Importance and Rules of Sacrifice from an Islamic Perspective

Introduction

From an Islamic perspective, it is the responsibility and duty of every Muslim to know about the importance and rule of sacrifice. Sacrifice reminds us of the story of Abraham's (peace bu upon him) obedience and sacrifice. We should learn from this incident how much obedience we should have toward Allah.

Sacrifice is not just for eating meat, But it is one of the means of establishing good relations and eliminating differences between the rice and the poor. Sacrifice is one of the means of expressing devotion and obedience to Allah. Now we will Know in detail about the importance and rule of sacrifice.

The importance and Rules of Sacrifice from and Islamic perspective

Sacrifice is and important act of worship in Islam. The test that Prophet Ibrahim (AS) passed to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) at the command of Allah Almighty remains a symbol of extreme self-sacrifice among Muslims all over the world. In line with this, every years on the 10th of the month of Zil Hijjah, capable people sacrifice animals in accordance with the Sharia law to please Allah Almighty. It is said that Allah Almighty accepts the sacrifice based on the intention of the person before the blood of the sacrificed animal falls on the ground. Therefore, the main Purpose of sacrifice should not be to eat meat but to please Allah. From an Islamic perspective the main purpose of sacrifice should be to please Allah, It is obligatory for a capable person who has the Nisab amount of money, to sacrifice. The Nisab amount of money means 7.5 totals of Gold, 52.5 totals of Silver or is equivalent. Wajib refers to the step below Farz. Therefore, sacrifice is not just a festival of eating meat, but sacrifice is a means of self-sacrifice, gratitude, compassion and awareness of the Hereafter. 

The importance of sacrifice from and Islamic perspective 

Sacrifice is a test of faith and self-sacrifice. Therefore, from an Islamic perspective, the importance of sacrifice is great. When Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) was ready to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) at the command of Allah, it was the highest proof of faith. This incident proves that nothing is too great for the pleasure of Allah. One must always have faith to sacrifice everything of Allah Almighty. This is the main lesson we can learn from sacrifice. With the lesson of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS)'s great sacrifice, sacrifice still occupies an important place is the lives of Muslims.

From an Islamic perspective, the main purpose of sacrificing should be to gain the pleasure of Allah. There are many rewards for a person who sacrifices with a sincere intention for the pleasure of Allan. Just as the result  of sacrifice, the servant gains salvation in the hereafter, Allah also bestows mercy on him in this worldly life. By looking at some examples from the Quran and Hadith on this subject, we can understand more clearly why we should sacrifice.

• Allah Almighty says: It is not the meat of the animals that reaches Allah, nor their blood, but your piety that reaches Him.-(Surah Al- Hajj: Ayat 37)
• We have prescribed of every nation a sacrifice, so they mention the name of Allah over the four-legged animals that Allah has provided for them. -(Surah Al- Hajj: Ayat 34)
• Narrated by Tirmidhi: The blood of the sacrificial animal is accepted by Allah before it falls on the ground. So sacrifice with sincerity. -(Tirmidhi, Hadith: 1493)
• Nattated Abu Huraira (RA): The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Whoever has the means to sacrifice and does not sacrifice, let him not come to out Eid-ul-Fitr." -(Ibn majah: 3123)
• Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (RA): The Prophet (PBUH) stayed in Medina for ten years and sacrificed every year. -(Sahih Bukhari)

From the Quran and some Hadith Sharif, we can understand how important sacrifice is from an Islamic perspective. In summary, sacrifice is not just a festival of slaughtering animals and eating their meat, but it is also one of the means of attaining the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. 

Importance of Sacrifice from a Social Perspective 

Sacrifice removes the differences between the rich and the poor, so from a social perspective, sacrifice has a lot of importance. Because sacrifice is not just an act of worship, but through it, it creates a unique bond of compassion and brotherhood in the society. Peace and mutual cooperation in a society are possible only when differences are removed among all the people of that society. Basically, through sacrifice, it removes the inequality between the rich and the poor living in the society and creates the bond of brotherhood.

• Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: Eat of it and feed the needy, those who pray and those who do not pray - (Surah Al-Hajj, verse 36)
• The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Eat, save and give in charity. - (Sahih Muslim: 1971) 
• The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: Whoever sacrifices but does not give anything to the poor and needy, his sacrifice will not be accepted. - (Tabarani, Awsat: Hadith 5876) 
• Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Divide the meat of the sacrifice into three parts: one part for the relatives, one part for the poor, and one part for your family. - (Bayhaqi, Shu'abul Iman: 3585) 

From the above Holy Quran and some Hadiths, we can clearly understand that the order to divide the meat of the sacrifice into three parts has been given with a very strict mind. As a result of dividing the meat of the sacrifice into three parts, those who are poor in the society or who do not have the ability to sacrifice can also enjoy the joy of the sacrifice. In this regard, Allah Almighty has clearly said in verse 36 of Surah Al-Hajj of the Quran that the meat of the sacrifice should be eaten by oneself and fed to the needy. As a result, the differences between the rich and the poor are reduced and peace is established in the society.

Complete Shariah Rules for Animal Sacrifice

The term "sacrifice" does not mean just sacrificing an animal, but rather there are specific guidelines to follow when sacrificing an animal. If you sacrifice an animal without following the complete Shariah rules for animal sacrifice, then Allah may not accept that animal. Therefore, it is good to know some complete Shariah rules before sacrificing an animal. Before sacrificing an animal, the first thing to keep in mind is that before purchasing an animal, it must be verified whether the animal is permissible for sacrifice. For general sacrifice, animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, camels, rams, etc. are permissible. Then, the next thing to keep in mind is whether the age of the said animal is complete according to Sharia. Generally, for sacrifice, the age of cows and buffaloes should be two years, the age of camels should be 5 years, and the age of goats or sheep should be one year, then that animal will be suitable for sacrifice. You can determine the age of an animal by looking at its teeth.

The main condition for a sacrifice to be accepted by Allah is intention. The intention to sacrifice for the sake of Allah Ta'ala must be taken. The intention to sacrifice can be made from the heart without saying it verbally. Before the sacrifice, you can say to make the intention in your heart - I am sacrificing for the sake of Allah Ta'ala. Or you can also make the intention for the sacrifice verbally. It is Sunnah to make the intention verbally. You can make the intention by saying Bismillah, Allahu Akbar, Ha-za Minni - these words. Read more: What does Islam say about sacrificing in whose name? Then the time limit for sacrificing is from 10th Zilhaj after the Eid prayer to 11th and 12th Zilhaj. One thing that is important to note is that if the sacrifice is made before the Eid prayer, it will not be valid, so the sacrifice must be done after the Eid prayer. Then the animal should be sacrificed by lying down facing the Qiblah with a sharp knife. Then, after the animal is sacrificed, the meat is divided equally into three parts, one part is kept for oneself and the remaining two parts are kept for relatives, the poor and the helpless.

History and Significance of Sacrifice in Islam

Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) was a beloved prophet of Allah Almighty. Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) was childless for a long time. After much prayer from Allah Almighty, he became the father of a son in his last years. That son was Hazrat Ismail (AS). After many days, Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) saw a dream in which he was sacrificing his baby son Hazrat Ismail (AS). After seeing the same dream repeatedly, he became convinced that this was a dream from Allah Almighty. Basically, this was a great test given by Allah Almighty to test the faith of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS).

 After this incident, Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) told his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) about his dream. After telling him everything, Hazrat Ismail (AS) replied - O my father! Do as you are commanded. God willing, you will find me among the patient. - (Surah As-Saffat, verse: 102) Then Allah fulfilled the dream shown to him. When Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) put the knife on the neck of his beloved son, at that very moment Allah Almighty sent a big ram and that ram was sacrificed instead of Ismail (AS).

• In Surah As-Saffat, verses: 105-107, Allah Almighty says: O Ibrahim! You have made the dream come true. Thus do We reward the righteous.

Every Muslim should learn a great lesson from this incident of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). Although we sacrifice an animal every year for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, we should also have the strength of faith to sacrifice anything for the sake of Allah Almighty. Sacrifice is not just about sacrificing an animal, but it is a symbol of deep self-sacrifice. Through this, a Muslim expresses his love, loyalty, and piety towards Allah.

The correct method of distributing the sacrificial meat There are many misconceptions in our society about the distribution of the sacrificial meat. 

There is a command to divide the meat of the sacrificial animal into three equal parts. The main purpose of dividing it into three equal parts is to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor in the society. In addition, in addition to creating a mentality of benefiting people, it is also to achieve the satisfaction of Allah through charity and sacrifice. The method of dividing the sacrificial meat into three equal parts is clearly mentioned in the Al-Quran and Hadith Sharif. Below is a detailed description from the Quran and Hadith:

1. Allah Almighty says: So eat from it and feed the needy poor. - (Surah Hajj, verse 28) 
2. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Eat, save and give in charity. - (Sahih Muslim: 1971)

Who is obligated to offer sacrifice 

Although sacrifice is a very important act of worship for Muslims, it is not obligatory for all Muslims. There are some conditions for offering sacrifice, if all those conditions are present in a Muslim person, then only that person will be obligated to offer sacrifice. Many people make a mistake about one thing, that offering sacrifice is not obligatory or sunnah. In fact, offering sacrifice is obligatory. Wajib is the next step of fard which must be performed. Now we will know what are the characteristics that make offering sacrifice obligatory on a person.

• To offer the sacrifice, one must be a Muslim. 
• Must be of legal age. • Must be physically fit. 
• Must be a local resident of the area.
• Must have the Nisab amount of wealth.

How do people who go on Hajj sacrifice?

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Going on Hajj is an obligatory or obligatory act of worship for every able-bodied person. An important part of the Hajj is the Hadi sacrifice. Hadi sacrifice is usually obligatory for a person who goes on Hajj. This Hadi sacrifice method is somewhat different from the normal method of sacrificing. Those who go on Hajj and perform Hajj in the Tamat or Kiran method are usually obliged to sacrifice Hadi.

The reason for saying that the method of sacrificing this Hadiya is a little different is that most of the Hajj pilgrims or people who have gone for Hajj do not offer their own sacrifice but purchase a kind of coupon called Hadiya through a bank or agency approved by the Saudi government in exchange for money and in that name the animal is sacrificed through the coupon at the specified sacrifice place in Mina, Mecca on the 10th of the month of Dhul Hijjah. It is not obligatory for the Hajj pilgrims to sacrifice the animal themselves. This is the Hadiya rule for those who have already gone for Hajj to sacrifice.

Questions and answers about the importance and rules of sacrifice in Islam

Question: Is it obligatory or sunnah to offer sacrifice?

Answer: In Islam, offering sacrifice is obligatory. Wajib is the next level of obligation that must be performed.

Question: Why is offering sacrifice so important? 

Answer: Offering sacrifice is an important act of worship. Allah Almighty says about sacrifice: It is not your blood or your meat that reaches Allah, but it is your piety that reaches Him. - (Surah Al-Hajj, verse 37)

Question: Who is obligated to sacrifice? 

Answer: It is obligatory for every person who is a Muslim, of full age, healthy and has the Nisab amount of wealth. 

Question: What is meant by the Nisab amount of wealth? 

Answer: The Nisab amount of wealth is 7.5 tolas of gold or 52.5 tolas of silver or its equivalent. 

Question: What is the Sunnah method of distributing the meat of the sacrifice? 

Answer: It is Sunnah to divide the meat of the sacrifice into three parts.Namely:

• One part to eat for yourself. 
•   Keep a portion for relatives
•   Keep a portion for the poor and needy. Reference - (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith: 5105, Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 3125)

Question: What does Allah Ta’ala say about the sacrifice of a sacrifice? 

Answer: Allah Ta’ala says about the sacrifice of a sacrifice: Whoever performs Hajj in full, then a sacrifice of a sacrifice is obligatory for him. - (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 196) 

Question: What should be done if it is not possible for someone to offer a sacrifice? 

Answer: What should be done if it is not possible for someone to offer a sacrifice? Fasting for 10 days. Three days during Hajj and the remaining 7 days after. Reference - (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 196) 

Question: Is it permissible to sell the meat or skin of the sacrifice? 

Answer: It is forbidden to take money for selling the skin or meat of the sacrifice. 

Question: What kind of meat can be given to a neighbor if he is not a Muslim? 

Answer: It is permissible to give meat to a neighbor even if he is a non-Muslim. 

Question: Is the sacrifice obligatory on women? 

Answer: If a woman has the amount of her own Nisab, then the sacrifice is obligatory on that woman. The only significant thing in this case is that the woman has the amount of her own Nisab, not her husband's money.

Last words: Importance and rules of sacrifice from an Islamic perspective 

We have learned in detail about the importance and rules of sacrifice from an Islamic perspective. We are hopeful that from the information we have provided, you will get a lot of important information about the rules and importance of sacrifice. Finally, it is worth mentioning that in today's society, many people give priority to eating meat as the main purpose of sacrifice. Which is completely contrary to the purpose of the rules of sacrifice. The main purpose of sacrifice should be to please Allah Almighty, obey him and seek forgiveness. We have discussed this topic in detail above. If you want, you can read the details above and know much more about this topic.