Fatawaa

Subject : Islamic Ruling on Sacrificing one Sheep on Behalf of a Single Household
Fatwa Number : 4383
Date : 31-03-2026
Classified : Aqeeqah, Udhihiah and other Slaughtered Animals
Fatwa Type : Summarized Fatawaa

Question :

Does sacrificing one sheep avail for the entire household?



The Answer :

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

 

In Islamic jurisprudence, the sacrifice (Udhiyah) is considered a Communal Sunnah (Sunnah Kifayah) for the members of a single household who share the same financial support.

 

If one member of the household performs the sacrifice—even if they are not the primary breadwinner, such as the wife or one of the children—the religious request is fulfilled on behalf of the entire household. This is similar to the Funeral Prayer (Salat al-Janazah), where the obligation is dropped for the community if some perform it.

 

 While the communal request is satisfied by one person's action, the specific spiritual reward (Thawab) for the act of worship belongs only to the person who sacrificed, unless that individual explicitly intends to include the other family members in the reward.

 

 A single sacrifice also avails for a man who is married to more than one wife. And Allah the Almighty knows best.






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