Book 4: Prayer

Jabir said that on the day of sacrifice the Prophet (ﷺ) sacrificed two horned rams which were white with black markings and had been castrated. Then when he made them face the qibla he said, “I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, following Abraham’s religion as a hanif, and I am not one of the polytheists. My prayer, my religious rites, my life and my death belong to God, the Lord of the universe, who has no partner. That is what I was commanded to do, and I am one of the Muslims (Al-Qur’an; 6:161-163). O God, it comes from Thee and is given to Thee from Muhammad and his people. In the name of God, and God is most great.” Then he made sacrifice. Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi says that he sacrificed with his own hand and said, “In the name of God, and God is most great. O God, this is from me and from those of my people who have not sacrificed.”

Hanash said: I saw Ali sacrificing two rams and asked him the meaning of it. He replied, “God’s Messenger enjoined me to sacrifice on his behalf, so that is what I am doing.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar.

'Ali said, “God’s Messenger enjoined us to pay great attention to the eye and the ear, and not sacrifice an animal with a slit which leaves something hanging at the front or back of the ear, or with a lengthwise slit or a perforation in the ear." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Ibn Majah's words ended with "and the ear.”

He said, "God’s Messenger forbade us to sacrifice an animal with a broken horn or a slit ear.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib said that when God's Messenger was asked what should be avoided in sacrificial animals he pointed with his hand* and said, "Four types: a lame animal which obviously limps, a one-eyed animal which has obviously lost the sight of one eye, a sick animal which is obviously sick, and a lean animal which has no marrow.” *i.e. his fingers. Malik, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Said said God’s Messenger used to sacrifice a choice, horned ram with black round the eyes, the mouth and the feet. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Mujashi', who belonged to the B. Sulaim, said that God’s Messenger used to say, "A lamb may be given as full payment for that for which a kid is full payment.” Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said he heard God’s Messenger say, "A lamb is a good sacrifice.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said, "We were with God’s Messenger on a journey when the day of sacrifice came, and we shared with one another, seven for a cow and ten for a camel.” Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan gharib tradition.

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, "On the day of sacrifice no one does a deed more pleasing to God than the shedding of blood. The sacrifice will come on the day of resurrection with its horns, its hairs and its hoofs, and the blood finds acceptance with God before it falls on the ground, so be glad about it.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, "There are no days on which God likes better to be worshipped than the ten days of Dhul Hijja. Fasting observed on each of these days is equivalent to a year’s fasting, and prayer during each of these nights is equivalent to prayer during Lailat al-qadr.’* * A night towards the end of Ramadan. See Book 7, Chap. 9. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Tirmidhi said its isnad is weak.