These Are the 7 Conditions of Sacrifice in Islam and Its Verses

The month of Dhul-Hijjah has come. Soon we will do one of the worships that is really liked by Allah SWT, which is sacrifice. Allah said in Al-Kauthar verse 2,

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ

“Then do prayer because of your God, and sacrifice (as a worship to get closer to Allah).”

The Prophet also suggested to do sacrifice. The Prophet SAW said:

“Whoever has a spaciousness but he does not slaughter the sacrifice, do not approach our prayer place.” (Hadith Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim validated it)

In sacrificing, there are some conditions that must be fulfilled so that the worship becomes valid and is accepted by Allah SWT. To be easier to understand it, the following are some conditions in sacrificing that must be fulfilled:

1. Muslim

The sacrificial animals are not accepted if those who sacrifice are unbelievers. This is because the sacrifice is a form of self-approach to Allah, meanwhile, unbelievers deny Allah SWT.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said:

{ قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (162) لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (163) }

“Say: Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are only for Allah, the God of the universe. There is no ally for Him and thus that is ordered to me and I am the first person that surrender my self (to Allah).” (QS. Al-An’am: 162-163)

2. Baligh and rational

Another condition that must be fulfilled is those who sacrifice must have been baligh and rational. The children and insane people are not ordered to sacrifice.

3. Mukim

Sacrifice is taken from the wealth that is obtained continuously, it is not something brought when traveling which is the provision of the traveler. Therefore, the next condition is mukim. However, this does not rule out the possibility for a traveler to do the sacrifice as long as he intends it and is able to do it. This was shown by the Prophet in the past.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ – رضى الله عنها – أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَحَاضَتْ بِسَرِفَ ، قَبْلَ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ مَكَّةَ وَهْىَ تَبْكِى فَقَالَ « مَا لَكِ أَنَفِسْتِ » . قَالَتْ نَعَمْ . قَالَ « إِنَّ هَذَا أَمْرٌ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى بَنَاتِ آدَمَ ، فَاقْضِى مَا يَقْضِى الْحَاجُّ غَيْرَ أَنْ لاَ تَطُوفِى بِالْبَيْتِ » . فَلَمَّا كُنَّا بِمِنًى أُتِيتُ بِلَحْمِ بَقَرٍ ، فَقُلْتُ مَا هَذَا قَالُوا ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – عَنْ أَزْوَاجِهِ بِالْبَقَرِ

From ‘Aisyah radhiyallahu ‘anha, she said, the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam once met her and she was menstruating at Sarif before she entered Mecca and she was crying. Then he said to ‘Aisyah, “What happened to you? Are you menstruating?” ‘Aisyah answered, “Yes.” He said, “This is something that has been determined by Allah to women. Do it like what is done by people who do hajj besides doing thawaf in Baitul Haram.” When we were in Mina, I was given beef. Then I said, “What is this?” They (the companions) said, “The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallan sacrificed for his wives with cows.”

4. Livestock

The animals that are sacrificed must be from the group of livestock and cannot be from other animals. There are livestock that are meant are goats, sheep, cows, buffalo, camels, and other similar animals. Allah said in Surah Al-Hajj verse 67,

لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكًا هُمْ نَاسِكُوهُ ۖ فَلَا يُنَازِعُنَّكَ فِي الْأَمْرِ ۚ وَادْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى مُسْتَقِيمٍ

“For every people, We have determined the certain sharia that they do, then do not ever let them deny you in this matter (sharia) and say to your God (religion). Indeed, you are really on a straight way.”

5. Old enough

The animals that are slaughtered for the sacrifice must also have been old enough. This is in accordance with the words of the Prophet.

The Prophet SAW said,

“Do not slaughter except musinnah, however if you are difficult to get it then slaughter jadza’ah from goat.” (Hadith Muslim)

‘Musinnah (that has grown its incisors) is two from everything, which is a camel, cow and goat or more.

Musinnah in a cow is 2 years old and has entered the 3rd year.

Musinnah in a camel is 5 years old and has entered the 6th year. So that it is not accepted as sacrifice if it is less than that provision. (See Sahih Fiqh Sunnah by Shaykh Kamal bin Abdul Malik Sayyid Salim hafidzahullah page 370-371/II published by Maktabah Tauqifiyah of Egypt)

6. Free from defects

The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam when he was asked that the sacrificial animals must be avoided from (defects), what were those? He gestured with his fingers and said:

” أربعاً : العرجاء البين ظلعها ، والعوراء البين عورها ، والمريضة البين مرضها ، والعجفاء التي لا تنقى “. رواه مالك في الموطأ من حديث البراء بن عازب

“Four things: clearly limping, one-sided blind, clearly ill, very thin.” (Hadith Malik in the “Muwatha” from hadith al Bara’ bin ‘Azib)

Meanwhile, in another narrative from him radhiyallahu ‘anhu, said: the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam stood between us and said:

” أربع لا تجوز في الأضاحي ” وذكر نحوه . صححه الألباني من إرواء الغليل ( 1148(

“Four things that are not allowed on the sacrificial animals…” and he mentioned it like in the narrative above. (Validated by al Bani in “Irwa’ Ghalil” 1148)

7. Slaughtered in time

Sacrificial animals cannot be slaughtered outside the time that has been determined or the status does not become a sacrifice anymore but it is a regular slaughter. The slaughter day is after the Eid al-Adha prayer until sunset on the last day of Tashreeq, which is 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.

The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

” من ذبح قبل الصلاة فإنما هو لحم قدمه لأهله وليس من النسك في شيء “.

“Whoever sacrifices before prayer, then the slaughter becomes food for his family and it is not a (sacrifice) worship at all.”

Jundub bin Sufyan al Bajali radhiyallahu ‘anhu said: I witnessed the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

” من ذبح قبل أن يصلي فليعد مكانها أخرى “.

“Whoever sacrifices before prayer, then he must repeat it with another animal (after prayer).”

And from Nabisyah al Hudzali radhiyallahu ‘anhu, said: the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

” أيام التشريق أيام أكل وشرب وذكر لله عز وجل ” رواه مسلم.

“The Tashreeq days are the days of eating and drinking, and do dhikr to Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla.” (Hadith Muslim)