The Prophet (ﷺ) said (on the day of Idal-Adha), "The first thing we will do on this day of ours, is to offer the (`Id) prayer and then return to slaughter the sacrifice. Whoever does so, he acted according to our Sunna (tradition), and whoever slaughtered (the sacrifice) before the prayer, what he offered was just meat he presented to his family, and that will not be considered as Nusak (sacrifice)." (On hearing that) Abu Burda bin Niyar got up, for he had slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, and said, "I have got a six month old ram." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Slaughter it (as a sacrifice) but it will not be sufficient for any-one else (as a sacrifice after you). Al-Bara' added: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever slaughtered (the sacrifice) after the prayer, he slaughtered it at the right time and followed the tradition of the Muslims."
Al-Adha Festival Sacrifice (Adaahi)
Sahih al-Bukhari - Hadith 5545
Timing of the Sacrifice
The Prophet (ﷺ) established that the Eid prayer must precede the sacrificial slaughter. This sequence constitutes the proper Sunna. Performing the sacrifice before the prayer renders it invalid as a religious offering, reducing it to mere ordinary meat for consumption.
The Case of Abu Burda
When Abu Burda bin Niyar realized his error of sacrificing before the prayer, the Prophet (ﷺ) permitted him to slaughter another animal despite its young age (six months). This exception demonstrates the principle of rectifying errors in worship while noting that such permission was specific to his situation.
Legal Ruling and Community Practice
The authentic practice requires slaughtering after the Eid prayer. This timing aligns with the tradition of the Muslim community and ensures the sacrifice's validity. The hadith emphasizes that proper intention combined with correct timing transforms the act from mundane slaughter into accepted worship.