Here it would be pertinent to mention the remarkable example of Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham, may Allah be pleased with him) who when asked in his dream to sacrifice something that he loves the most and precious to him. And like a true servant of Allah, he chose none other than his only son, Ismail (Ishmael) to sacrifice him in the name of Allah. Allah liked the great gesture of his beloved prophet and at the nick of the time when the prophet was to slaughter his son in the name of Allah, a lamb was replaced instead of his son and the sacrifice was accepted. It is to repeat this noble gesture that Muslims sacrifice animals during Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, to commemorate the great sacrifice of Prophet Ibraheem.
Thus, all those sacrificing animals on 10th of Dhul Hajja must keep in mind the choice of a precious gift to be sacrificed to please Allah. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has in this regard spelt out clear guidance about the qualities and requirements of an animal offered for Qurbani/Uḍḥiyah (sacrificial animal). These teachings emphasize that the sacrifice should be lawful, healthy, and offered sincerely for Allah.
The Purpose of Sacrifice
We must understand that we do not sacrifice an animal for its flesh or blood reaches our Creator - instead the purpose is taqwā (God-consciousness)
Allah says about sacrifice in Surah Al-Hajj: “Neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah, but what reaches Him is your taqwā.” (22:37)
So the outward act matters, but the inner sincerity matters even more. The sacrifice (called Qurbani) teaches: us (1) Obedience like Prophet Ibrahim, (2) gratitude, (3) charity, (4) detachment from worldly attachment, and above all (5) Concern for the poor - for a handsome portion of the sacrificial meat must be given to those who can not afford sacrificing an animal on Eid al Adha - the purpose to share not to consume all meat at home. It is both a spiritual and social act of worship.
Herein under are the prophetic guidelines for selecting an animal for the sacrifice (Qurbani):
1. The animal must be from specific lawful livestock
The Qur’an and Sunnah limit sacrificial animals to grazing livestock like Camels Cows/buffalo, Goats and Sheep/rams.
- Allah says in The Quran:
- “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice.” (108:2), and
- “For every nation We appointed a ritual sacrifice from the grazing livestock He provided for them…” (22:34)
2. The animal must reach the required age
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not slaughter except a musinnah (mature animal), unless it is difficult for you, in which case slaughter a جذعة (young sheep).” - Reported in Sahih Muslim.
Scholars explain the minimum ages as:
- Camel: 5 years (can be shared by up to 7 people).
- Cow/buffalo: 2 years (can be shared by up to 7 people).
- Goat: 1 year
- Sheep/ram: 6 months or more if healthy and well-grown
3. The animal must be free from major defects
Here we would like to mention one of the most important hadiths mentioned in Jami` at-Tirmidhi in the Book of Sacrifices (Chapter What Is Not Allowed For Slaughtering) as Hadith number 1497, shared herein under:
Narrated Al-Bara' bin 'Azib:
A Marfu' narration (from the Prophet (ﷺ)), saying: "A crippled animal whose limp is obvious is not to be slaughtered as sacrifice, nor an animal with a bad eye whose blindness is obvious, nor a sick animal whose sickness is obvious, nor an emaciated animal that has no marrow (in its bones)."
That is the Prophet ﷺ clearly spelt out four kinds of animals that are unacceptable for sacrifice:
- One clearly blind in one eye
- One clearly sick
- One clearly lame
- One extremely weak/emaciated
Scholars also included similar serious defects, such as: (1) missing most teeth, (2) severed ears/tail (major portion), (3) inability to walk normally, or with (4) severe injury.
The spirit of the teaching is that one should offer something respectable and wholesome to Allah, not defective leftovers.
4. The animal should be good, healthy, and of quality
The Prophet ﷺ personally chose good animals for sacrifice. He would sacrifice healthy, horned, and white-and-black rams. This teaches excellence (iḥsān) in worship.
Allah says: “You will never attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love.” (3:92)
So Qurbani is not merely a ritual killing; it reflects gratitude, devotion, and willingness to give valuable things for Allah’s sake.
5. Animal selected for sacrifice must not have been fed impure substances (Jallalah)
The animal must not have habitually consumed impure substances (Jallalah). Many scholars are of the view that if an animal has been eating impure things, it must be fed a pure, clean diet for a specified time before slaughter: Camels: 40 days, Cows: 30 days, Sheep: 7 days
6. The sacrifice must be done at the proper time
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever slaughtered before the prayer, let him repeat it.” - Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
That is the sacrifice is not valid if it is undertaken before the Eid prayer. The valid time begins after the Eid al-Adha prayer on 10th Dhul Hijjah, and continues through the days of Tashrīq (11th–13th according to many scholars).
7. The sacrifice should be done with mercy and kindness
Islam emphasizes compassion even during slaughter.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah has prescribed excellence in all things… when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and comfort the animal.”
This includes (1) Giving water and treating it gently before the slaughter, (2) Not torturing the animal - that is the knife must be very sharp to minimize pain, and it must not be sharpened in front of the animal, and (3) NOT slaughtering one animal in front of another.
Important: The name of Allah must be invoked during the slaughter (Bismillahi Allahu Akbar). If it is not done, the slaughter / sacrifice become invalid.
8. Distribution of Meat The meat is traditionally divided into three parts: one for personal/family consumption, one for friends/relatives, and one to be donated to the poor and needy.
Let us not sacrifice an animal with a fanfare as a show off - rather it should be done with extreme humility as an act of worship and thankfulness to Allah for having blessed us means to do so. Many people are shown on social media boasting buying a very expensive animal, which undermines the spirit of sacrifice. Let us offer our sacrificial animal to please Allah and then share its meat with the poor and relatives.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Hajj – the Fifth Pillar of Islam to know more about Hadiths related to Hajj.
For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Photo | Source of Hadith | Resource Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | Help also taken from ChatGPT for expanding meaning of the Hadith
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