Accepting a living sacrificial animal as a gift from a disbeliever

22/11/2009| IslamWeb

Question

Is it permissible for the Muslim to accept a sacrificial animal as a gift from a disbeliever or an atheist? The animal is alive not slaughtered, and it was given as a gift (to the Muslim) a day or two before ‘Eed.

Fatwa

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.

It is permissible to accept a gift from disbelieves, whether the gift is a sacrificial sheep or anything else that is Islamically permissible to benefit from. However, accepting the gift should not be at the expense of the Muslim’s religion. The Prophet and his noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to accept gifts from the disbelievers and sometimes they would offer them gifts in return. Allah Knows best.