The fundamental principle that we refer to in the case of a vow to sacrifice is that when a person vows something, it exits their ownership, and they are obligated to direct it toward what they vowed, as stated in the Quran: “{And let them fulfill their vows.}” [Al-Hajj, 22:29]. Therefore, if someone vows to give charity with a sheep or distribute food, it must be given as charity or distributed to the poor and needy. The one who made the vow is not allowed to take anything from the vow, whether it is for consumption or any other purpose, such as using the sheep’s skin for bedding or its wool for personal benefit. Instead, everything in the vow should be given to God, Almighty. Furthermore, the one who slaughters the animal should not receive a fee for their services, as emphasized by the scholars.
Vows are of two types:
– The first type is specific, where the person making the vow says, “If Allah gives me such and such, I will sacrifice it for the poor and needy.” In this type, it is unanimously agreed upon by the scholars of the four major Islamic schools of thought that it is not permissible to eat from or benefit from the vow in any way.
– The second type is general, where a person vows to sacrifice for Allah if they receive what they vowed for without specifying a particular destination, such as the poor or others. In this type as well, it is not permissible to eat from it according to the majority of scholars from the Hanafi, Shafi’i, and Hanbali schools of thought. However, the Maliki school of thought allows it because it lacks specificity.
The preferred opinion is to abstain from eating the vowed sacrifice because it is considered similar to charity. It is not permissible for the one making the vow to benefit from their own charity, as it would be as if they had given it to themselves.
And Allah knows best.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr