Is it permissible to agree with a butcher to purchase the meat of an animal after it has been slaughtered — for instance, by buying the meat of a sheep at a price determined by the weight of its meat following slaughter, at a fixed rate per kilogram? And what is the ruling if the animal is being purchased with the intention of it being an uḍḥiyyah (sacrificial offering)?
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is not permissible to sell livestock in the manner of pricing each kilogram of meat after slaughter at a fixed rate, because the meat within the animal prior to slaughter is unseen and unknown. This leads to jahālah (ignorance of the subject matter) and gharar (contractual uncertainty), both of which are among the invalidating factors in sales transactions.
However, it is permissible for the buyer to issue a promise to purchase the meat of the animal after slaughter at a specified price per kilogram, with the actual sale being concluded at the time of weighing the meat — at which point both the quantity of the goods and the total price become known. There is no Sharī'ah objection to this arrangement.
The jurists have stipulated that for a sale to be valid, both countervalues must be present and observable. Al-Khaṭīb al-Shirbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states:
"It is valid to sell a heap of grain whose total measure is unknown to both contracting parties at a rate of one sā' per dirham. This sale is valid because the subject of sale is present and observable, and ignorance of the total price is not harmful since it is known in detail — and uncertainty is thereby lifted."— [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol.2/P.355]
As for the uḍḥiyyah, the 'aqīqah, and vowed blood sacrifices (al-dam al-mandhūr) — full ownership of the animal must be established prior to slaughter. It is not valid for such animals to be slaughtered while still in the ownership of the butcher. Rather, the animal must be purchased alive and then slaughtered with the intention of uḍḥiyyah or the like. And Allah Almighty knows best.
What is the meaning of the Udhiyah?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Udhiyah (Sacrificial Offering) refers to the livestock (An'am) that is slaughtered as an act of drawing closer to Allah the Almighty. This takes place on the day of Eid al-Adha (the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah) and during the three days of Tashreeq that follow the day of Eid. And Allah the Exalted knows best.
Who is "the poor" entitled to receive Zakah (obligatory charity)?
The poor is the one who has neither money nor a source of living, or has either of them, but it isn`t sufficient such as being in need for a hundred/JDs, and having an income of forty/JDs only.
Is it permissible for one who sacrifices on behalf of another, with the latter's permission, to eat from the sacrifice?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is permissible for one who sacrifices on behalf of another with his permission to eat from the sacrifice with his permission, and he takes his place in distributing its meat.
It is stated in Hashiyat al-Jamal 'ala Sharh al-Minhaj (Vol.5/P.262): 'If a person sacrifices on behalf of a living individual with his permission, does he take the place of that individual in distributing the meat, because permission for the sacrifice implies permission for distribution, or does it depend on explicit permission? There is room for consideration, but the former view is not far-fetched.' And Allah Almighty knows best."
