Question # 22: Can I send money to another country for Qurbani (Udhiyah) on Eid al-Adha?

bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,

Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Dear questioner,

First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

Shorter Answer: It is preferable to slaughter udhiyah in the country where you reside; however, it is permissible to transfer it to the relatives or to people who are in greater need of it than the people of your own country.

Long Answer: It is better for a person to slaughter his udhiyah himself, because of the report narrated by Anas ibn Maalik (رضي الله عنه), that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) sacrificed two horned black and white rams, placing his foot on their sides; he said the name of Allah and said takbeer, and slaughtered them with his own hand. (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Also, it is permissible to appoint someone to slaughter the sacrifice on one’s behalf, even without a reason to do so, because of the report narrated by Jabir (رضي الله عنه) according to which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) slaughtered sixty-three [animals] with his own hand. Then he handed over to ‘Ali who slaughtered the rest. (Narrated by Muslim)

Dr. Wahbah az-Zuhayli (may Allah preserve him) said: It is mustahabb for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice to slaughter it himself if he is able to do so, because it is an act of worship and doing an act of worship oneself is better than delegating someone else to do it. But if a person is not skilled in slaughtering, it is better to delegate it to a Muslim who is good at it; in this case it is mustahabb to witness the sacrifice, because of the words of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) to Faatimah (رضي الله عنه): O Faatimah, go to your udhiyah and witness it. And the madhhabs are unanimously agreed on that. (al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu)

With regard to offering the udhiyah outside of one’s country, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars concerning that. Dr. Wahbah az-Zuhayli said: As for transferring udhiyah to another country, the Hanafis said: It is makrooh to transfer it, like zakah, from one country to another, unless he is transferring it to his relatives or to people who are in greater need of it than the people in his own country. If he transfers it to anyone else, it is valid although it is makrooh. The Maalikis said: it is not permissible to transfer it the distance at which shortening prayers becomes permissible or more, unless the people in that place are in greater need of it than the people in the place where it should be offered. In that case, he should transfer most of it to them and keep a smaller portion for his own family. The Hanbalis and Shaafa‘is, like the Malikis, said: It is permissible to transfer it no more than the distance at which shortening prayers becomes permissible, from the country in which the udhiyah is due. But it is haram to transfer it, as in the case of zakah, the distance at which shortening prayers becomes permissible, although it is valid. (al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu)

A number of contemporary scholars are of the view that it is permissible to offer the udhiyah outside one’s own country, so as to give to the Muslims who are in greater need and are poorer.

When asked about the permissibility to send the meat of one’s sacrifice outside the Kingdom, to needy and poor people, Shaykh Ibn Jibreen (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: “It is preferable to slaughter it in the country where you are, so that you may be present at the slaughter and say the name of Allah over it, and eat from it, give some as gifts and give some in charity, by thirds. But if it is a rich country and there are no poor people there, and if you give to some of them they will store it for several days and they have abundant meat throughout the year, then it is permissible to send it to those who need it in poor countries where meat is scarce and they only have it rarely…”

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:  It is better to offer the sacrifice in your own country if your family is with you. If your family is elsewhere, and they do not have anyone with them who can offer the sacrifice for them, then send money to them to offer the sacrifice there. (Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

Wassalaam