Conditions of the udhiya animal: age and defects

The animal of the udhiya must be sound, of sufficient age and of livestock (camel, cow, sheep, goat). The encyclopedia first records an agreement: four defects invalidate the sacrifice.

Four animals do not qualify for the sacrifice: the obviously one-eyed, the obviously sick, the obviously lame, and the emaciated one with no marrow.Abu Dawud 2802 ; at-Tirmidhi 1497 ; an-Nasa'i 4369 ; Ibn Majah 3144

These four defects are unanimously agreed among the scholars (Ibn Abd al-Barr, an-Nawawi, Ibn Qudama), and everything of the same order follows them. Conversely, a mild illness, a slight limp, a small mark on the eye or moderate thinness do not bar the sacrifice, based on Bara's answer to Alqama: « what you dislike, leave it, but do not forbid it to people ».

The ear

An animal born without an ear does not qualify according to the majority; the small ear is valid. The wholly severed ear is excluded by consensus. A partly severed ear divides: Hanafis, in the most widespread view, invalidate beyond a third, Abu Yusuf beyond a half; Malikis invalidate beyond a third; Shafi'is invalidate any apparent loss.

The horn and the tail

An animal born without horns (jamaha) qualifies by consensus recorded by Ibn Abd al-Barr, since this defect touches neither the meat nor the purpose of the rite. The broken horn qualifies according to Hanafis and Shafi'is; Malikis reject it while it still bleeds and accept it once healed; Hanbalis invalidate the loss of more than half the horn. A largely severed tail invalidates according to the Hanafis (beyond a third) and according to Malik and Muhammad; born without a tail, the animal is valid for Abu Hanifa and the Shafi'is, like the goat.

The age

Slaughter only an animal of age, unless that is difficult for you: then slaughter a yearling lamb among the sheep.Muslim 1963

The yearling lamb (jadha) among the sheep is agreed upon by the four schools, as is the hadith: « the best of the offerings is the yearling lamb among the sheep » (at-Tirmidhi 1499). The jadha of the goat does not suffice (the report of Abu Burda). On its definition: one full year for Hanafis in one view, Malikis in the most widespread view and Shafi'is in the sahih view; six full months for Hanbalis and others; eight months for yet others. Beyond it comes the thaniyya for the sheep and the goat, and the completed third year for the cow according to the Malikis.

Which species to prefer

For Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis: the camel, then the cow, then the sheep, then the goat (al-Hajj 36). Malikis prefer the sheep: the ransom of Ismail was « a magnificent sacrifice » (as-Saffat 107), a ram, and « the best of the offerings is the ram ».

Practical note

These lists summarize entire chapters of the encyclopedia; in case of a specific doubt about an animal, the schools' details are set out there.