Eid al-Adha 24 Questions & Answers

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمد لله وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد رسول الله وءاله وصحبه وسلم وبعد،

 

Eid al Adha Q&A

1. How is Eid al Adha celebrated?

Answer: By families rejoicing, getting together, visiting the kinship, and doing (‘Udhiah) slaughtering a ram and feeding the people.

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2. What does this Eid commemorate?

A: Eid al-Adha commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah.

3. What is the humanistic meaning of it?

A: Obedience to Allah. By commemorating this event, one is following the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim who showed willingness to obey Allah in everything, even if it was to slaughter his own beloved son.
What a great meaning it is feed and help the needy and make them all equally happy and joyful on this day.

4. What rituals and ceremonies should be performed ?

A: Eid al-Adha concludes the Hajj journey (Pilgrimage) to Meccah al-Mukarramah. It’s Sunnah (According to Shafi^is) to perform the Eid Prayer and attend the Khutbas. Also the Adha feast (‘udhiay) which is recommended sunnah.

5. How long does the holiday last?

Eid al-Adha followed by 3 days called the Days of Tashreeq.

6. What are the obligations of believers during this holiday?

A: Perform all the obligations and refrain form all sins at all times. It’s not permissible to fast this day of Eid, nor the next three days of Tashreeq. As for ‘Udhiah, it’s a recommended sunnah matter according to Shafi^iy, so if one did not do the ‘udhia one is not sinful.

7. The day before holiday is also significant. What is better to do on this day?

The 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day when Hujjaj (pilgrims) stand on the mountain of ^Arafat.
It is Recommended (Sunnah) to fast the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah (for the non-pilgrims) and it’s rewardable to spend the time in obedience to Allah by prayer, dhikr, and du^a’.

8. When does Eid prayer start?

Eid prayer can be performed in congregation, or individually any time between sunrise and noon. The best time of the Eid prayer is after the sun has reached the height of a spear (approximately 20 minutes from sunrise). However if one missed it one should make it up. The Eid prayer is not preceded by the adhan (the call to announce the prayer time) or iqamah (the call to start prayer).

9. How necessary is to sacrifice an animal?

Sacrificing an animal is an optionally recommended matter, Sunnah Mu’kaddah.

10. What is an intention (niyah) for it?

The intention for ‘udhiah is to place in the heart the intention to do it for the sake of Allah. Example to say: “I intend to perform this ‘udhiah for the sake of Allah” or similar intentions.

11. What animals can be slaughtered as sacrifice? What qualities do those animals have to have?

Al-Qadi Abu Shuja^ ash-Shafi^iy said:
يجزئ فيها الجذع من الضأن والثني من المعز والثني من الإبل والثني من البقر وتجزئ البدنة عن سبعة والبقرة عن سبعة والشاة عن واحد. وأربع لا تجزئ في الضحايا العوراء البين عورها والعرجاء البين عرجها والمريضة البين مرضها والعجفاء التي ذهب مخها من الهزل

To sacrifice a Ram (Jadh^ of Da’n) which is what completed a year, or a Camel that completed 5 years of age, or the Cow that completed two years and started its third year, or the Goat that completed two years. It’s not sufficient to sacrifice the ill animal whose illness is apparent nor the one that limps in the field.

12. Is there a time limit to perform the sacrifice?

Yes, On Eid Day, after a time passed and was enough for Two Rak^ahs and Two Khutbas.
Per The hadith:
عن البراء رضي الله عنه قال: خطب رسول الله  يوم النحر بعد الصلاة فقال:
«من صلّى صلاتنا هذه ونَسك نُسكنا فقد أصاب سنتنا، ومن نسك قبل صلاتنا فتلك شاة لحم فليذبح مكانه»

And its time remains until the sunset of the third day of the Days of Tashreeq.

13. Can one perform the sacrifice later, if he wasn’t able to do it at the appointed days?
If one did not do the optional ‘udhiah it in the appointed days one then has missed the ‘udhiah (that is If it was not a Nadhr oath).

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14. Is one ram sacrifice enough for a family?

Yes if one is able.

15. What to do with a skin of the sacrificed animal?

One can use the skin or give it as a gift to the poor or needy people. It cannot be given as payment to the butcher.

One cannot sell any of the ‘udhia, not the meat, skin, wool, or horns per the hadith:
لما رواه البخاري ومسلم عن علي: “أمرني رسول الله  أن أقوم على بُدْنِهِ فأُقَسّمَ جِلالها وجلودها وأمرني أن لا أعطي الجازر منها شيئاً وقال نحن نعطيه من عندنا”.

And per the saying of the Shafi^iy scholars:
واتفقت نصوص الشافعية والأصحاب على أنه لا يجوز بيع شيء من الهدي والأضحية نذراً كان أو تطوعاً سواء في ذلك اللحم والشحم والجلد والقرن والصوف وغيره.

16. Is the sacrifice valid, if the slaughtered animal appeared to be pregnant? What to do with an embryo?

It is permissible and valid to slaughter the pregnant animal, and it’s embryo is edible without slaughtering per the hadith.

17. For how long the meat of the sacrificed animal should be used?

As long as one distributes the ‘udhiah for the poor people within the time aforementioned (after Eid Prayer and Khutbahs, and before sunset of the third day).

18. For how many pieces can be divided the meat of the sacrificed animal?

It’s recommended for the one sacrificing to take one third, give one third and donate one third.

19. Can one breed rams specifically to sell them on the Eid al Adha?

Yes.

20. In our family, each member contributes a certain amount of money to the family budget, but still half of the expenses are carried out by my parents. I, my sister and her son live together with our parents. Each of us has our own income. Some of it we spend on household needs, as I mentioned above, and some on our own needs.
Should we sacrifice one lamb for the whole family or each family member should sacrifice one? Please answer with what is right?

If each family is able to sacrifice an animal is better and more reward. Otherwise what ever you are able to do, you will be rewarded accordingly insha’Allah.

21. Can we make presents on Eid al Adha or any other Islamic holidays to remind the loved ones about the holiday, especially the ones who are not fulfilling their obligations in religion? Ivan.

Yes of course, exchanging gifts on Eid and other times is a rewardable deed. Sometimes you give gifts to the needy, the pious, and the sinful Muslims to mend their hearts, you get reward for all of that insha’Allah.

22. I’ve heard that a person can fast for ten days before Eid al Adha. Can you tell me more about it (according to the Hanafi school)? Bekbolat, Kazakhstan.

The reported Sunnah is to fast the 9th (for the non-pilgrims), and that the one who fasts the day of ^arafah his sins of the previous year and the coming year will be forgiven.
Prophet, Muhammad peace be upon him, said:”Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah absolves the sins for the previous year and the coming year.Narrated by At-Tirmidhiy.

وفي صحيح مسلم عن أبي قتادة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: صيام يوم ‏‏عرفة ‏‏أحتسب على الله أن يكفر السنة التي قبله والسنة التي بعده ‏. وفي لفظ في مسلم ‏عن ‏أبي قتادة الأنصاري ‏‏رضي الله عنه قال وسئل أي رسول الله عن صوم يوم عرفة فقال يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية .

23. What should young families do, if, for example, due to lack of money they cannot perform this ritual? How they should celebrate Eid al-Adha? Zarina.
BARAKALLAHU FIKUM

If the family is unable financially to perform the ‘udhiah, then they are not sinful because it’s considered Sunnah Mu’akkadah on the one that is able to do it. One can exert the effort in the acts of obedience du^a’ and prayer to Allah and the good deeds towards others to get the reward. For it’s menioned in the hadith that the best day to make du^a’ supplication to Allah is ^arafah:

روى الترمذيُّ وغيرُه عنْ رسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال:” أفضلُ الدعاءِ يومُ عرفة وأفضلُ ما قلتُ أنا والنبيونَ من قبلي لا إله إلا اللهُ وحدَه لا شريكَ له، لهُ الملكُ وله الحمدُ وهو على كلِّ شىءٍ قدير” .

24. Assalamu alaikum,
I am residing in KSA. InshaAllah we have planned to perform Hajj this year.I would like to know if it is proper to offer qurban back in our country (INDIA)or should it be given in Mecca only.

A: The obligatory Qurban must be done in Makkah, and its meat must be distributed to the poor people in the vicinity of the Haram.

However the non-obligatory Qurban can be done in any country. 

 

موقع السنة – لجنة الفتاوى

May Allah grant you taqwa piety patience and accept your good deeds.
Obey Allah our Creator at all times, He will judge us for our deeds. We need Him, He does not need anything, He has no shape or form, He does not resemble any of the creations, Allah exists without a Place, He is the most Powerful and Merciful.

Allah knows best.

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