Using different animals for sacrifice.
Q. Why in Trinidad do we use the bull to sacrifice? Isn’t it sunnah to use a sheep?
A. In Trinidad, Muslims use all the different animals to slaughter for Qurbani. Some use the bull, others use the goat and many use the sheep. People use that which is convenient to them since they are all permissible animals for sacrifice.
At the masjid level, people are invited to take shares in the bull, since this might be easier in order to accommodate more people (seeing that seven people can share in one bull, while this is not the case with the sheep). Taking a share may also be more affordable for a person, than purchasing a sheep. So, for these reasons and more, people may prefer to join together in large animals (like the bull), instead of everyone purchasing a small animal (like the sheep).
With respect to sheep, it is evident in the ahadith (traditions) that the Prophet (SAS) used sheep for the sacrifice (Ahmad).It is also evident in the hadith, that Jabir (RA) said, ‘We went with the Messenger of Allah (SAS) to perform Hajj, and he ordered that seven of us should join together in the sacrifice of a camel and a bull’. (Muslim)
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan