Eid al Adha – From Quran & Sunnah

By Imam Abdullah

Upon whom is udhiya (sacrificing an animal) wajib (obligatory)?

If a person meets the following 4 requirements, they must sacrifice an animal:

  1. Every Muslim (male and female) who is of sound mind
  2. Mature (who has reached the age of puberty)
  3. Not a traveler (musafir)
  4. Possesses wealth equivalent to 612.36 grams of silver (roughly $450) which is in excess of one’s basic needs (this wealth does NOT have to be in their possession for the entire year, rather if this excess is only on the 3 days of Eid then sacrifice will be obligatory)

*It is mustahab to sacrifice an animal on behalf of the Prophet as well if one has the means to do so. (hadith)

**It is sunnah to divide the meat into 3 portions: for oneself, relatives, and for the poor. If more than a third is donated to the poor there is much more reward.

Sunnahs of Eidul Adhaa:

  1. To recite the takbeerat tashreeq (loudly for men and softly for women)
  2. To eat the meat of the sacrificed animal as the first meal of the day (if possible)
  3. To shower and wear one’s best clothes
  4. To walk to the place of Eid (if possible). Or park a little further and walk to receive (part of) this reward and another reward for allowing others to parks closer to the masjid.

If Eid and Jumuah occur on the same day, is jumuah still fardh?

The hadith in which the Prophet gave the Bedouins and the travelers permission to pray dhuhr is usually cited as proof for no jumuah. Keep in mind these people don’t have to pray jumuah in regular days anyway! They are exempted. According to the majority of scholars, these 2 salahs have no effect on the other. Therefore jumuah will remain fardh.

Abdullah

Imam Selden Masjid