to be
two sacrifices offered,
one on behalf of the husband
and one on behalf of the wife?
Or will one sacrifice
suffice for all of them?
Because at the end of the day,
they are one household Ahl Al-Bayt
So once again, there's
a difference of opinion here.
Some of the scholars,
like the Hanafi scholars in the Maliki
scholars, are of the opinion
that it should be on behalf
of each adult individually.
So the example of
the family that I gave you
with the husband,
the wife and the two kids,
two sacrifices will be made.
Some of the scholars,
like the Shafi and Hanbali Scholars
are of the opinion that one sacrifice
can be done on behalf of all of them
because they are one
family, one household.
Once again, these are valid opinions.
My personal recommendation
would be to do it on
behalf of each of the adults.
Now, what is a sacrifice?
That's the next question.
So a sacrifice in Islam
is either a goat, a sheep, a ram,
an animal of that sort,
or a cow, a camel,
an ox, buffalo, etc.
Those larger animals
have seven shares within them.
So if I have to offer a sacrifice,
that can be done by me sacrificing one goat or
pitching into or purchasing
one seventh of a cow, one goat
or one seventh of a cow.
That is what is defined as a sacrifice.
The next question is,
do I need to do the sacrifice myself
or can I donate to.
Can I give the money to an organization
that is going to be
sacrificing on my behalf
and feeding the poor and the needy?
Then in this case, in this instance,
while it is recommended
to do it yourself,
it is completely permissible,
totally acceptable
for you to pay someone else
like a charitable
or humanitarian organization
that is going to do this sacrifice
and use that to feed the poor
and those that are in need of assistance.
Lastly, and finally,
if if I do a sacrifice
on my behalf, myself,
if I do my own sacrifice myself,
am I allowed to bring
some of that meat home or does all of
it need to be donated?
Or do I need to bring all of it home?
Do I have to donate it?
Can I donated?
So when it comes to this, it's
very open to whatever works for you.
The scholars do recommend
give something in donation,
but at the end of the day,
the Prophet (pbuh) would eat some of his own
sacrifice, would share
with some family and friends,
and would also feed
those who are in need of it.
The scholars, that's
where they typically recommend
also inspired from the verse
of the Quran [فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ 22:36] that the Quran
also alludes to this kind of a practice
that they typically say
keep a third of your meat
gift a third, share a third with family
and friends and neighbors,
and then a third of it donate it.
But at the end of the day,
if you're doing it through
a charitable or humanitarian
organization, 100 percent of the meat
is going to go in charity.
That is completely acceptable.
If you end up doing it yourself
and you bring most of the meat home,
that is permissible and allowed as well.
I would once again here recommend
try to give at least some of it
in charity and in feeding
the fuqara, the masakin
those that are in need.
And Allah knows best
One other thing is that the sacrifice
should be offered on
either the day of Eid
or the two days following it.
Imam Shafi
for even a fourth day of sacrifice,
but it's better to get it done
during the first three days.
So that's one detail to keep in mind.
Lastly, and finally, the Prophet (pbuh) was asked [ما هذه الاضاحي يا رسول الله]
Where does this practice
of sacrifice come from?
He said: [سنة أبيكم إبراهيم]
This is a tradition of
your spiritual forefather,
Ibrahim (A.S.)
And this is something
that is rewarded by a Allah (swt)
beloved to Allah (swt)
You are rewarded on behalf of this.
And it's a tradition and practice of Ibrahim (A.S.)
in our own messenger, Muhammad (pbuh)