Cutting sacrifices is one of the acts of worship most loved by Allah. Allah's love for worship was reported directly by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam through his hadith:
God willing
“There is no deed that the children of Adam (humans) do on the day of slaughter (Eid al-Adha) that is more beloved to Allah than slaughtering the sacrificial animal.”
As worship mahdhah In addition, sharia has regulated in detail the provisions for sacrifice, starting from the criteria for animals, conditions, to the procedures for distribution.
One of the crucial rules that people often don't understand is prohibition on buying and selling any part of the sacrificial animal, as well as prohibition on using it as wages for the butcher.
First, Prohibition on Selling Parts of Sacrificial Animals
Every part of an animal that has been slaughtered for sacrifice has essentially been offered to God, so it cannot be taken back to seek material gain. This is based on a hadith narrated by Al Hakim that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said:
من باع جلد أضحيته فلا أضحية له
“"Whoever sells the skin of his sacrificial animal is truly the same as not having made a sacrifice."” (Narrated by Al-Hakim)
Second, Using Skin or Head as Wages for Butchering is Also Haram
This prohibition on selling also includes the act of using the skin, head or other parts of the sacrificial meat as payment for slaughter or skinning. Al-Imam Ibnu Hajar Al-Haitami after explaining that selling anything from sacrificial animals is a big sin, he said:
بالبيع إعطاءه أجرة للجزار فإنهم صرحوا بأنه حرام كبيعه
“"And it is equated with selling (haram), namely giving it as wages to the butcher. In fact, the ulama firmly stated that this is forbidden, just as it is forbidden to sell."”[1].
This is based on the statement of the noble companion of the Prophet Ali bin Abi Thalib may Allah be pleased with him:
God willing, God willing, God willing, God willing بلحمها، وجلودها، وأجلتها، وأن لا أعطي الجزار منها، قال : نحن نعطيه من عندنا
“"I was ordered by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam to take care of the slaughter of the sacrificial animal, to give the meat and skin as charity, and to take care of everything related to the perfection of the sacrifice. But he forbade me from taking wages for the slaughterer of the sacrificial animal. So we took his wages from our own money..” (Narrated by Muslim)
Understanding the Limits: When Is It “Wages” and When Is It “Almsgiving”?
What is forbidden is giving it as wages for the work of slaughtering or skinning the sacrificial animal, but giving it as charity is permissible. Al-Imam Al-Khattabi explains this hadith:
“"It cannot be given as wages, but as charity, it is okay"”[2]
How to differentiate them in practice in the field? it is said that it is wages if it is made a condition or stated at the beginning of the employment contract, for example he says:
“"Slaughter my sacrificial animal and the skin will be for you" or similar words.
Solution : For those who ask other people to slaughter or skin their sacrificial animals, he should pay for that person's services with his own money then if he wants to give the skin as alms or a gift then that is permissible.
And Allah knows best
[1] Abu Bakr Al-Ahsani Al-Malyabari, At-Tadhiyah fi tawdihi masa'ilil udhiyah, p.174
[2] Jalaluddin As-Suyuthi, Mirqat As-Su'ud Ila Sunan Abi Dawud, vol. 2, p. 500
