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Statement on Udhiyah as one of the Central Rituals on Eid al-Adha
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 04-07-2023

Statement on Udhiyah as one of the Central Rituals on Eid al-Adha

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

The ritual of Udhiyah (Sacrificial animal offered during Eid al-Adha) is one of the great rituals of Allah, which includes the meaning of offering sacrifice for His sake, and promoting the values of social solidarity and cooperation between people through preserving human life, feeding the poor and needy, and spreading love among the people. Almighty Allah says {What means}: " It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches God: it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify God for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right." {Al-Haj, 37}. He also says {What means}:  "then eat ye thereof and feed the distressed ones in want." {al-Haj, 28}. 

 

Islam is the religion of mercy and kindness, which Allah the Almighty and His Noble Prophet have enjoined as far as dealing with all elements of life is concerned. Shaddad bin Aus (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Verily, Allah has prescribed proficiency in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill in the least painful manner you can; and when you slaughter an animal, do it in the best possible way; and any of you should sharpen his blade so that the animal may be spared from the suffering of the slaughtering." {Transmitted by Muslim}. Therefore, the Muslim's view of the elements of the environment is not aggressive or vengeful. Rather, it rests on sustaining, reforming and preserving these elements, and this is one of the principles of Islamic law. Allah says {What means}: "Do no mischief on the earth, after it hath been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts): for the Mercy of God is (always) near to those who do good." {Al-A`raf, 56}. It is not permissible for someone who does not understand the high meanings of Udhiyah to be led by deceptive emotions and illusionary mood to stir up sedition in society by criticizing one of the rituals of Allah for a suspicion that has come to his mind. This is in order not be amongst those addressed in the following verse: "But say not - for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,- "This is lawful, and this is forbidden," so as to ascribe false things to God. For those who ascribe false things to God, will never prosper." {An-Nahil, 116}. Verily, Allah, the Most High, Who has ordained sacrifice, is the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate. No one is more merciful to His creation than He is. He is the Most Wise and the Most Knowing. Therefore, it is not permissible for anyone to transgress His rulings or to delve into them without knowledge. Allah says {What means}: " Yet there is among men such a one as disputes about God, without Knowledge, without Guidance, and without a Book of Enlightenment,-" {Al-Haj, 8}.

 

We also emphasize the fact that some people slaughtering these sacrificial animals without kindness and mercy is contrary to the guidance of the Prophet (PBUH) and his Sunnah and the rules of one of the greatest rites of Allah the Almighty. Allah says {What means}: "Such (is his state): and whoever holds in honour the symbols of God, (in the sacrifice of animals), such (honour) should come truly from piety of heart." {Al-Haj, 32}.

 

We ask Allah to protect our country from the evils of sedition, concealed and revealed. "But God tells (you) the Truth, and He shows the (right) Way." {Al-Ahzab, 4}. And all perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

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Summarized Fatawaa

Does the Obligatory Ritual Bath (Ghusl) Suffice in Place of Ablution (Wuḍūʾ)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The more prudent course is to perform ablution (wuḍūʾ) after the ritual bath (ghusl), so as to exit the difference of scholarly opinion and because the sufficiency of the ritual bath in place of ablution is contingent upon a number of conditions and requirements being met. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

I work overtime after regular working hours and may become occupied with my phone or the work computer for personal matters — what is the ruling on this?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory upon an employee to abide by the instructions and regulations governing overtime hours, and equally obligatory to uphold honesty and avoid all forms of deception and dishonesty. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "O you who have believed, be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful." [Al-Tawbah/ 119]
Whoever is assigned to work overtime must be present at his workplace — even if he has no specific tasks to carry out at that time. In such a case, he should strive as best he can to spend that time in a manner that benefits the institution he works for. If there is genuinely no work for him to do, there is no objection to occupying his time with something beneficial — such as reciting the Holy Qurʾān, reading, or listening to educational lessons — provided he has already completed all the responsibilities assigned to him.
If, however, he does have work to complete, he must spend that time fulfilling it. He may attend to phone calls or other personal matters to the extent that is customarily acceptable, as long as this does not result in delaying or postponing his work. If he delays his work on account of personal preoccupations, the wages he received for that wasted time are not lawfully his to keep, and he is obliged to return the equivalent amount to the institution by whatever means available to him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

My father has debts and asked me to repay them years ago, and I promised him I would do so upon his death — is it permissible for me to go back on my promise given that I am unable to repay them, especially since he refuses to contribute to repayment on the grounds that the debt has become my responsibility by virtue of my promise?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The established principle is that a father's debt is to be repaid from his own wealth, if he possesses sufficient means. As for the promise made by the son to repay it on his father's behalf, fulfilling such a promise is strongly recommended, and breaking it is considerably disliked. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Fulfilling a promise is emphatically recommended, and breaking it is severely disliked. The evidences for this from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah are well known." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn,Vol. 2/P.278] Shaykh al-Islām Imām Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī, may Allah have mercy upon him, further states: "The reason fulfilling a promise is not obligatory and breaking it is not forbidden is that a promise is in the nature of a gift, and a gift does not become binding except upon receipt." [Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib,Vol. 2/P.487]
Given that the son does not possess the financial means to fulfil his promise to his father, breaking this promise falls beyond his capacity — and Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Since the father himself possesses sufficient wealth to settle his own debt, repayment must be made from his own funds. Should he pass away before doing so, the debt is to be settled from his estate. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Does sacrificing one sheep avail for the entire household?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) is a communal Sunnah (Sunnah Kifayah) for members of the same household, provided that their financial maintenance is undertaken by a single provider. By "communal Sunnah," we mean that when one person performs it, the religious recommendation is fulfilled on behalf of the entire household, though the spiritual reward itself belongs uniquely to the one who offered it.
 
Therefore, if any member of the household performs the sacrifice—even if it is someone who is not legally responsible for the household's expenses, such as the wife or one of the children—the recommendation is fulfilled for everyone in that home. However, the reward does not automatically extend to the other members unless the person offering the sacrifice explicitly intends to share the reward with them—similar to how performing a funeral prayer (Janazah) fulfills the communal obligation for everyone, yet the specific reward is earned by those who actually prayed.
 
Additionally, a single sacrifice is sufficient for a man who is married to more than one wife. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

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