Sharing and selling udhiya meat

Eating one's udhiya, storing it, giving parts of it away: the encyclopedia treats the use of the meat point by point, on a foundation of consensus.

Eating and storing the udhiya meat

We had been forbidden the meat of the sacrifices beyond three days, then he said: eat, make provision and store.al-Bukhari 1719 ; Muslim 1972

That the sacrificer eats of his animal is unanimously agreed (al-Hajj 28 ; the account of Thawban, Muslim 1975). Keeping the meat beyond three days was first forbidden, then permission came: the initial prohibition concerned a year of scarcity (Aisha's account, Muslim 1971). The four schools agree on the permission to keep the meat as long as one wishes (Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Mawardi, Ibn Qudama).

The recommended division of the udhiya meat

Hanafis, Shafi'is (in the mazhab) and Hanbalis recommend a third in charity, a third in gifts, a third for oneself, based on the verse « eat of them and feed the content and the imploring » (al-Hajj 36), which mentions three kinds of people. Shafi'is in the early view recommend half as food and half in charity, based on al-Hajj 28 which mentions two categories. Malikis fix no division: Malik writes that in the sacrifices there is neither a described portion nor a known limit; everything remains permitted, and giving it all in charity is best.

Nothing to the udhiya butcher as wages

The Messenger of Allah ordered me to look after his camels, distribute their meat and their skins in charity, and give the butcher nothing. He said: we give him from our own.Muslim 1317

The four schools agree to forbid paying the butcher with a share of the animal: that would be payment for work, and no exchange is permitted on the offering. Giving him something on one's own initiative, in charity for his poverty, remains welcome, even preferable (an-Nawawi).

Must a share of the udhiya meat be given in charity?

Hanafis, Malikis and Shafi'is (in one view) teach that nothing is obligatory: eating all of it is permitted, the purpose of the rite being the mention of Allah's name and piety, not the plate (al-Hajj 37). Shafi'is in another view require both eating and giving, based on the verse that joins the two commands (al-Hajj 28). The skin is not sold according to the majority; if sold, its price must go to charity; Hanafis allow a durable use of it for the house.

Practical note on udhiya meat

The right to eat everything is firm; the divisions described here are recommendations whose degree each school weighs differently.