There are certain obligations and etiquettes that apply to someone intending to offer a sacrifice for ῾Iīd al-᾽Aḍḥā. Some of these relate to the sacrifice itself, some to the act of slaughtering, and some to the person offering the sacrifice:

Concerning the Sacrifice Itself:

• The animal must be from lawful (ḥalāl) wealth.
• The animal must be owned by the person offering the sacrifice or someone authorized to do so.
• The animal must be free from major defects: As narrated by Al-Barā᾽ who said, the Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him) said: “There are four [animals] that are not permissible for sacrifice: the one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious, the sick animal whose sickness is obvious, the lame animal whose limp is obvious, and the emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones.” [Narrated by ᾽Aḥmad, Al-Nasā᾽ī, and Ibn Mājah].
• The animal must meet the age requirements or be of sufficient size comparable to others that meet the age criteria for slaughter. The minimum age is six months for sheep, two years for cattle, and five years for camels. An animal of lesser age is acceptable if it is equivalent in size to an older animal that meets the age requirement.
• The sacrifice must be from specific types of animals: This includes sheep (which includes goats), cattle (which includes buffalo), or camels. It is not permissible to sacrifice other types of animals, contrary to the opinion of Ibn Ḥazm, who considered it permissible to sacrifice any edible animal with four legs or a bird, such as horses, wild cattle, roosters, and any lawful bird or animal that is good to eat and of high value.

Concerning the Act of Slaughtering:

• The slaughter must take place after the ῾Iīd prayer for those in urban areas and at the appropriate time for those who do not attend the prayer.
• The slaughter must be done with a proper slaughtering tool, such as a knife, not by electrocution or other means.
• It is recommended to lay the animal on its left side if it is cattle or sheep, apply strong pressure on the tool by the slaughterer, swiftly sever the veins, and direct the animal toward the Qiblah.

Concerning the Person Offering the Sacrifice:

• It is recommended that the person performs the slaughter themselves if they are able to do so.
• If the person appoints someone else to slaughter, it is recommended that they be present during the slaughter.
• The person should pronounce the name of Allāh and say “Allāhu ᾽Akbar” at the time of slaughter.
• It is recommended to say a specific supplication such as: “O Allāh, this is from You and for You. O Allāh, accept from me”—or “from [so-and-so]” if acting on behalf of another. As narrated by ῾Aā᾽ishah (may Allāh be pleased with her), when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was about to sacrifice a ram, he said: “In the name of Allāh. O Allāh, accept this from Muḥammad, the family of Muḥammad, and the ᾽Ummah of Muḥammad.” Then he sacrificed it. [Narrated by Muslim]. Similarly, in the ḥadīth of Jābir, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O Allāh, this is from You and for You, on behalf of Muḥammad and his ᾽Ummah. In the name of Allāh, and Allāh is the Greatest.” Then he slaughtered it. [Narrated by Abū Dāwūd, ᾽Aḥmad, and Ibn Mājah].
• It is recommended for the person to be swift in slaughtering if they do it themselves, and to quickly sever the veins to minimize the animal’s pain.
• It is recommended to involve family members and children so they become accustomed to the ritual and partake in its blessings.
• As for abstaining from cutting hair and nails from the start of Dhul-Ḥijjah, we have addressed this in a previous fatwā, where we concluded that it is neither obligatory nor recommended; the person has the same ruling as others who are not in a state of observing a sacrifice.
• The person should distribute the meat of the sacrifice among relatives and the poor in proportions that suit their circumstances.
• It is recommended to eat from the sacrifice, as Allāh says: “Then eat from them” [Al-Ḥajj 22:28, 36].
• The butcher should not be given any of the meat as payment, but it is permissible to give them some as a gift, like anyone else. Similarly, the skin should not be sold; since it has been dedicated to Allāh, it should be utilized, but not for sale.

Fatwā issued by Dr. Khālid Naṣr