Lesson — Learn Arabic & Islamic Studies

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قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ"Say: my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds."al-An'am 6:162

What the udhiyah is

The camel, cow or sheep slaughtered as worship from after the 'Eid prayer on the day of an-Nahr until the end of the days of Tashriq, in the place where the person lives. It remembers the tawhid of Allah, His blessings, and the obedience of Ibrahim to his Lord.

Hady

Slaughtered by the pilgrim doing Tamattu' or Qiran, in the Haram (Mina or Makkah).

Udhiyah

Slaughtered by Muslims everywhere, for themselves and their households, at 'Eid al-Adha.

Its ruling: two views

Obligatory (wajib)

Abu Hanifah, al-Awza'i, al-Layth, one view of Ahmad, Ibn Taymiyyah. Evidence: "So pray to your Lord and sacrifice" (108:2), a command; "Whoever can afford it and does not sacrifice, let him not approach our place of prayer" (Ahmad, Ibn Majah).

Confirmed Sunnah

The majority: ash-Shafi'i, the better-known view of Malik and Ahmad. Evidence: the Prophet ﷺ sacrificed "for myself and whoever of my ummah did not sacrifice" (Abu Dawud); "Whoever wants to sacrifice..." links it to wanting.

Ibn 'Uthaymeen: each view has evidence, but to be safe, whoever is able should not leave it.

Who it covers

One sheep is enough for a man and his household: "At the time of the Prophet ﷺ a man would sacrifice a sheep for himself and his household" (Abu Ayyub; at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah).
A camel or a cow is shared by seven (Jabir; Muslim).
He says when slaughtering: "Allahumma hadha 'anni wa 'an ali bayti", O Allah, this is from me and my household.

The conditions of the animal

Animal	Minimum age	Shares
Sheep (lamb)	6 months	1 household
Goat	1 year	1 household
Cow	2 years	7
Camel	5 years	7

"Four will not do for sacrifice: the one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious, the sick animal whose sickness is obvious, the lame animal whose limp is obvious, and the emaciated animal with no marrow in its bones."Sahih al-Jami' 886

Once chosen for sacrifice, it is not sold or given away, except to replace it with a better one.
Time: after the 'Eid prayer and khutbah, until sunset on the 13th. Slaughtered before the prayer, it must be repeated (al-Bukhari, Muslim).

After the slaughter

One thirdEaten by the family

One thirdGiven as gifts

One thirdGiven in charity

Recommended: eat nothing on 'Eid before eating from it.
Best to slaughter it oneself, or at least be present.
Nothing of it is sold: not meat, fat or skin. The butcher is not paid from it (Ali; al-Bukhari, Muslim).

Hair and nails in the first ten days

"When you see the new moon of Dhul-Hijjah, and one of you wants to sacrifice, let him not remove anything of his hair or nails until he has sacrificed."Muslim

Who it applies to

Applies: The one offering the sacrifice for himself or herself, even if someone else slaughters it

Does not apply: The wife and children included in it, and the one slaughtering on someone else's behalf

Washing the hair is allowed; perfume and marital relations are not affected.
Someone who cuts deliberately seeks forgiveness; no fidyah, and the udhiyah is still valid.
A pilgrim doing Tamattu' still shortens after 'Umrah, because that is part of the rite.

Some women appoint a brother or son to sacrifice for them so they can cut their hair. This does not work: the ruling is on the one sacrificing, not the one appointed.

Key points

Udhiyah: camel, cow or sheep, after the 'Eid prayer until the 13th.
Two views: obligatory or confirmed Sunnah; whoever can should not leave it.
A sheep for a household; a camel or cow for seven.
Minimum ages: 6 months, 1, 2, 5 years; no obvious defect.
Divide in thirds; sell nothing; do not pay the butcher from it.
The one sacrificing leaves hair and nails from the 1st of Dhul-Hijjah.

Video Lesson

The Udhiyah