Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered the prayer on the day of Nahr and then delivered the Khutba and ordered that whoever had slaughtered his sacrifice before the prayer should repeat it, that is, should slaughter another sacrifice. Then a person from the Ansar stood up and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! because of my neighbors (he described them as being very needy or poor) I slaughtered before the prayer. I have a young she-goat which, in my opinion, is better than two sheep." The Prophet (ﷺ) gave him the permission for slaughtering it as a sacrifice.
The Two Festivals (Eids) - Sahih al-Bukhari 984
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered the prayer on the day of Nahr and then delivered the Khutba and ordered that whoever had slaughtered his sacrifice before the prayer should repeat it, that is, should slaughter another sacrifice. Then a person from the Ansar stood up and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! because of my neighbors (he described them as being very needy or poor) I slaughtered before the prayer. I have a young she-goat which, in my opinion, is better than two sheep." The Prophet (ﷺ) gave him the permission for slaughtering it as a sacrifice.
Commentary on the Sequence of Eid Rituals
This hadith establishes the proper sequence for Eid al-Adha rituals: first the Eid prayer, then the sacrifice. The Prophet's initial ruling requiring repetition for those who sacrificed before prayer emphasizes the importance of this order in Islamic worship.
The wisdom behind this sequence is that the Eid prayer is a collective act of worship that precedes the individual act of sacrifice, demonstrating that communal obligations take precedence over personal devotions in Islamic ritual.
Understanding the Exception and Legal Flexibility
The Ansari's situation demonstrates Islam's practical flexibility. His early sacrifice was for feeding needy neighbors, showing compassion takes precedence over strict ritual timing when genuine need exists.
The Prophet's acceptance of the she-goat instead of requiring another sheep illustrates the principle of facilitating ease for the ummah while maintaining the spirit of the law. This reflects the Quranic principle: "Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship" (2:185).
Scholarly Interpretation of the Ruling
Classical scholars like Imam Nawawi explained that the initial prohibition aimed to establish the sunnah, while the subsequent permission shows that sacrificing before prayer doesn't invalidate the act entirely but is makruh (disliked) without valid reason.
The incident establishes that valid excuses (like feeding the poor) can mitigate what would otherwise be an improper act. This aligns with the principle that necessities render prohibited things permissible to the extent of the necessity.