Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

As salaamu Alaikum,

QUESTION:

Recently a question was asked to me, would one sacrifice be sufficient for a household even though each member of the household has the nisaab. They came across a hadith, that some here in Trinidad also follow, where it speaks of the Prophet (s.a.w) did only one sacrifice for himself and his household for the qurbani, as well as other Sahabas at that time did this as well. As I don’t have the knowledge to respond to this matter, can you give some clarity and explanation to the dear sister.

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

ANSWER:

When each member of the household is an adult (has reached the age of puberty) and possesses the Nisaab, then a sacrifice (Qurbani) becomes Wajib on him/her. One sacrifice would not be sufficient for the entire household in this case, but each person who has the Nisaab must do it. This is based on the hadith of the Prophet (S.A.S) in which he said, ‘Whoever finds the ability (to do the sacrifice), but does not do it, let him not come close to our place of performing Salah (that is, the Eid Salah). (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Dar Qutni, Hakim). In another hadith, the Prophet (S.A.S) said, ‘Whoever, for whom there is ability/wealth and does not do the sacrifice, then let him not come to our Musalla (place of performing Eid Salah). (In other words, let him not offer Eid Salah with us because of his negligence in doing a sacrifice when he has the means to do so).

These are strong and stern words which have been used against a person who neglects the sacrifice when he has the means to do it. The Fuqaha (expert Jurists) have stated that such words are not used for neglecting something which is not Wajib. (Such rebuke is given for one who neglects something which is deemed to be essential. (Al Fiqh Al Islami Wa Adilatuhu Vol. 4 page. 2704 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta Pakistan).

A careful examination of the above  tradition, shows that the Prophet (S.A.S) used the words ‘Whoever has the ability’ and ‘That person who has the wealth/means’. These words  show that a direct instruction has been given to an individual who has the means to do a sacrifice, to fulfill the requirement of doing a sacrifice (Qurbani). Therefore, every person who has sufficient wealth to do a Qurbani is an addressee of the Prophet’s directive. It means that if a husband has the money to do a Qurbani, then he has to do it based upon the instruction of the Prophet (S.A.S), and if the wife also has the money to do a Qurbani, then she must do it because the Prophet (S.A.S) said, ‘Whoever has the ability/means/wealth to do it’.

‘Whoever’ is a subject pronoun that is directed to one who has to do an action. Therefore, every person male / female who possesses the wealth / means to do a sacrifice, has been addressed in the above two traditions. These Ahadith do not give any indication that the head of the household alone is instructed to do the Qurbani, nor do they give any indication that one sacrifice suffices for the entire household.

In another hadith, the Prophet (S.A.S) is reported to have said “Do the sacrifice, for it is the practice / tradition of your father Ibraheem (Alaihi As Salaam)”. (Ibn Majah  Hadith No. 3127; Al Baihaqi 9:261). In this tradition, an official instruction has been given to a person to do the sacrifice.

The scholars have also stated that the instruction to do the sacrifice (Qurbani) has also been given in the Holy Quran. In Surah Al-Kawthar, Allah says “So perform Salah for your lord and do the sacrifice”. (Surah Al-Kawthar Verse 2). The scholars of Tafseer have stated that in this verse, Allah has instructed the believers to perform the Eid ul Adha Salah and then do the sacrifice. (Bazl Al Majhood- Commentary of Sunan Abu Dawood Vol. 9 pg 530 Darul Basha’ir Beirut 2006).

With respect to the sacrifice (Qurbani) done by the Prophet (S.A.S), it is mentioned that he sacrificed different amount of animals on separate occasions. In a hadith,  Anas (R.A)  said “The Prophet (S.A.S) sacrificed seven camels with his hands while standing, and sacrificed at Madinah two horned rams which were white with black markings.” (Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No. 2793)

In another tradition, Aisha (R.A) stated “The Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) ordered a horned ram with black legs, black belly and black round the eyes, and it was bought for him to sacrifice. He (S.A.S) said “Aisha,  bring the knife.” Then he said “Sharpen it with a stone.” So I did. He took it, and taking the ram, he placed it on the ground and slaughtered it. He then said “In the name of Allah. O Allah, accept it from Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and from the Ummah of Muhammad.” Then he sacrificed it.” (Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith no. 2792)

In another tradition, Nafi narrated that Abdullah bin Umar (R.A) said, “The Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) used to slaughter camels and sheep as sacrifices at the place of Eid Salah.” (Sahih Bukhari Book 68 Hadith No. 459)

Anas (RA) also narrated, ‘The Prophet (SAS) came towards two horned rams having black and white colors and slaughtered them with his own hands’ (Bukhari Bk 68 Hadith No 461).

The above narrations show that the Prophet (S.A.S) sacrificed a different amount of animals on different occasions. In fact, in the narration of Aisha (R.A), she stated that he also slaughtered cows on behalf of his wives. (Bukhari Book 68 Hadith Nos 456, 466). On the occasion of the farewell pilgrimage, he sacrificed 100 camels.

It is also narrated that from the time the law of Udhhiya (sacrifice) become ordained in Islam (in 2 AH), the Prophet (S.A.S) never left out doing a sacrifice. In the hadith recorded by Ahmad and Tirmidhi, Abdullah bin Umar (R.A) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) stayed in Medinah for 10 years, and he did the sacrifice every year.

With respect to the action of the Prophet (S.A.S) where he did the sacrifice on behalf of himself and his family, this has been mentioned in the above traditions where he said at the time of doing the sacrifice. “O Allah, accept it from Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.”

Based on this, and other similar traditions, some Imams of Fiqh and other scholars, have stated that it is permissible for one to sacrifice an animal on behalf of himself and his household and this would be sufficient for the entire household. It is also reported that some Sahabahs used to do this as recorded in the tradition of Ata Ibn Yassar who said “I asked Abu Ayyub, how was the sacrifice done at the time of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S)? He said “A man would offer a sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his family, and they would eat some and feed others with some.” (Jami At Tirmidhi)

Another hadith to this effect has also been narrated by Mikhnaf bin Sulaim who said that the Prophet (S.A.S) said, “O People, certainly upon the people of every house in every year is a sacrifice (Udhhiya) and Atirah. Do you know what the Atirah is? It is what you call the Rajab sacrifice.” (Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith #2788)

Other great Imams of Fiqh however, like Imam Abu Hanifa (R.A) and others, have stated that as long as one possesses the means / wealth (Nisaab) to do a sacrifice (Qurbani), and has reached the age of puberty, then he / she is responsible to do a sacrifice. The sacrifice offered by another person cannot suffice for him / her when he / she possesses the means to do it. This is based on the clear  instructions given in the hadith of the Prophet (saw) when he said, “Whoever finds the means / ability / wealth and (still) does not do a sacrifice, then he must not come to our place of Eid.” This hadith shows how upset the Prophet (saw) became with a person, who did not do a sacrifice while having the means to do so, that he did not even want that person to come and join the Eid Salah with him. As stated by the scholars, this  action of the Prophet (S.A.S)  is a clear evidence  which indicates that the person  has done a grave wrong by not doing the sacrifice when he has the means to do so. (Al Inayah- Sharh Al Hidayah Vol 11 pg 8 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta)

With respect to the above tradition where it shows that the sacrifice of one person (the head of the household) sufficed for the rest of the household, and also the narration which states that the Prophet (S.A.S) sacrificed an animal (a ram) on behalf of himself and his household, scholars have stated that the traditions do not refer to the Qurbani which is Wajib upon an individual on account of possessing wealth / Nisaab. But these were done as a means of letting the other members of the household / family share in the blessings / rewards of the sacrifice which was done.

This understanding can be deduced from the fact that when the Prophet (S.A.S) sacrificed two rams, he said regarding one, that it was on behalf of himself and his household, and he said about the other one that it was on behalf of his Ummah.  If the ruling is established from the sacrifice of the first ram that it would suffice for his entire household, and they did not have to do any sacrifice (even if they had the means to do so), then in a similar manner, the ruling should also be deduced that since the sacrifice of the second ram was done for the Ummah, then the Ummah should be absolved from doing the sacrifice since the Prophet (S.A.S) himself did a sacrifice on their behalf. ( For example, a person from the Ummah can simply say that the Prophet (SAS) already did a sacrifice on his behalf, so there is no need for him to do it). Obviously, no scholar would say this, and no one would deduce this understanding, since the reason for sacrificing only one ram on behalf of thousands of people from his Ummah, can only be for the sake of sharing  the blessings with them, and not to absolve them from a law which can become essential upon them when they are well-to-do. Therefore, from the above narrations, it can be said that one can do a sacrifice on behalf of others (living or dead), so that they may share in the blessings of the sacrifice, but one cannot do it in order to absolve others from doing it when they possess the means (individually) to do it.

While explaining this, the great scholar of Fiqh and Hadith, Al Imam al Muhadith, Sheikh Khaleel Ahmad (AR) writes, “ I have seen in Al Badaa’i, ‘If it is said, ‘has it not been narrated that the Prophet (S.A.S) sacrificed two rams, one for himself and his family and the other for his Ummah’, so how did he sacrifice only one animal on behalf of his Ummah?’ The answer to this, is that ‘he (the Prophet (S.A.S) did that only for the sake of blessings (thawaab). He gave the blessings of his sacrifice of one animal (ram) to his Ummah. It was not done for the sake of literally assigning a portion of the animal to them, nor was it done to absolve them from fulfilling this act of Ibadah. (Bazl Al Majhood – Sharh of Sunan Abu Dawood Vol 9 page 539 Dar Al Basha’ir Beirut 2006).

Therefore, it can be said that when a person sacrificed a ram on behalf of himself and his family, it was done so that they can all share in the blessings of the sacrifice, and not that one ram actually  sufficed as a sacrifice (Qurbani) for  each and every member of the entire family. It must also be understood that the Prophet (SAS) and the Sahabahs lived in difficult economic times. The Prophet (SAS) did not possess dirhams or dinars for Zakaah to become essential upon him, yet, he gave to others whatever he had. His family members also, including the wives and children, did not own a Nisaab of Zakaah, nor were they wealthy. Therefore, it was easy for only the breadwinner of the family who was the head of the household to do the sacrifice (Qurbani).

With respect to how much people can share in an animal, it is authentically narrated from Jabir (R.A) that he said, “We slaughtered a cow on behalf of seven people and a camel on behalf of seven, while we were with the Prophet (S.A.S).” (Muslim in Kitab Al Hajj; Abu Dawood in Chap. of Al Udhiya). Imam An Nasai has also recorded from Jabir (R.A) that the Prophet (S.A.S) said, “A cow is done on behalf of seven (people) and a camel is done on behalf of seven (people).” (An Nasaii in Kitab Al Hajj)

The above narrations show that a cow and a camel can each suffice for seven people for the sacrifice (Qurbani), as instructed by the Prophet (S.A.S). As for a goat or sheep, the Fuqaha (Jurist experts) have stated that since it is a small animal, it will suffice for only one person. The great companion of the Prophet (SAW), Abdullah bin Umar (RA) said,’ A sheep/goat is done for one person’. Allama Al Aini has also stated that it is mentioned that there is Ijma (concensus) of the scholars on this. (Al Inayah- Sharh Al Hidayah Vol 11 pg 16).

As for the act of the Prophet (S.A.S) where he sacrificed one ram for his family, the great Muhadith and jurist, Allama Badrudeen Al Aini (R.A) writes, ‘the Prophet (S.A.S) used to sacrifice and entrust / give the blessings (thawaab) to his household’. (Al Binayah – Sharh Al Hidayah by Al Aini ,Vol. 11 Pg. 17 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta Pakistan)

From this explanation, it is understood that while a person can do a sacrifice and ask Allah to grant the blessings of it to many people (as the Prophet (S.A.S) did for his Ummah), one cannot do a sacrifice to absolve others from doing it, when it becomes essential upon them. In other words, a man cannot sacrifice a sheep / goat for himself and also say that it is for his wife and adult children, when each of them possesses the Nisaab individually. If however, he sacrifices a cow / bull, then besides himself, he can include six other people in that animal who wish to do the sacrifice.

The books of Fiqh have clearly stated that the Udhiya (sacrifice, Qurbani) is Wajib (essential) on every Muslim (who has reached the age of puberty), who is free (not a slave), resident (not a traveler) and well-to-do (has the means /wealth, nisaab) on the days of sacrifice. This ruling is based on the authentic hadith of the Prophet (S.A.S) which states, “Whoever possesses the means and does not do a sacrifice, let him not come close to our place of Salah (for Eid)” (Ibn Majah in his Sunan from Abu Hurairah (R.A), Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shaibah, Sunan Dar Qutni, Mustadrak of Hakim)

Allama Ibn Jawzi (RA) writes in At Tahqeeq, this hadith indicates that doing the sacrifice is Wajib (essential). This is also the verdict of many great Imams of Fiqh and scholars from the early centuries of Islam until today. (Al Binayah- Sharh of Al Hidaya Vol 11 Pgs 6 – 16 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta).

And Allah Knows best

Mufti Waseem Khan

18/07/2021