Is it permissible to dedicate the 'Id sacrifice solely to a deceased person after their death?
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Question:
Our brother asks and says: Is it permissible to dedicate the 'Id sacrifice solely to a deceased person after their death, given that many common people have come to feel it is obligatory that if their father, mother, or brother passes away, they slaughter a camel for him on the first 'Id al-Adha immediately after his death? Is that permissible? What is permissible regarding the 'Id sacrifice? What is the 'Id sacrifice? Is it from camels, cows, or sheep? Which is better?
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The 'Id sacrifice is a recommended practice (sunnah) for both the living and the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sacrifice with a single sheep on behalf of himself and his household, both the living and the deceased among them. And if one sacrifices with a camel, a beast of burden, or a cow, there is no harm.
As for the belief that one must sacrifice a camel or a cow on their behalf in the first year, this has no basis. The recommended practice (sunnah) is to sacrifice whatever is easy, whether it is a cow, a camel, or from the sheep. Praise be to Allah. And if his household is covered by one animal, that is sufficient. If he slaughters a single sheep on behalf of himself and his household—his wives and children, both the living and the deceased among them—there is no harm. And if he covers them all with a cow or a camel, there is no harm. The matter is broad, with the praise of Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. Your Eminence, the Shaykh, asks: Is the 'Id sacrifice every year, or once in a lifetime?
The Shaykh: The recommended practice (sunnah) is every year; the 'Id sacrifice is every year. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sacrifice every year, on behalf of himself and his household, a single sheep. May Allah send blessings and peace upon him. Yes. And he would sacrifice on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) with a second sheep. He used to sacrifice with two sheep, two rams:
One of them: on behalf of himself and his household.
And the second: on behalf of those who declared the oneness of Allah from the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Our brother asks and says: Is it permissible to dedicate the 'Id sacrifice solely to a deceased person after their death, given that many common people have come to feel it is obligatory that if their father, mother, or brother passes away, they slaughter a camel for him on the first 'Id al-Adha immediately after his death? Is that permissible? What is permissible regarding the 'Id sacrifice? What is the 'Id sacrifice? Is it from camels, cows, or sheep? Which is better?
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The 'Id sacrifice is a recommended practice (sunnah) for both the living and the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sacrifice with a single sheep on behalf of himself and his household, both the living and the deceased among them. And if one sacrifices with a camel, a beast of burden, or a cow, there is no harm.
As for the belief that one must sacrifice a camel or a cow on their behalf in the first year, this has no basis. The recommended practice (sunnah) is to sacrifice whatever is easy, whether it is a cow, a camel, or from the sheep. Praise be to Allah. And if his household is covered by one animal, that is sufficient. If he slaughters a single sheep on behalf of himself and his household—his wives and children, both the living and the deceased among them—there is no harm. And if he covers them all with a cow or a camel, there is no harm. The matter is broad, with the praise of Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. Your Eminence, the Shaykh, asks: Is the 'Id sacrifice every year, or once in a lifetime?
The Shaykh: The recommended practice (sunnah) is every year; the 'Id sacrifice is every year. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sacrifice every year, on behalf of himself and his household, a single sheep. May Allah send blessings and peace upon him. Yes. And he would sacrifice on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) with a second sheep. He used to sacrifice with two sheep, two rams:
One of them: on behalf of himself and his household.
And the second: on behalf of those who declared the oneness of Allah from the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.