Fatwa ID: 03216

Answered by: Maulana Tahsin Alam​

Question

Assalamualaikum

Is the Eid sacrifice compulsory or recommended?

2. What does the madhab say about having two wives in two separate households and plan to make a sacrifice for Eid, do you need to make two sacrifices?

3. How do we divide the animal correctly in terms of keeping meat, giving to friends and neighbours, the poor etc., and who constitutes as poor?

4. Which section of the key madhab texts details the Eid sacrifice?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

Answer:

1. The sacrifice is compulsory for those who meet the set criteria.[1] For more details regarding these criteria, please see- http://daruliftabirmingham.co.uk/qurbani-on-behalf-of-wife-and-children/.

2. In the Ḥanafimadhab, those that have met the requirements for the sacrifice to be compulsory (on them) must do so on behalf of themselves, one person cannot sacrifice on behalf of their family or household in a manner which will absolve them from their obligations of sacrifice.[2] If one was appointed as a representative by them (i.e. to slaughter a separate animal or purchase a share on behalf of them), then this will be permissible.

3. The shares of an animal must be evenly divided by weight, therefore weighing the different shares (evenly) is an obligation.  If all the partners agree not to weigh the shares, it will still not be permissible to distribute the animal without weighing it first. However, if all the shares contain some part of the feet or head of the animal (i.e. excess items/weight apart from the meat), then it will be permissible to distribute the shares without weighing.[3]

4. Please refer to “Kitab al-aḍāḥī/uḍḥiyah” (the book of sacrifices) in your respective fiqh book.

Only Allah SWT alone knows best.

Written by Maulana Tahsin Alam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham