What is the ruling on sending sacrificial animals to the mujahideen?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The issue of sending the udhiyah to the mujahideen: some say it is better to send it there, while others say it should not be slaughtered here.
The Shaykh : The one who says that sending it there is better is mistaken in this statement, because the udhiyah is one of the manifest rituals of Islam, and its purpose is not material, namely benefiting from the meat, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Hajj 22:37] The most important objective of it is drawing near to Allah through the slaughter so that it becomes a ritual and a sacrifice.
The evidence for this is that the udhiyah has specific rulings, including that it must be at a specific time, and that it must be of a specific type.
It must also be of a specific description, and it must be free from defects. If the intention were merely the meat, it would be permissible at any time, of any type, of any description, and whether defective or not.
For example, the udhiyah is only valid on the days of slaughter: the day of 'Id al-Adha and the three days following it. On the day of 'Id, it must be after the prayer. It must be of a specific type, namely the livestock of the herd: camels, cattle, and sheep.
If one slaughtered a horse and gave it in charity as an udhiyah, it would not suffice. It must be of a specific age: a one-year-old from the sheep, or a two-year-old from the rest.
If the intention were the meat, it would be permissible with a horse, and it would be permissible with an animal below the required age. It must be free from the defects described by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: meaning it has no marrow. If the intention were the meat, it would be permissible with this defect, because the blindness of a one-eyed animal does not affect its meat.
Once you know this, it becomes clear to you that the udhiyah is a prescribed act of worship in itself, not merely giving meat in charity. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) distinguished between a sheep for meat and a sheep for sacrifice, saying: This makes it clear that the intention is not merely the meat. If that is the case, we see that it should not be sent.
The Shaykh : The one who says that sending it there is better is mistaken in this statement, because the udhiyah is one of the manifest rituals of Islam, and its purpose is not material, namely benefiting from the meat, as Allah the Exalted said:
Their 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 evidence for this is that the udhiyah has specific rulings, including that it must be at a specific time, and that it must be of a specific type.
It must also be of a specific description, and it must be free from defects. If the intention were merely the meat, it would be permissible at any time, of any type, of any description, and whether defective or not.
For example, the udhiyah is only valid on the days of slaughter: the day of 'Id al-Adha and the three days following it. On the day of 'Id, it must be after the prayer. It must be of a specific type, namely the livestock of the herd: camels, cattle, and sheep.
If one slaughtered a horse and gave it in charity as an udhiyah, it would not suffice. It must be of a specific age: a one-year-old from the sheep, or a two-year-old from the rest.
If the intention were the meat, it would be permissible with a horse, and it would be permissible with an animal below the required age. It must be free from the defects described by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:
Four things do not suffice as sacrificial animals: the one-eyed animal whose blindness is obvious, the sick animal whose sickness is obvious, the lame animal whose lameness is obvious, and the emaciated animal which has no marrow.
أربع لا تجوز الأضاحي : العوراء البين عورها والمريضة البين مرضها والعرجاء البين ضلعها والعجفاء أي الهزيلة التي لا تنقي وليس فيها نقيOnce you know this, it becomes clear to you that the udhiyah is a prescribed act of worship in itself, not merely giving meat in charity. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) distinguished between a sheep for meat and a sheep for sacrifice, saying: