Question
Should a pilgrim who performs the Tamattu‘ Hajj distribute the whole sacrificial animal to the poor? Or should it be distributed as the Udh’hiyah (the ‘Eed sacrifice): a third for the poor, a third as gifts and a third for the one who sacrifices as well as his family? Is it valid if the pilgrim does not attend the slaughtering and authorizes another person to carry out the whole process of buying, slaughtering and distribution on his behalf?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.
A sacrificial animal of the pilgrim who performs the Tamattu’ or the Qiraan Hajj does not have to be wholly distributed to the poor. Rather, it is permissible for the pilgrim to eat from it because it is intended for thanking Allah, and not as expiation. According to some scholars of Fiqh (jurisprudence), it is recommended to eat one third, gift a third and give a third as charity, as one does with the Udh’hiyah. The Hanbali scholar, Al-Buhooti said, "The voluntary sacrificial animal as well as that for Tamattu’ and Qiraan Hajj is like the Udh’hiyah."
It is mentioned in Ash-Sharh Al-Kabeer, a Hanbali book, "Ibn ‘Umar said, ‘The Udh’hiyyah and the sacrificial animals (for Hajj) are distributed into three thirds: one for oneself, one for his family and one for the poor”. This is also the view of Is-haaq as well as one of the two views of Ash-Shaafi‘i."
The sound view, however, is that it is recommended to include the three categories without committing to the division into thirds. It is recommended to eat, gift and give in charity. For example, one could give one half as charity, eat one fourth and gift one fourth, or vice versa.
It is also permissible for one to authorize someone to slaughter and distribute the sacrificial animal on his behalf. He does not have to attend the slaughtering or the distribution.
Allah Knows best.