Chapters on Sacrifices

كتاب الأضاحي

Chapter 1: The sacrifices of the Messenger of Allah (saws)

It wasnarrated from Anas bin Malik

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)used tosacrifice two horned, black-and-white rams and he would saythe Nameof Allah and pronounce His greatness. I saw him slaughteringthemwith his own hand, putting his foot on their sides.”

It wasnarrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said

“The Messenger ofAllah(ﷺ) sacrificed two rams on the Day of ‘Eid. When he turnedthemto face towards the prayer direction he said: ‘Verily, I haveturned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth,as a monotheist, and I am not of the polytheists. Verily, my prayer,my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of allthat exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded,andI am the first of the Muslims. [6:79,162-163] O Allah, from YoutoYou, on behalf of Muhammad and his nation.’”

It wasnarrated from ‘Aishah and Abu Hurairah that when the MessengerofAllah (ﷺ) wanted to offer a sacrifice, he brought two large, fat,horned, black-and-white, castrated rams. He slaughtered one on behalfof his nation, for whoever testified to Allah with monotheism andthathe had conveyed (the Message), and he slaughtered the other onbehalfof Muhammad and the family of Muhammad (ﷺ).

Chapter 2: Are sacrifices obligatory or not?

It wasnarrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said

“Whoever can afford it, but does not offer a sacrifice, let himnotcome near our prayer place.”

It wasnarrated that Muhammad bin Sirin said

Another chain reports exactly the same.

It wasnarrated that Mikhnaf bin Sulaim said

“We were standing with theProphet (ﷺ) at ‘Arafat and he said: ‘O people, each family,each year, must offer Udhiyah and ‘Atirah.’

Chapter 3: The reward for (offering) the sacrifice

It wasnarrated from ’Aishah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said

“The son ofAdam does not do any deed on the Day of Sacrifice that is dearer toAllah than shedding blood. It will come on the Day of Resurrectionwith its horns and cloven hoofs and hair. Its blood is accepted byAllah before it reaches the ground. So be content when you do it.”

It wasnarrated that Zaid bin Arqam said

“The Companions of theMessengerof Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what are thesesacrifices?’ He said: ‘The Sunnah of your father Ibrahim.’ Theysaid:‘What is there for us in them, O Messenger of Allah?’ Hesaid: ‘Forevery hair, one merit.’ They said: ‘What about wool,O Messenger ofAllah?’ He said: ‘For every hair of wool, onemerit.’”

Chapter 4: What sacrifices are recommended

It wasnarrated that Abu Sa’eed said

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)sacrificed a horned, defectless ram with a black stomach, black feetand black around its eyes.”

Yunusbin Maisarah bin Halbas said

“I went out with Abu Sa’eedAz-Zuraqi, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), to buyanimalsor sacrifice.” Yunus said: “Abu Sa’eed pointed to a ramthat had someblackness around its ears and jaw, and was neither toobig nor toosmall, and said to me: ‘Buy this one for them, as itseems to resemblethe ram of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).’”

It wasnarrated from Abu Umamah Al-Bahili that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)said

“The best of shrouds is a two piece Najrani garment andthebest of sacrifices is a horned ram.”

Chapter 5: Number of persons for whom a camel and a cow is sufficient

it wasnarrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said

“We were with the Messenger ofAllah (ﷺ) on a journey, and the (day of) Al-Adha came. We(sacrificed) one camel on behalf of ten (people) and one cow onbehalfof seven.”

It wasnarrated that Jabir said

“We offered sacrifices at Al-Hudaibiyahwith the Prophet (ﷺ), a camel on behalf of seven (people)and a cowon behalf of seven.”

It wasnarrated that Abu Hurairah said

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)slaughtered a cow on behalf of all his wives who had performed‘Umrah,during the Farewell Pilgrimage.”

It wasnarrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said

“Camels became scarce at thetimeof the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), so he commanded them tosacrificecows.”

It wasnarrated from ‘Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)sacrificedone cow during the Farewell Pilgrimage on behalf of thefamily ofMuhammad (ﷺ).

Chapter 6: How many sheep should be sacrificed in place of one camel?

It wasnarrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ)andsaid

“I have to offer a sacrifice and I can afford it, but Icannot find (a camel) to buy.” The Prophet (ﷺ) told him to buysevensheep and slaughter them.

It wasnarrated that Rafi’ bin Khadij said

“We were with theMessengerof Allah (ﷺ) in Dhul-Hulaifah in (the land of) Tihamah. Weacquiredsheep and camels and the people hastened to put cooking potson thefires before they had been distributed. The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)came to us and ordered that they be overturned,* then he madeonecamel equivalent to ten sheep.”

Chapter 7: What qualifies as a sacrifice

It wasnarrated from ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir Al-Juhani that the Messenger ofAllah (ﷺ) gave him some sheep, and he distributed them among hisCompanions to be sacrificed. There remained an ‘Atud.* He mentionedthat to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he said

“You sacrifice ityourself.”