The Book of al-Fara' and al-'Atirah

كتاب الفرع والعتيرة

Chapter 1: There Is No Fara ' And No 'Atirah

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said

"There is no fara' and no' Atirah."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah that

the Messenger of Allah forbade Fara' and 'Atirah."

Mikhnaf bin Sulaim said

"While we were standing with the Messenger of Allah at 'Arafat, he said: 'O people, it is upon each family to offer a sacrifice (Udhiyah) and an 'Atirah each year." (One of the narrators) Muadh said: "Ibn 'Awn used to offer slaughter the 'Atirah, and I saw that with my own eyes during Rajab." (Daif)

'Amr bin Shu'aib bin Muhammad bin 'Abdullah bin 'Amr (narrated) that his father and Zaid bin Aslam said

"O Messenger of Allah! (What about) the Fara'?" He said: "It is a duty, but if you leave it (the animal) until it becomes half-grown and you load upon it (in Jihad) in the cause of Allah or give it to a widow, that is better than if you slaughter it (when it is just born) and its flesh is difficult to separate from its skin, then you turn your vessel upside down (because you will no longer be able to get milk from the mother) and you cause your she-camel to grieve (at the loss of its young)." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, (what about) the 'Atirah?" He said: "The 'Atirah is a duty." (Hasan)Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasa'i) said: Abu 'Ali Al-Hanafi (one of the narrators); they are four brothers: One of them is Abu Bakr, and Bishr, and Sharik, and the other.

It was narrated that Yahya bin Zurarah bin Karim bin Al-Harith bin 'Amr Al-Bahili said

"I heard my father say, that he heard his grandfather Al-Harith bin 'Amr, that he met the Messenger of Allah during the Farewell Pilgrimage, when he was atop his slit-eared camel. (He said): 'I said: O Messenger of Allah, May my father and mother be ransomed for you; pray for forgiveness for me. He said: May Allah forgive you (plural). Then I came to him from the other side, hoping that he would supplicate just for me alone, and not them. I said: O Messenger of Allah, pray for forgiveness for me. He said: May Allah forgive you (plural). Then a man among the people said: O Messenger of Allah, (what about) the 'Atirah and Fara'? He said: Whoever wishes to offer and 'Atirah may do so, and whoever does not wish to, may not. Whoever wishes to offer a Fara' may do so, and whoever does not wish to, may not. And with regard to sheep, a sacrifice should be offered. And he clasped between his fingers except for one."'

Yahya bin Zurarah As-Sahmi said

"My father narrated to me from his grandfather, Al-Harith bin 'Amr that he met the Messenger of Allah during the Farewell Pilgrimage and said: 'May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! O Messenger of Allah; pray for forgiveness for me.' He said: 'May Allah forgive you (plural).' He was atop his slit-eared camel and I came around to the other side"' and he quoted the Hadith.

Chapter 2: The Explanation Of 'Atirah

It was narrated that Nubaishah said

"It was said to the prophet: 'During the Jahiliyyah we used to offer the 'Atirah.' He said: 'Slaughter for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and sublime, no matter what month it is; do good for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and sublime, and feed the poor."'

It was narrated that Nubaishah said

"A man called out while he was in Mina and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we used to sacrifice the 'Atirah during the Jahiliyyah in Rajab; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'Sacrifice during whatever month it is, do good for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and feed (the poor).' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we used to sacrifice the Fara' during the Jahiliyyah; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'For every flock of grazing animals, feed the firstborn as you feed the rest of you flock until it reaches an age where it could be used carry loads, then sacrifice it, and give its meat in charity."'

It was narrated from Nubaishah, a man of Hudhail, that the Prophet said

"I used to forbid you to store the meat of the sacrifices for more than three days so that there would be enough for everyone. But now Allah, the mighty and sublime, has bestowed plenty upon us, so eat some, give some in charity and store some, For these days are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah." A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, we used to sacrifice the 'Atirah during the Jahiliyyah in Rajab; what do you command us to do?" He said: "Sacrifice to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, whatever month it is, do good for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and feed (the poor)." He said: "O Messenger of Allah, we used to sacrifice the Fara' during the Jahiliyyah; what do you command us to do?" He said: "For every flock of grazing animals, feed the firstborn as you feed the rest of your flock, until it reaches an age where it could be used to carry loads, then sacrifice it, and give its meat in charity to the wayfarer, for that is good."

Chapter 3: The Explanation Of Fara'

It was narrated that Nubaishah said

"A man called out to the Prophet and said: 'We used to sacrifice the 'Atirah - i.e., during the Jahiliyyah - in Rajab; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'Sacrifice, whatever month it is, do good for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and feed (the poor).' He said: 'We used to sacrifice the Fara' during the Jahiliyyah; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'For every flock of grazing animals, feed the firstborn as you feed the rest of your flock until it reaches an age where it could be used to carry loads, then sacrifice it, and give its meat in charity, for that is good."'

It was narrated that Nubaishah Al-Hudhaili said

"A man said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we used to sacrifice the 'Atirah during the Jahiliyyah in Rajab; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'Sacrifice to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, whatever month it is, do good for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and feed (the poor)."'

It was narrated that Abu Razin Laqit bin 'Amir Al-Uqaili said

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we used to offer sacrifices during the Jahiliyyah in Rajab, and eat of (their meat) and offer some to those who came to us.' The Messenger of Allah said: 'There is nothing wrong with that."' (One of the narrators) Waki bin 'Udus said: "I will not leave it."

Chapter 4: The Skin Of Dead Animals (Those Not Slaughtered Or Killed Properly)

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas, from Maimunah, that

the Prophet passed by a dead sheep that had been thrown aside. He said: "Who does this belong to?" They said: "Maimunah." He said: "Why did she not make use of its skin?" They said: "It is dead meat (i.e., it was not slaughtered properly)." He said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has only forbidden us to eat it."

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said

"The Messenger of Allah passed by a dead sheep that he had given to a freed slave woman of Maimunah, the wife of the Prophet. He said: 'Why don't you make use of its hide?' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, it is dead meat.' The Messenger of Allah said: 'It is only forbidden to eat it."

Ibn'Abbas said

"The Messenger of Allah saw a dead sheep that belonged to the freed slave woman of Maimunah, and had come from the Sadaqah." He said: "Why don't you take off its hide and make use of it?" They said: "It is dead meat." He said: "It is only unlawful to eat it."

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas

"Maimunah told me that a sheep died, and the Prophet said: 'Why don't you tan its skin and make use of it'?"

Ibn 'Abbas said

"The Prophet passed by a sheep belonging to Maimunah that had died and said: 'Why don't you take its skin and tan it and make use of it'?"

Ibn 'Abbas said

"The Prophet passed by a dead sheep and said: 'Why don't you make use of its skin'?"

It was narrated that Sawdah, the wife of the Prophet, said

"A sheep of ours died, and we tanned its skin, and continued to make Nabidh in it until it wore out."