According to the Hadith, there is no participation in the sacrifice of camels, cows, and goats. Sacrificing these animals is considered as one unit and suffices only for one household. However, multiple people can participate in the sacrifice of camels and cows, with ten people for camels and seven for cows. Some narrations even mention the division of a camel into seven shares. Some scholars have interpreted this as allowing for broader participation, meaning that seven households can share in the sacrifice of a camel, and even ten individuals can participate. Some have considered the tradition of seven shares as applicable to “hady” (sacrificial offering) and the tradition of ten shares as applicable to “qurbani” (sacrifice).
If someone sacrifices large animals alone without sharing with others, it is not considered preferable. Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) sacrificed on behalf of the family of Muhammad during the Farewell Pilgrimage with one cow.” (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3135, Sunan Abi Dawud: 1536)
This means that during the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (peace be upon him) sacrificed one cow on behalf of the family of Muhammad.
Desirable Qualities in Sacrificial Animals:
In the light of Hadith, it is essential to consider two fundamental aspects when selecting sacrificial animals:
- The animal should have incisors, meaning it should have at least two intact incisors in its lower jaw that have naturally fallen out.
- It should be free from apparent defects, beautiful, robust, healthy, and sound.