Offering sacrifice as money is not valid

7-9-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

I am married to a Muslim man and live in the Netherlands. When 'Eed Al-Adh-ha comes, we buy a sacrificial animal at a high price. We do not eat meat and cannot find those to whom we give it in charity, for we do not like mutton. My question is: Is it permissible to donate its price to my poor family in Morocco? Will it thus be regarded as a valid sacrifice?

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

It is preferable for a person to slaughter a sacrificial animal on behalf of himself and the members of his family in the country where he lives. It is preferable to give one third of it in charity and another third as gifts and keep one third for himself and his family. It is also preferable that he slaughter it himself, if possible, for this was the practice of  the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

However, if he does not want to eat from it and there are no people in his country to accept it from him, then he may charge another person with slaughtering a sacrificial animal on his behalf in another country. It is not valid to offer it in the form of money.

Allaah Knows best.