Sacrifice
Sacrifice means slaughter of an animal in the name of Allah on
the 10th, 11th or 12th of the Islamic month of
Dhu’l-Hijjah.
Sacrifice, as
practiced by Holy Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is an essential
religious rite in memory of the sacrifice performed by Prophet
Abraham. God put Abraham to a most difficult trial, the details
of which are described in the Quran.
“O my Lord! Grant me (Abraham) a righteous (son)! So We gave him
the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear. Then, when
the son reached the age to work with him, he said: O my son I
see in a vision that I offer you in sacrifice: Now say what is
your view! (The son) said: O My father! Do as you are commanded:
You will find me if God so wills, one practicing patience and
constancy! So when they had both submitted their wills (to God),
and he had made him prostrate on his face (for sacrifice), We
called out to him: O Abraham! You have already fulfilled the
vision! Thus indeed do we reward those who do right. For this
was obviously a trial and We ransomed him with a momentous
sacrifice: and We left (this blessing) for him among generations
(to come) in later times”. (37:100-109).
This is the origin of
the Islamic precept of sacrifice in fulfillment of God’s command
provided in the Quran:
“... to your Lord turn in prayer and sacrifice.” (108:2).
The aim of sacrifice,
like all other fundamentals of Islam, is to seek piety and self
righteousness. It also promotes the spirit of sacrifice for a
right cause. To explain its purpose, God says in the Quran.
“It is not their meat, nor their blood,
that reaches God, It is their piety that reaches God” (22:37)
Prophet Muhammad
(Pbuh) said:
“On the 10th of Dhu’l-Hijjah, there is no better act in the view
of Allah than shedding the blood (of slaughtered animals). And
verily sacrifice earns the approbation of Allah even before the
drop of blood (of the slaughtered animal) falls on the ground.
Hence you should offer it in good spirit. For every hair of the
sacrificial animal, there is a blessing.”
Here are the precepts and practices pertaining to Sacrifice,
according to Hanafi Fiqh.
Sacrifice is Fardh for
Sacrifice, like Zakat,
is essential for one who has the financial means and savings
that remain surplus to his own needs over the year. It is
essential for one’s own self.
However, a slaughter
of animal can also be offered for each member of one’s family.
It may be offered, though it is not essential, for one’s
deceased relations, too, in the hope of benediction and
blessings for the departed souls.
What to Sacrifice
All the permissible (halal)
domesticated or reared quadrupeds can be offered for Sacrifice.
Generally, slaughter of goats, sheep, rams, cows, and camels is
offered. It is permissible for seven persons to share the
sacrifice of a cow or a camel on the condition that no one’s
share is less than one seventh and their intention is to offer
Sacrifice.
Age of Sacrificial
Animals: Sacrifice of goat or sheep less than one year old
(unless the sheep is so strong and fat that it looks to be a
full one year old) is not in order. Cow should be at least two
years old. Camels should not be less than five years old.
Disqualifying defects
Sacrifice of an animal
will not be in order if it is one eyed, or blind, or has lost
one third or more of its eyesight, or one third or more of its
tail, or its ear has been cut off, or it is lame, or its bones
have no marrow, or it has no ears by birth or its horns have
been broken from their roots, or it has no teeth at all. If the
number of teeth intact exceeds the lost ones, it is permissible.
If it has no horns by birth, or has less than one third broken
horns, it is permissible.
Distribution of meat
One should eat the
meat of the sacrifice, give it to relations and friends, (to
non-Muslims also) and also to the poor in charity. One third
should be given in charity, but if it be less it will not be a
sin.
Injunctions on the use of skin
It is not permissible
to give a portion of meat or the skin of the slaughtered animal
as wages. They should instead be given to the needy in charity.
Even the rope and cover of the sacrificed animal should be given
away as charity.
Intention
It is commendable that
one who intends to offer a sacrifice should refrain from having
a haircut, a shave, and pruning of nails, from the 1st of
Dhu’l-Hijjah (up to the time he has performed the sacrifice).
Intention In the first
instance, one who proposes to offer sacrifice must make an
intention to that effect.
Method of Sacrifice
The animal for
slaughter should be laid on its left side facing Kaabah and its
throat cut open with a sharp knife, and its blood allowed
draining. In the case of a camel, it should be allowed to remain
standing after its left fore leg has been stringed. A sharp
spear should then be thrust in its breast and on both sides of
its neck, and the blood allowed draining.
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Virtues of the Ten Days of Dhu’l-Hijjah
Among the special seasons of worship are the first ten days of
Dhu’l-Hijjah, which Allah has preferred over all the other days
of the year.
Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet Muhammad said:
“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to
Allah than these ten days.”
The people asked, Not even jihad for the sake of Allah.
He said,
“Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a
man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for
the cause, and came back with nothing.” (Reported by al-Bukhari),
This indicates that these ten days are better than all the other
days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days
of Ramadan. But the last ten nights of Ramadan are better,
because they include Laylat al-Qadr (“the Night of Power”),
which is better than a thousand months.
1.
The Prophet commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (“Subhan-Allah”),
Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillaah”) and Takbeer (“Allahu Akbar”) during
this time.
2.
Abdullaah ibn Umar reported that the Prophet said:
“There are no days greater in the sight of Allah and in which
righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so
during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel (“La ilaaha
ill-Allah”), Takbeer and Tahmeed.”
3.
These ten days include Yawm Arafah, on which Allah perfected His
Religion. Fasting on this day will expiate for the sins of two
years. These days also include Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of
Sacrifice), the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest
day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any
other day.
4.
These ten days include the days of sacrifice and of Hajj.
The Prophet said:
“When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one of you
wants to offer a sacrifice, then he should stop cutting his hair
and nails until he has offered his sacrifice.”
According to another report he said:
“He should not remove (literally, touch) anything from his hair
or skin.”
Among the good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during
the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are:
1. Fasting:
It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because
the Prophet urged us to do good deeds during this time, and
fasting is one of the best of deeds. The Prophet used to fast on
the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Hunaydah ibn Khalid reported from his
wife that some of the wives of the Prophet said: “The Prophet
used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, on the day of
Aashooraa, on three days of each month, and on Mondays and
Thursdays of each month.”
2. Takbeer:
It is Sunnah to say Takbeer (“Allaahu akbar”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu
Lillaah”), Tahleel (“La ilaha ill-Allaah”) and Tasbeeh (“Subhaan
Allaah”) during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and to say
it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every place
where it is permitted to remember Allah and mention His name out
loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the
greatness of Allah, may He be exalted. Men should recite these
phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly.
The Takbeer may include the words “Allahu akbar, Allahu
akbar, la ilaaha illal-Allah; wa Allahu akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd”
Reviving aspects of the Sunnah that have been virtually
forgotten is a deed that will bring an immense reward, as is
indicated by the words of the Prophet. Whoever revives an aspect
of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a
reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without
it detracting in the least from their reward.
3. Sacrifice:
One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allah
during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a
high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the
sake of Allah.
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Sacrificing Animals as Guided by Allah
Islam forbids any kind of atrocity on animals and even in
sacrificing or slaughtering animals, it has given clear
directives which do not harm the animal or cause pain to it.
Dr. M. Laiq Ali Khan
Zabihah is an indispensable act expected from Muslims to
make the flesh of an animal eatable. This act is inherited
from Prophet Ibrahim who slaughtered the animal under
Islamic direction and only then he ate the meat. It is
forbidden in Islam to cut any part of a living animal and
eat without slaughtering the whole.
Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) came to Madinah and followed this
practice there. Abul Naqid Ullaisi states that when the
Prophet came to Madinah, the people had the habit of cutting
down the hips of living goats and the humps of living camels
for eating. The Prophet said about this:
“If a piece from the living animal is cut down, then it is
termed as Murder.”
Islam forbids any kind of atrocity on animals and even in
sacrificing animals, it has given clear directives which do
not harm the animal or cause pain to it.
There are several ways in vogue to kill the animal prior to
eating since time immemorial. The early days of civilization
reveal that the primitive man was used to killing the animal
before consuming, by stoning it to death which was very
painful for the animal. Islam forbids this because stoning
or hurting the animal produces vaso- vagal shock and a
bio-chemical substance known as Histamine is released. This
dilates the blood vessels and the blood is retained inside
the flesh.
In the Quran, a word Zakia is used for sticking- that means
to clean. The flesh becomes eatable and clean after
sticking. Jews observe these rules strictly very similarly
to Muslims. Very often, it is questioned whether the flesh
procured from the animals slaughtered by Jews or Christians
is Halal. In this context, I have gone through various
references and found that the Quran has fixed a condition
for sticking as, you eat such things without any fear on
which the name of Allah is pronounced and this is in such
condition when you are a believer in his signs.
The Hadith specifies two conditions for lawful Islamic
sticking- one the animal should be stuck in the name of
Allah by reciting His name, secondly, the blood should be
let out completely from the vessels of the neck without
cutting the spinal cord to save the animal from going into a
state of shock.
As far as pronouncing the name of Allah is concerned, the
Jews do it, but in their mother tongue, similar to the
directions of Islam. Maulana Maududi in his Tafheemul
Quran states that sticking by Jews and Christians is
lawful. Ibn-e-Taymia advocates that in Surah-al-Maidah in
the Quran, it has been stated that food from the People of
the Book can be consumed. The basic concept behind sticking
in Islam is that the blood should be let out completely. The
Prophet said that:
“Let the knives be sharpened and concealed from the animals
and whenever you do the sticking, it should be quick.”
Mohammed bin Safwan narrates that he passed by Prophet
Muhammed with two hanging rabbits and asked: Oh! Prophet, I
found these two rabbits, but did not find any iron thing to
stick them, and then I stuck them by a white sharp edge
stone. May I eat them? The Prophet replied:
“Do eat.”
Kab bin Malik narrates My flock of goats were grazing on
Salaa mountain. My servant saw that a goat was about to die,
she broke up a stone and stuck it with that stone. When he
enquired about it from the Prophet, he ordered to eat that.
Adi bin Hatim narrates that: I asked the Prophet to tell us,
if we got a prey and if we did not have any knife then could
it be stuck with a piece of stone or wood.
He replied,
“You are allowed as per your convenience, to let out the
blood and pronounce the name of Allah.”
The Hadith specifies two conditions for lawful Islamic
sticking-one the animal should be stuck in the name of Allah
by reciting His name, secondly, the blood should be let out
completely from the vessels of the neck without cutting the
spinal cord to save the animal from going into a state of
shock. To let out the blood easily and completely, it is
very crucial to cut down the jugular veins and carotid
arteries along with other structures passing though the neck
except spinal cord which transmits the nerve impulses to the
distal parts. These impulses produce jerks in the distal
tissues of the body to remove the blood.
There are several ways to stick the animals on a large
scale. Very often, the animals are stunned,
and then
they are lifted and hung with their neck and head downwards.
A knife is used then to cut down the neck, but this
procedure is against the Islamic spirit because stunning of
animal produces surgical shock prior to sticking which is
clearly forbidden in Islam.
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The Supplication of Sacrifice
Lay down the animal parallel with the direction of the
Qibla and utter the following prayer first:
"Behold I have turned my face earnestly towards Him Who
originated the heavens and the earth and I am not of
polytheists. Behold, my salat, mine offering, my
living and mine dying are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds.
No partners hath He, concerning this I have been bidden and
I am of the Muslims O Allah! (I offer this) to you and You
gave it to me."
After reciting this prayers, Say
“Bismillahi Allahu Akbar”
(In the name of Allah Who is Great) and cut the throat of
the animal with a sharp-edged knife. Having performed the
slaughter, read this prayer:
“Allah! Accept this sacrifice offered by me as Thou accepted
the sacrifice offered by Thy friend Abraham and that offered
by Thy love one Muhammad. May Peace and blessings descend
upon both.”
Although it is permissible to let someone else perform the
slaughter of your sacrificial animal, yet it is better if
you perform this act with your own hands. While you perform
the slaughter, try to think and feel in the same way as you
express through the words you utter at the time of
sacrificing the animal i.e. all that we have got belongs to
Allah and it is all to be spent in His way only. The act of
sacrificing the animal in His name is in submission to His
will and if ever required we shall readily sacrifice even
our own life in the way of Allah and shall be grateful to
Him that He conferred upon us the honor of martyrdom by
affording us an opportunity to shed our blood in His name.
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Prescribed Works on Eid-ul-Adha
The following eleven
things have been prescribed to be done on Ed-ul-Adha;
1. To rise early in the morning.
2. To do miswak and do bathe.
3. To be clad in one’s best garments.
4. To use perfume.
5. Not to eat anything before Eid prayer.
6. To pronounce takbir loudly while going towards
eidgah.
Allah-u Akbar,
Allah-u Akbar
Allah is greatest Allah is greatest
La-Ilaha ill-Allah
There is no God but Allah
Wa-Allah-u Akbar, Allah-u Akbar
and Allah is greatest Allah is greatest
Wa-lillah-il-hamd
and all praise is for Allah.
7. To perform two
rakah Eid ul Azha, wajib prayer in the eidgah.
8. After prayers to listen to the sermon (Kutbah) is
sunnah.
9. To return early after prayers by a different route
and do the sacrifice.
10. To distribute the meat of the sacrifice among the
poor, friends, relatives and neighbors and also to cook
and eat the meat of sacrifice.