Definition of udhiyah (sacrifice) and the ruling thereon

Q. What is meant by udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is it obligatory or Sunnah?.

A. Praise be to Allaah.             

The word udhiyah means an animal of the ‘an’aam class (i.e., camel, cow, sheep or goat) that is slaughtered during the days of Eid al-Adha because of the Eid and as an act of worship, intending to draw closer to Allaah thereby.

This is one of the rituals of Islam prescribed in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and according to the consensus of the Muslims.

In the Qur’aan:

1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)”

[al-Kawthar 108:2]

2 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims”

[al-An’aam 6:162]

The word nusuk (translated here as sacrifice) means sacrifice; this is the view of Sa’eed ibn Jubayr. And it was said that it means all acts of worship, including sacrifice, which is more comprehensive.

3 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God Allaah), so you must submit to Him Alone (in Islam). And (O Muhammad) give glad tidings to the Mukhbitoon [those who obey Allaah with humility and are humble from among the true believers of Islamic Monotheism]”

[al-Hajj 22:34]

In the Sunnah:

1 – It was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5558) and Saheeh Muslim (1966) that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two white rams speckled with black. He slaughtered them with his own hand, said ‘Allaahu akbar’ and put his foot on their necks.”

2 – It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stayed in Madeenah for ten years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid).”
Narrated by Ahmad, 4935; al-Tirmidhi, 1507; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1475.

3 – It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) shared out sacrificial animals amongst his companions, and ‘Uqbah got a sheep that was six months old. He said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I got a sheep that is six months old.” He said, “Offer it as a sacrifice.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5547.

4 – It was narrated from al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever offers a sacrifice after the prayer has completed his rituals (of Eid) and has followed the way of the Muslims.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5545.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered sacrifices, as did his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). And he said that sacrifice is the way of the Muslims.

Hence the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is prescribed in Islam, as was narrated by more than one of the scholars. But they differed as to whether it is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) or it is obligatory and it is not permissible to omit it.

The majority of scholars are of the view that it is Sunnah mu’akkadah. This is the view of al-Shaafa’i, Maalik and Ahmad according to his most well-known view.

Others were of the view that it is obligatory. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and one of the views narrated from Ahmad. This was also the view favoured by Ibn Taymiyah who said: “This is one of the views narrated in the madhhab of Maalik, or it appears to be the view of Maalik.”

From Risaalat Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wa’l-Dhakaah by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Udhiyah is Sunnah mu’akkadah for the one who is able to do it, so a person should offer the sacrifice on behalf of himself and the members of his household.”

Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/661.

Islam Q&A

Ref: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/36432

Islam on Slaughtering one animal in front of another

Islam on Slaughtering one animal in front of another animal

Q. Does the meat of a slaughtered animal become haraam if it is slaughtered in front of another animal?

---------------------------------------

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

The fuqaha’ are unanimously agreed that part of the etiquette of slaughtering is not to slaughter one animal in front of another.
See: al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 10/221

This is part of the beauty of Islam with its mercy and kindness and good manners.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

It is makrooh to slaughter one sheep when another is looking on.
End quote.
Al-Mughni (9/317)

And it says in ‘Awn al-Ma‘bood:

He should not handle it violently, or drag it to slaughter violently, or slaughter it in the presence of another.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

It is makrooh to slaughter (an animal) when another is looking on.
End quote.
Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (23/73-74)

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad said:

He should not slaughter it with a tool or cause pain to it as he is slaughtering it. Also he should not slaughter it in front of another, because this is torture.
End quote.
Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood, 14/212

Secondly:

If one animal is slaughtered in front of another, this does not mean that eating its meat is haraam (impermissible), if the slaughter is done in the proper Islamic manner, because all he has done thereby is something makrooh (disliked), and such actions do not make the meat haraam.

Thirdly:

With regard to slaughtering animals together in front of one another, as is the case in mechanised slaughterhouses, there is nothing wrong with it, because one animal does not see another when it is being slaughtered; rather they are all slaughtered at the same time with one movement of the machine.

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
It is permissible to slaughter animals using modern machines so long as the blades are sharp and they cut the throat and the windpipe.

If the machine slaughters a number of chickens at one time, then it is acceptable to mention the name of Allah once by the one who is operating the machine when he starts it, with the intention of slaughtering, so long as the person who is operating the machine is a Muslim or a kitaabi (i.e., a Christian or a Jew).
End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 22/463.

And Allah knows best.

Islam QA
Ref: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/153936

Note: Ahl ul Kitaab (Kitaabi) : People of the Book (Christians or Jews)

Using credit cards is haraam (impermissible), even if you pay up within the time limit

Using credit cards is haraam even if you pay up within the time limit

Q. I heard that using credit cards is haraam, but if I am sure that I am going to pay the bank within the time limit, so the bank will not charge any interest, is this also regarded as haraam?.

-------------------------

Praise be to Allaah.  

What you have heard about credit cards being haraam is correct. That has already been discussed in question no. (13735).

Using them is haraam even if the user is certain that he will pay the bank within the time limit.

It has already been explained in the answer to the question mentioned that they are haraam because the bank lends money to the user in return for interest, and this interest is the price of the annual subscription to the credit card, as well as other interest charges which are to be paid to the bank if the user is late in paying.

The cost of the card is a kind of riba which the user pays to the bank, and this riba is paid by the user whether he pays on time or not. 

Also, the user enters into a contract with the bank which means that he is obliged to pay interest if he delays payment. This is also haraam, because it is not permissible for a Muslim to commit himself to doing something that Allaah has forbidden.

The user may think that he can pay up on time, but then something happens to him that prevents him from doing so, so he pays riba to the bank.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said concerning this kind of contract:

A contract of this type is not permissible, because it involves riba which is the price of the card, and it also means committing to pay interest if payment is delayed.

In another fatwa he said:

This transaction is haraam, because the one who enters into it commits himself to paying riba if he does not pay on time. This is an invalid commitment, even if he believes or thinks it most likely that he will pay it before the time is up, because circumstances may change and he may not be able to pay it off. This is a matter that is in the future, and no one knows what will happen to him in the future. So dealings of this type are haraam.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Ref:  http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13725/