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Fatwa CenterQuestions the evidence for individual sacrifices, etc.
Question
Please explain the rulings of Udhuhiyah (sacrifice). Should every Muslim sacrifice an animal or a ruler should sacrifice one on behalf of the whole nation. Did every Companion of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, sacrifice animal individually. Today in many Muslim countries it becomes an open issue that many animals should not have to be killed because there is no strong evidence which shows that during the time of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, it happened.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
We have already issued a detailed Fatwa about the rulings of sacrificial animal slaughtered for 'Eed and the conditions that should be regarded in the animals that are sacrificed. See our Fatwa: 81799.
We have mentioned in the above Fatwa that sacrifice is a desirable Sunnah, not compulsory according to the majority of the Muslim scholars. As for your question "did every companion…." The answer is that whoever amongst them was able to afford the sacrifice used to offer it; this is what we believe about them since they were more eager than other people to abide by Sunnah and do the good deeds. Especially since the Prophet 
had once said addressing them: "Whoever can afford a sacrifice (on the day of 'Eed) and does not do so, should not come near to our prayer place." [Ahmad and others]
As for your question "a ruler should sacrifice…" it is not obligatory on a ruler to offer sacrifice on behalf of Muslim nation. What is reported from the Prophet that he slaughtered a sheep on behalf of his nation, and another one on behalf of his family, was peculiar to him as confirmed by Muslim jurists. Offering sacrifice on behalf of Muslim nation is neither proved, according to our knowledge, from any one of the four rightly guided caliphs nor from other caliphs.
If the questioner meant by "many animals should not have been killed…" if you meant that Muslims should not carry out this religious rite only to save the animal resources and to avoid extravagance in this matter, then it is nothing but a useless statement. Sacrifice is one of the religious rites which is encouraged in Islam; it is neither wasting nor destroying the animal resources as they assume. Allaah says (which means): {And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allaah, We would have opened [i.e. bestowed] upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth;}[Quran 7:96].
The verse proves that enforcing the rulings of Allaah is the basic reason for prosperity, flourishing and growth. As a matter of fact those who make such undue claims against Islamic rulings are the most extravagant and lavish people who spend carelessly to satisfy their whims and mostly in forbidden activities.
In short, the aforementioned statement proves that whoever claims so is in darkness and ignorance of Allaah, the Exalted and the Almighty, and faith in his heart has decreased. Allaah, the Almighty, has legislated the sacrifice; He is the Provider of sustenance and He is the Owner of every thing.
As for the saying of the questioner "there is no strong evidence…," the majority of the companions of the Prophet in his period, were poor, and they did not have the means to perform this rite. In despite of that the Prophet encouraged them on to conduct the sacrifice, as mentioned in the above narration. Due to their poverty they were not able to sacrifice as many animals as those who came after them did. In addition, the number of Muslims at that time were few compared to those who came after them.
Allaah knows best.
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