We have very little places for slaughtering here in Belgium. We can slaughter only at very late hours of the night. What is the Islamic ruling on this? What is the best advice in this regard?

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.

There is a wide range of time when you can slaughter the Udh-hiyah (sacrificial animal for the 'Eed). The best time to slaughter is the day of 'Eed after the Muslim ruler or his deputy slaughters first. Its time then lasts until the 12th of Thul-Hijjah, as stated by the scholars. Maalik stated this in Al-Mudawwanah, Ash-Shaafi‘i in Al-Umm, Ibn Qudaamah in ‘Umdat Al-Ahkam and As-Sarkhasi in Al-Mabsoot. Shaafi‘i and other scholars allowed slaughtering even on the 13th of Thul-Hijjah as well. They based their opinion on the Hadeeth where the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The days of Tashreeq (the 11th, 12th and 13th of Thul-Hijjah) are all for sacrifice." [Ahmad and Ibn Hibban. Al-Arna’oot and Al-Albani: authentic]

The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that slaughtering the Udh-hiyah at night is disliked. It is prohibited and invalid, according to Maalik . The same was also reported from Ahmad . The sound opinion, however, is that slaughtering the Udh-hiyah at night is disliked, which is also the opinion chosen by the majority of the scholars, as stated by An-Nawawi in Al-Majmoo‘.

We advise you to do what Allaah has instructed all people to do, which is to fear Him. Allaah Almighty says (what means): {And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allaah.} [Quran 4: 131]

We also advise you to give some of your Udh-hiyah as charity and gift in abidance by the tradition of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and full compliance to his religion.

Allaah Knows best.