The ruling on the sacrificial animal.

The Shaykh : As for the sacrificial animals: the sacrificial animal is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He used to sacrifice every year. He would sacrifice two rams. For one, he would say, "This is for Muhammad and the family of Muhammad." For the second, he would say, "This is for the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)." May Allah reward him for us with good. The sacrificial animal is a confirmed recommended practice. Some scholars said that it is obligatory for the one who is able to afford it. Among those who held this view, based on the apparent wording of his speech, is Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and it is the school of Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him). So the person who is able to afford it sacrifices either as an obligation or as a confirmed recommendation. But the sacrificial animal is for whom? It is for the living. As for the dead, if they bequeathed a sacrificial animal, it is sacrificed for them according to their bequest. If they did not bequeath one, then no sacrificial animal is offered for them; rather, they are included as followers. So if a person says, "This is for me and my family," and there are dead among them, they are included in that. When we say that no sacrificial animal is offered for them except by bequest, do not find this strange, because the best of the sacrificial animals is the sacrifice of whom? The sacrifice of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He did not sacrifice for any of his dead. His wife Khadijah died, and she was one of the most beloved of his wives to him, and he did not sacrifice for her. Three of his daughters and three of his sons died, and he did not sacrifice for them. Zaynab died, and who else? Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum. And Ibrahim died, and his brothers, three of them. He did not sacrifice for any of them. His uncle Hamzah died, and he was one of the most beloved of his uncles to him. He was martyred at Uhud (may Allah be pleased with him), and he did not sacrifice for him. And we do not know of anyone among the Companions who sacrificed for their relatives. And there is no doubt that if it had been good, they would have preceded us to it. For this reason, some scholars held that if a person sacrifices for a dead person, it is not accepted because the Shari'ah did not come with it. But most scholars said that it is accepted because this is in the position of charity. And the Sunnah came with the acceptance of charity for the dead. In any case, I do not want to make you lose interest in sacrificing for the dead. But I want to counter that custom which some people have adopted, so that they do not sacrifice except for the dead. A person does not sacrifice for himself and his family. And this is undoubtedly an error. And the original ruling for the sacrificial animal is for whom? For the man and his family.