ANIMAL SACRIFICE IN EID AL-ADHA

By Muhammad Solaiman

What types of animals are sacrificed in Eid Al-Adha?

The sacrificed animals include sheep, goats, camels and cattle.

Is animal sacrifice obligatory?

Animal sacrifice is not a pillar of Islam. It is recommended on those who can afford it and are not performing Hajj.

Allah has permitted Muslims to eat the meat of certain designated animals only if they pronounce His name at the act of slaughtering.

Animal sacrifice is in the context of thanking Allah for providing us with these animals for our sustenance.

What is the purpose of animal sacrifice (the Udhiya)?

1. The Udhiya is a ritual that manifests one’s gratitude to Allah.
2. The Udhiya commemorates the extraordinary faith (Iman) and obedience of Abraham and Ishmael (PBUT) to Allah.
3. The Udhiya is an overt demonstration that Allah made it moral for us to take the life of the designated creatures to fulfil our need for food.
4. The sacrificed animal is traditionally shared with friends and the poor. Therefore, the needy have the opportunity to eat meat and share the happiness of Eid.

Nowadays most sacrificed animals of the two million pilgrims are slaughtered, processed, frozen and shipped to the needy of Africa and Asia.

Is animal sacrifice obligatory?

Animal sacrifice is not a pillar of Islam and it is not obligatory for Muslims to eat meat.

The majority of scholars consider animal sacrifice a confirmed Sunnah for pilgrims and call it Hadiy. Some scholars consider it obligatory those who can afford it.

For those who are not performing Hajj, animal sacrifice is not obligatory. However, it is recommended if they can afford it.

It is important to understand that animal sacrifice itself, as practised by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning sins. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“It is not their meat, nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him” (Qur’an 22:37).

Etiquettes of animal sacrifice

God has allowed us to eat the meat of some designated animals, only if we pronounce His name in the solemn act of animal slaughtering. The animal to be sacrificed must be treated in the most humane way of killing.

1. One should internally remember the significance of this sacrifice and what it represents.
2. One must use a very sharp knife and the slaughter must be as quick as possible. The sharpening of the knife should be done away from the field of vision of the animals.
3. The animal should be given water before the sacrifice and should be gently brought to the place where it will be slaughtered.
4. The animal should be slaughtered out of the field of vision of the other animals.
5. The one doing the slaughter should face the Qiblah (Makkah).
6. Before the slaughter one should say, Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) thrice followed by the statement, “In the name of Allah”.
7. The two major arteries of the animal should be cut along with the windpipe.