EID AL ADHA

Eid Al adha

Furthermore, even when it comes to Eid al-Adha, the majority of scholars hold that the Qurbani (Udhiyah) on the days of Eid al-Adha is not an obligation but a Sunnah Muakkadah, that is, an emphatically recommended action following The Prophets way (pbuh). This is also the opinion of the first two rightly guided caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar Ibn Al-khattab, God be pleased with them. It is authentically reported in the sunan of bayhaqi that Hudhayfa Bin Usayd said: I saw Abu Bakr and Umar would not perform Udhiyah (sacrifice) disliking that they’d be followed (by people in this tradition).

They specifically did not want people imitating them or turning the act into a tradition or obligation. And yet, what the caliphs feared is happening today. There is nothing wrong if you do not offer an animal sacrifice—you may choose other forms of sacrifice.

Allah says:

“Never does their flesh reach God, nor does their blood; it is only your God-consciousness that reaches Him. It is to this end that We have made them subservient to your needs, so that you might glorify God for the guidance He has given you. And give glad tidings to the doers of good.”

(Qur’an 22:37)

Therefore, you are allowed to focus on other forms of sacrifice, including the worthy cause of calling for compassionate treatment of animals and ending cruelty.

Ibn Hazm authenticated and narrated from the Tabi’i Imams—Faqih Sa’id bin Al-Musayyab and Imam Al-Shabi—that both said:

“Spending three dirhams in charity is more dear to us than offering Udhiyah.”

It is also authentically reported that Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari said:

“I abstain from offering Udhiyah even though I am able, fearing that my neighbor would think it is obligatory.”

And Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“I wouldn’t care if I slaughtered a rooster, because spending that cost on an orphan or a poor person is more dear to me than offering Udhiyah.”

(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq; the sanad has been classified as sahih by Allama Abu Al-Hasan Al-Sulaymani and Shaykh Mashhur Hasan)).

These were the closest companions of the prophet who understood his directives and commands best. Yet even so, they simply did not believe this was a required action and found other ways to fulfill the objective; which has always been about feeding the needy.