The Wisdom of the Udhiyah and Its Relationship to Hajj

Question:
This questioner is a Sudanese resident of Riyadh. He says: Honorable Shaykh, what is the wisdom behind the udhiyah? If a person does not offer the udhiyah because of poverty, is that sufficient? And is the udhiyah specific to Hajj only?

Answer:
The udhiyah has no connection to Hajj. Hajj includes the fidyah for the one performing qiran and the one performing tamattu'. The udhiyah is for the people of the cities and the people of the lands who did not perform Hajj. The wisdom behind it is following our father Ibrahim (peace be upon him), for Allah commanded him to slaughter the great sacrifice that descended from the sky as a ransom for Isma'il (peace be upon him), and We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. This is from the Sunnah of Ibrahim. So in our slaughtering of the udhiyah, we are following our father Ibrahim. Likewise, in it is following our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), for our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the udhiyah. He would offer two udhiyahs: one for himself and his household, and the second for those of the Ummah of Muhammad who did not offer the udhiyah. So in it is following the two close friends of Allah, Ibrahim and Muhammad (peace be upon them both). And in it is worship of Allah. Allah the Exalted said: "Pray to your Lord and sacrifice." "Sacrifice" means slaughtering the udhiyah and slaughtering the hady. Yes.