In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…
هل يجزئ المسلم صاحب العيال ترك عياله في وطنه إذا حان عيد الأضحى أن يرسل ثمن أضحيته إلى عياله في وطنه؛ لتذبحها العيال أو تنحرها نيابة عنه؛ لأنه مهاجر، وهو متأكد أن العيال تضحي عنه كما أمر، أو لا بد أن يضحي حيث هو؟
QUESTION: Is this acceptable: A Muslim head of household leaves his family behind in his homeland and when ‘Eed al-Adha comes around, and he sends them the amount needed to purchase an animal for the Udhiyah Sacrifice, so they could slaughter it on his behalf, as he is traveling. He is certain that they would actually slaughter on his behalf according to his instructions. Or must he slaughter it himself wherever he is?
ANSWER by the Permanent Committee for Religious Verdicts, headed by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him):
لا بأس أن يرسل المغترب ثمن الأضحية إلى أولاده في وطنه؛ ليقوموا بشرائها وذبحها في بيتهم، بل هذا هو الأفضل والسنة.
It is no problem for a traveler to send the value of the Udhiyah to his children back in his homeland, in order for them to purchase and slaughter it at their home. Actually, this is more virtuous, and it is Sunnah.
وبالله التوفيق وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه وسلم.
And through Allah Alone is all success. May Allah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad, and that of his family and companions, and may He grant them all peace.
SOURCE: Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, (10/422 of the second compilation), translated by Moosaa Richardson.
Asslam ailekum,
I read in one fatwa that it is not from sunnah to send money overseas to get animal slaughtered . If someone does send money overseas does it make qurban invalid or its disliked?
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. The scholars generally discourage the Udhiyah to be done in other than one’s land, because Allah orders us to eat from it [See: 22:28], and how can we eat from it when it is in another land? In this article, a special circumstance is addressed. This is a man slaughtering on behalf of his family, appointing someone from his family to slaughter back at his house. That’s fine. And his family will be eating some of it, as opposed to someone who, without any need or hoped benefit, chooses to pay a service to slaughter for him in another land. And Allah knows best.
Assalaamu ‘Alaikum Moosaa,
Do you know anything in the religion that says that preparing your own food is better than purchasing already-prepared food (like from a restaurant)?
During days of fasting, some people want to eat out at a restaurant while some want to eat at home, thinking there is more blessings in making your own food.
Jazaak Allaahu Khayrun
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah. Harms (or potential harms) of restaurant foods:
1) They are more expensive than making the same foods yourself.
2) Depending on the restaurant, the foods can be poor quality or even contaminated.
3) Non-Muslim restaurants may cross-contaminate pork dishes with non-pork dishes on their grills and with their utensils.
These are three distinctions I can think of, and perhaps there are more. Be clear that I am not saying eating food from restaurants is impermissible, rather it can be helpful and alleviate a burden at times. Just be careful, as today’s world is commerce-driven; we are encouraged by society to spend our money frivolously. How many times does a person say he cannot afford Hajj, yet if he were to cut back on unnecessary spending for a year or two, he might have enough money to facilitate Hajj! And Allah knows best!
When needed, support Muslim restaurants known for good religious practice and healthy and well prepared foods.
As Salam aleykum wa rahmatullahu wa Baarakatu,
I am a single mother with one child and I take care of my elderly father who lives in an other land. Is slaughtering an animal for Eid an obligation for me too? If I am able to do it would I get the same rewards as husbands get for doing it?
Jazaakallahu Khayran.
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him) said:
الأضحية سنة مؤكدة ، تشرع للرجل والمرأة ، وتجزئ عن الرجل وأهل بيته ، وعن المرأة وأهل بيتها
“Udhiyah is a highly-stressed Sunnah (i.e. not obligatory), legislated for the man and the woman. It is valid when done by a man on behalf of his household, and when done by a woman on behalf of her household.” (His Fatwaa collection, vol.8, p.38)
https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/16859/%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B6%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A9
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