The Ruling on Giving the Value of the Udhiyah to the Poor and Needy

Question:
Shaykh Salih (may Allah preserve you) is asking you about paying the value of the udhiyah in cash, and whether it is sufficient if he sends it to the poor and needy?

Answer:
This does not count as an udhiyah; it is a sadaqah. The udhiyah is that one slaughters and draws near to Allah by its slaughter, and it is to be in the house, in the house of the one who slaughters, with his children and his family. This is the sunnah (recommended practice) regarding the udhiyah. The intention is not to pay cash; the intention is to draw near to Allah by slaughter on these days, the days of slaughter. If the intention were to give charity, that is not specific to the days of 'Id al-Adha. Giving charity is open throughout the year, on all days. So do not change, my brother, the sunnah and change the Shari'ah on the pretext that this is better for people. This is not the case. This is how ideas and opinions enter into matters of the Shari'ah. They remain as they are. Yes.