I have a sacrificial ram whose horns dipped in the flesh, which made him bleed. Is it permissible to slaughter it? Thanks.

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The majority of scholars believe that defects of animal’s horns do not affect its validity as a sacrifice. Also, an animal with broken horns suffices as a sacrifice, whether the horns bled or not. This is the preponderant opinion of scholars, Allaah Willing. It was narrated on the authority Hujayyah ibn ‘Adiyy back to ‘Ali that he said: “The cow is (a sacrifice) on behalf of seven (persons). I said, ‘If it gave birth’, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘Slaughter her child along with her.’ I said, ‘What about the lame?’ he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘If she can walk up to the slaughter place, (then you can slaughter it).’ I said, ‘What about the animal whose horn is broken?’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘No harm." the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, commanded us to scrutinize (only) the eyes and the ears.’” [As-Sunan]

An-Nawawi said, “The sacrificial animal that has no horns or has a broken horn, whether the horn bleeds or not, fits as a sacrifice.” Al-Qaffaal said, ‘… unless the pain of the breaking of the horn affects the meat, like mange, etc. Anyway, the horned animal is better, for there is an unauthentic Hadeeth that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sacrificed two horned rams. Also, Ibn ‘Abbaas said, ‘Glorifying (the rites of Allaah) is to offer a good sacrificial animal’.”

Allaah Knows best.