Understanding Sacrificial Rules According to the Shafi’i School
The Ruling and Timing of Sacrifice
The act of sacrifice is considered a strongly recommended Sunnah in Islamic tradition. Its permissible timeframe begins at dawn on the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) and continues until sunset on the last day of Tashreeq. The most preferred time for the sacrifice is immediately following the Eid prayer.
It has been authentically reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated: “The first thing we do on this day is to pray, then we return to slaughter. Whoever does this has followed our Sunnah, and whoever slaughters before that has merely provided meat for his family and has not performed the ritual.”
Conditions for Valid Sacrifice
For a sacrifice to be valid, it must come from livestock, which includes goats, cows, and camels, as emphasized in the Quran: “For every community, We have appointed a rite that they may mention the name of Allah on what He has provided them of animals.” It is essential that the sacrificial animal is free from defects and meets specific age criteria, which are as follows:
- A young sheep (jadh’a) – This refers to a sheep that has reached one year of age and has entered its second year.
- An adult goat (thani) – This refers to a goat that has reached two years of age and entered its third year.
- An adult cow (thani) – This refers to a cow that has reached three years of age and entered its fourth year.
- An adult camel (thani) – This refers to a camel that has reached five years of age and entered its sixth year.
Invalid Types of Sacrifice
For a sacrifice to be valid, it must be free from defects. Below are some characteristics that render an animal invalid for sacrifice:
- A clearly lame animal – This refers to an animal that cannot keep up with the healthy ones, resulting in less meat. If an animal has a minor limp that does not hinder its mobility within the herd, it is acceptable.
- A clearly blind animal – It is not permissible to sacrifice a visibly blind animal since it cannot graze and would yield less meat. Blindness is defined as a condition where the eye is covered in such a way that it cannot see. However, an animal that can see during the day but not at night may still be deemed acceptable.
- An animal with a clearly apparent disease – Any disease that compromises the quality of meat, such as mange or sores, renders the animal invalid for sacrifice, regardless of the severity or the likelihood of recovery.
There are also hidden diseases that are not visibly discernible. If the illness is considerable, the animal is invalid. If it is minor, it is generally accepted as valid in this school of thought. An example is intense thirst (syah) that leaves the animal unable to quench its thirst, which makes it invalid for sacrifice.
- A thin animal – One that has no meat or fat.
- A severed ear – This is when the animal has a missing ear, and an animal born without ears is also invalid according to the new ruling by Imam Shafi’i, as this represents a deficiency in its physical form.
- A severed tail – An animal that has a severed tail or one that is born without a tail.
- Severed hind – When the animal is missing a part of its hind.
- A yellowing animal – This refers to one that has become yellow due to extreme emaciation and weakness.
- An animal with a completely severed ear – This indicates that the ear is missing from its base.
Recommended Practices at the Time of Slaughter
It is encouraged for the individual performing the sacrifice to adhere to five recommended actions during this ritual, as outlined below:
- Reciting the name of Allah: “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
- Sending blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
- Facing the Qibla (direction of prayer).
- Reciting Takbeer (saying “Allahu Akbar”) three times, either before or after saying the name of Allah.
- Supplicating with the following prayer: “O Allah, this is from You and for You, so accept this sacrifice from me as a blessing from You, and I have drawn nearer to You through it.”