Collective Participation in the Sacrifice for `Id al-Adhâ

Offering a sacrifice for `Id al-Adhâ is an emphatic Sunnah according to the opinion of most scholars. Hanafî scholars differ, considering it an obligation upon a person provided that he is not a traveler and that he possesses the amount of money that makes him liable to pay Zakâh. [Radd al-Muhtâr (5/198)].

According to the strongest opinion, however, it is an emphatic Sunnah and one animal can be sacrificed on behalf of an entire household. This is in accordance with the practice of the Companions. Abû Ayyûb al-Ansârî stated: “A man used to slaughter a sheep on behalf of himself and the people of his household.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî (1505), Sunan Ibn Mâjah (3147), al-Muwatta’ (1075), and Sunan al-Bayhaqî (9/268)]

It is, of course, permissible to slaughter more than one sheep on behalf of a single household.

As for people who wish to participate financially in a joint slaughter where each party contributes a certain specified amount of money, this cannot be accomplished with the purchase of a sheep, even if the people involved are close relatives.

People can jointly purchase a cow or a camel and slaughter it, since seven individuals can participate in the slaughter of a cow or a camel.

Jâbir relates: “Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) commanded us to participate jointly in the slaughter of a camel or a cow with seven people sharing in one animal.” [Sahîh Muslim (1318)]

This ruling cannot be applied to a sheep. The opinion of the overwhelming majority of scholars is that this ruling applies exclusively to the slaughter of a camel or a cow and that it is not allowed for a number of people to share financially in the slaughter of a sheep. There is some disagreement on this matter, but it is inconsequential.

As for the idea of many people sharing in the blessings of the sacrifice, this is something possible in all cases, even with the slaughter of a single sheep. The person carrying out the sacrifice of the animal can involve anyone he pleases, living or dead, in the blessings of that sacrifice.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) sacrificed a horned ram and said: “In the name of Allah. O Allah! Accept this on behalf of Muhammad, the family of Muhammad, and the Ummah of Muhammad.” [Sahîh Muslim (1967)]

If a number of people are financially independent but cannot individually afford to slaughter a sheep, they can come together on this basis to share in a single sacrifice. This may be accomplished by all of them pooling their money together and one from among them offering the sacrifice as an individual and sharing the blessings of it among all of them, just as the Prophet (peace be upon him) did on behalf of his Ummah. In this way, they can carry out one of the rites of Islam and share in its blessings, which is a good thing.

Moreover, we can even say that their joint participation is in their intent to uphold one of the rites of Islam, since the purpose of such rites is that they should be carried out.

It seems apparent that the lack of allowing joint financial participation in the sacrifice of a single sheep is in cases where people have the financial ability to sacrifice individually or to share in the purchase of a cow or a camel. As for people who wish to uphold this rite, but cannot afford to purchase sheep on an individual basis, they will be permitted to share in the purchase and sacrifice of a single sheep. This is especially evident when the people in question are blood brothers or close relatives.

And Allah knows best.