The Udhiyah: An Act of Worship and a Means of Drawing Near to Allah
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The udhiyah is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah muakkadah). However, because it is a means of drawing near to Allah, it must meet certain conditions. If the intention were merely for the meat, it would be permissible to slaughter anything, even chickens, rabbits, and both young and old animals, if the intention were merely for the meat. But the intention is to draw near to Allah the Exalted through slaughter.Which Allah coupled with prayer in His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Kawthar: 2],and His saying, the Exalted: [Al-An'am: 162-163] And by this, we know the deficiency of those who assumed that the intention of the udhiyah is to benefit from its meat. This is a deficient assumption arising from ignorance. The intention is to draw near to Allah the Exalted through slaughter.And remember the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [Al-Hajj: 37] I pointed this out because some of our compassionate and merciful brothers have started sending money to poor Muslim countries to be used for udhiyah there. This is due to their ignorance and negligence, and it is also deficient. The udhiyah is intended to draw near to Allah through slaughter. Once it is slaughtered, you may give the meat to whomever you wish, in your country or outside your country. But before slaughter, no; do not slaughter except in your country, and it is better in your home so that the family can witness it and know this great ritual. As for sending money to be used for udhiyah there, it entails losing benefits and exposing oneself to risks. The benefits that are lost include the manifestation of this great ritual, because over the years, this practice may be forgotten, and money is sent to Muslim countries, and so on, leaving the Muslim countries devoid of this great ritual. It also entails the loss of the fact that a person is commanded to slaughter with his own hand and mention the name of Allah over it, and this is lost.
The scholars said: If one is not skilled in slaughter, he should appoint someone else to do it, witness the slaughter, and have the slaughterer mention the name of Allah.
And among the benefits that are lost: A person should not refrain from eating from it, for Allah commanded eating from it and placed it before feeding the poor, saying: [Al-Hajj: 28] Many scholars have said that eating from the udhiyah is obligatory because Allah commanded it and placed it before feeding the poor. Just as feeding the poor from the udhiyah is obligatory, eating from it is obligatory. This is a view that has merit.
As for the risks to be feared, they are that this money may fall into the hands of people who do not know the conditions, so they slaughter young and old animals, healthy and defective ones. Perhaps the number of sacrifices in the area will be so high that there will be no livestock available. The money sent for udhiyah may amount to five or six thousand, but the village does not have that number of livestock, so the money remains unused. Perhaps the number of people performing the slaughter is small while the number of sacrifices is large, so they are unable to perform the sacrifices within the days of udhiyah, and the days pass without them having slaughtered. Thus, the risks are many.Therefore, we say to our Muslim brothers in general: Beware of sending money to be used for udhiyah in any country. Slaughter in your own country, eat, and send [the meat] if you wish.
Then, what does a small piece of meat avail our brothers there? They eat it for a day or two. Would it not be better to send them money to buy wheat, clothes, bedding, and other things, or to send them food, tents, or dig wells for them? This is what should be done. As for ruining this great ritual and taking it from our country to another country, that is not from the Shari'ah, nor is it recommended. Rather, one should warn against it and be cautious of it.
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ"Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. (163) No partner has He
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * لا شَرِيكَ لَهُTheir meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you
لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنْكُمْThe scholars said: If one is not skilled in slaughter, he should appoint someone else to do it, witness the slaughter, and have the slaughterer mention the name of Allah.
And among the benefits that are lost: A person should not refrain from eating from it, for Allah commanded eating from it and placed it before feeding the poor, saying:
So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.
فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَAs for the risks to be feared, they are that this money may fall into the hands of people who do not know the conditions, so they slaughter young and old animals, healthy and defective ones. Perhaps the number of sacrifices in the area will be so high that there will be no livestock available. The money sent for udhiyah may amount to five or six thousand, but the village does not have that number of livestock, so the money remains unused. Perhaps the number of people performing the slaughter is small while the number of sacrifices is large, so they are unable to perform the sacrifices within the days of udhiyah, and the days pass without them having slaughtered. Thus, the risks are many.Therefore, we say to our Muslim brothers in general: Beware of sending money to be used for udhiyah in any country. Slaughter in your own country, eat, and send [the meat] if you wish.
Then, what does a small piece of meat avail our brothers there? They eat it for a day or two. Would it not be better to send them money to buy wheat, clothes, bedding, and other things, or to send them food, tents, or dig wells for them? This is what should be done. As for ruining this great ritual and taking it from our country to another country, that is not from the Shari'ah, nor is it recommended. Rather, one should warn against it and be cautious of it.