The Ruling on the Udhiyah, Its Virtue, and Its Conditions

Question:
May Allah reward you and bless you. This questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, I have not performed the udhiyah, and I am now thirty-five years old and have children. What are the conditions of the udhiyah? Is it obligatory? Is dyeing the udhiyah with henna a recommended practice (sunnah)?

Answer:
The 'udhiyah (sacrifice) is a confirmed sunnah (recommended practice). Some scholars, such as Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), hold that it is obligatory, but the majority of scholars hold that it is a confirmed sunnah. It carries great reward and revives the sunnah of the two friends of Allah, Ibrahim and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them). It is good for the one who sacrifices, his family, and his household. It is a charity from its meat, and it contains many good things and great virtue. Therefore, a Muslim who is able to perform the 'udhiyah should not leave it off, for he would lose this great reward and the abundant recompense. It is one of the acts of worship (manasik). Indeed, and slaughter. A wealthy Muslim should not neglect it. There are conditions for it, the first of which is being free from defects. Being free from defects means being free from blindness, one-eyedness, the complete cutting of the ear or more than half of it, and the cutting or removal of the horn, because this is a deficiency in the animal. Likewise, a lame animal whose lameness prevents it from walking with the sound ones, an animal whose illness is obvious, and a gaunt animal that has no fat—these are not permissible for the 'udhiyah.
It is also required, as it is required that it be free from these defects, that it has reached the permissible age: six months or more for the goat, a full year or more for the sheep, two years for the cow, and five years for the camel. These are the permissible ages for the udhiyah. Yes.