6 Manners of Sacrifice in Islam for Muslims and Its Verses

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said:

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ.

“Then establish prayer because of your God and sacrifice.” (QS. Al-Kauthar: 2)

The order of sacrifice, especially for those who are able to do it, becomes an obligation that should be fulfilled immediately. In doing sacrifice, there are some manners that must be followed. The following are 6 manners of sacrifice in Islam for Muslims and its verses:

1. Intention

ٍعَنْ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ وَلِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ

From Umar radhiyallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said, “The deed depends on the intention. Whoever emigrates to Allah and His Prophet, then emigrate to Allah and His Prophet, and whoever emigrates because of the world or the woman who he wants to marry, then his emigration is in accordance with where he emigrates.” (Hadith Bukhari, Muslim, and four Imam of Hadith Experts)

Each deed depends on the intention, so does in the sacrifice. Intend in the heart that sacrifice that is done is for Allah SWT.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِيْ وَنُسُكِيْ وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

Say: “Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are only for Allah, God of the universe.” (QS. Al-An’am: 162)

2. Do not cut nails or hair

Those who sacrifice should not cut the nails or hair when the month of Dhul-Hijjah has come.

From Ummu Salamah from the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,

مَن كانَ لَهُ ذِبحٌ يَذبَـحُه فَإِذَا أَهَلَّ هِلاَلُ ذِى الْحِجَّةِ فَلاَ يَأْخُذَنَّ مِنْ شَعْرِهِ وَلاَ مِنْ أَظْفَارِهِ شَيْئًا حَتَّى يُضَحِّىَ

“Whoever has had an animal that wants to be sacrificed, if it has entered the 1st Dhul-Hijjah, then do not cut the slightest part of his hair and nails until he finishes slaughtering.” (Hadith Muslim 5236, Abu Daud 2793, and others)

That prohibition applies for cutting in any way and for any part of nails and hair. It means that it includes the prohibition of bald shaving or only partial shaving, or only pluck it. It is either the hair that grows in the head, mustache, around the private parts or armpits. (Sahih Fiqh Sunnah, 2/376)

3. Sacrifice with the allowed animals

It is not allowed to sacrifice with the animals other than livestock that are allowed such as cows, lambs, sheep, and others. Allah said,

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكًا لِيَذْكُرُوْا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُمْ مِنْ بَهِيْمَةِ الأَنْعَامِ.

“And for every people, We have ordered the slaughter (sacrifice), so that they mention the name of Allah towards the livestock that Allah has given to them.” (QS. Al-Hajj: 34)

4. Use a sharp knife

Use a sharp knife when doing the slaughter so that the sacrificial animals do not feel pain for too long. Using a dull knife will become one of the wrongdoings in animals.

عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ قَالَ ثِنْتَانِ حَفِظْتُهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ فَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ

From Syadad bin Aus, he said, “There are two things that I memorize from the words of the Prophet, which are, Indeed Allah obligates to do good towards everything. If you kill, then kill with a good way. Likewise, if you slaughter, then slaughter with a good way. You should sharpen the knife and make those sacrificial animals feel happy.” (Hadith Muslim)

5. Face qibla

The slaughter must be done by facing qibla. The animals are put by facing the qibla as a form of piety to Allah SWT.

عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَأَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا أَهْدَى هَدْيًا مِنْ الْمَدِينَةِ قَلَّدَهُ وَأَشْعَرَهُ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ يُقَلِّدُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُشْعِرَهُ وَذَلِكَ فِي مَكَانٍ وَاحِدٍ وَهُوَ مُوَجَّهٌ لِلْقِبْلَةِ يُقَلِّدُهُ بِنَعْلَيْنِ وَيُشْعِرُهُ مِنْ الشِّقِّ الْأَيْسَرِ ثُمَّ يُسَاقُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى يُوقَفَ بِهِ مَعَ النَّاسِ بِعَرَفَةَ ثُمَّ يَدْفَعُ بِهِ مَعَهُمْ إِذَا دَفَعُوا فَإِذَا قَدِمَ مِنًى غَدَاةَ النَّحْرِ نَحَرَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَحْلِقَ أَوْ يُقَصِّرَ وَكَانَ هُوَ يَنْحَرُ هَدْيَهُ بِيَدِهِ يَصُفُّهُنَّ قِيَامًا وَيُوَجِّهُهُنَّ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ ثُمَّ يَأْكُلُ وَيُطْعِمُ

From Nafi’ from Abdullah bin Umar, that was Ibn Umar if he brought the hadyu from Medina then he marked that the animal was a hadyu animal by hanging something on it and hurting its hump in the Dhul Hulaifah area. He hung something before he hurt it. These two things were done in one place. While facing qibla, he hung the animal with two sandals and he hurt it from the left side. He brought this animal until he invited to wuquf in Arafat with many people then he left Arafat by bringing that animal when many people left. When he arrived in Mina in the morning on the 10th Dhul-Hijjah, he slaughtered that animal before he cut or shaved his hair. He slaughtered his hadyu by himself. He put those hadyu camels in a row in a standing position and he directed them to the qibla then he ate half of the meat and he gave it to the others. (Hadith Malik in Al Muwatha’)

6. Do not slaughter until the neck is broken

The slaughter must be done carefully. The slaughtered animals are also not allowed to be cut until the neck is broken. Unless the slaughterer accidentally do it, then it can be tolerated.

عن معمر قال سئل الزهري عن رجل ذبح بسيفه فقطع الرأس قال بئس ما فعل فقال الرجل فيأكلها قال نعم

From Ma’mar, Az Zuhri was asked about someone who slaughtered using a sword until the slaughtered animal neck broke. His answer was, “How ugly what he did”. “Can he eat the meat?”, the questioner continued. “He can”, answered Az Zuhri. (Narration of Abdur Razaq with the sahih sanad)

Those are 6 manners of sacrifice in Islam and its verses that must be followed so that the sacrifice that is done is valid and accepted by Allah SWT. That is all for this brief article. Hopefully this article increases the knowledge of religion and improve our faith. Aamiin.