Sufficiency of a Seventh of a Cow for the One Offering the Sacrifice and His Family

This is a message we received from al-Namasiyyah from Sa'd al-Shahri . He says in his message: We are in the southern region, and some of us offer a cow as a sacrifice. That is, seven people buy a cow and offer it as a sacrifice, with each of them taking a seventh of the cow, on behalf of himself and his family, since ancient times. This year, some of the judges said that it is not permissible to offer a cow as a sacrifice, because it is not offered on behalf of seven people only, excluding their families. So I ask you to guide us in this matter: Does a seventh of a cow serve as a sacrifice for the man and his family, or for him alone, excluding his family? We thank you greatly.
Answer: It is authentically established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he commanded sharing in a camel and a cow on behalf of seven people. So if it suffices for seven people in sacrifices and offerings, then it is permissible for a man to make the seventh that he slaughters on behalf of himself, so that it is for him and his family; because the man and his family are like one thing. So I see no harm in that, so that the seventh is for him and his family, and there is no blame in that.
Some of our brothers among the scholars have hesitated in this matter, and thought that this involves associating more than one person, and this is not good; because the man and his family are one thing. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) slaughtered a sheep on behalf of himself and his family, and a camel on behalf of seven sheep, and a cow on behalf of seven sheep. So every part of the seven takes the place of a sheep, and a sheep is slaughtered on behalf of the man and his family. So likewise, its seventh, a seventh of a camel, a seventh of a cow, a man offers it as a sacrifice on behalf of himself and his family, and there is no blame in that, if Allah wills. Yes.