In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…
ما هو حكم الأضحية، وما هو الأفضل، هل تقسم لحما أم طبخها أفضل؟ علما أن فيه بعض الناس يقول: إنه لا يجوز في الثلث الذي يتصدق به أن يطبخه أو يكسر عظمه.
QUESTION: What is the ruling on the Udhiyah Sacrifice, and what is more virtuous – that it be distributed as raw meat or as cooked food? As there are some people who say that the third which is given as charity is not allowed to be cooked nor have its bones cut?
ANSWER by the Permanent Committee for Religious Verdicts, headed by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him):
الأضحية سنة كفاية، وقال بعض أهل العلم: هي فرض عين، والأمر في توزيعها مطبوخة أو غير مطبوخة واسع، وإنما المشروع فيها أن يأكل منها، ويهدي، ويتصدق.
The Udhiyah Sacrifice is a Sunnah Kifaayah [1], and some scholars have said it is an obligation on everyone individually. The manner of distributing it, whether cooked or raw, is open [to your discretion]. However, what is specifically legislated is that it should be eaten from, given as gifts, and given in charity. [2]
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.[3]
SOURCE: Fataawaa al-Lajnat ad-Daa’imah, (11/394 of the first compilation), translated by Moosaa Richardson.
FOOTNOTES by the Translator:
[1] Sunnah Kifaayah: an established religious practice that should be fulfilled by at least some of the Muslims of an area.
[2] The scholars advise that the meat of the Udhiyah be divided into three parts: One third is consumed by the one who offered the sacrifice and the members of his household. One third is given as gifts to his neighbors (whatever their financial status may be), and one third is given out as charity, specifically to the poor and needy. These are recommended guidelines, and the Udhiyah is still valid if these guidelines are not followed, as explained by the Committee in another fatwa (11/403).
[3] Part of the question was left unanswered: The ruling on cutting or breaking the bones of the slaughtered animal. This means that there is concern for whether the animal slaughtered for the Udhiyah Sacrifice can be chopped up into small pieces or must it be cooked whole or in large pieces, like the entire leg. The Committee answered in another fatwa that the bones may be cut. (11/403)
As-salaamu alaykum shaykh. I understand that we are warned against eating too much because of the religious harms as well as the worldly(health) harms. Here is my question:
My parents always encourage me to eat and exercise more so that I can put on a bit more size and look stronger. I am a naturally skinny person and I try to eat in moderation. The problem is while I would like to increase in strength and my physique, I don’t want to fall into overeating or eating to my fill all the time. And modern science/nutrition/fitness continues to tell us that in order to increase in size and strength, you must increase in eating along with exercise, and not exercise alone. How can I harmonize between trying to put on size to feel/look stronger, and maintaining the moderation in eating which is encouraged in the religion?