Slaughtering Hady

Slaughtering an animal is the fifth obligation of hajj and the second rite of Minā.

It is obligatory for a person who is performing hajj al-tamattu' to slaughter one of the three types of animals: camel, cow, goat or sheep. It does not matter whether the animal being slaughtered is male or female. The best slaughter is a camel. However, slaughtering animals other than what is mentioned above is not sufficient.

Slaughtering is among rites of worship and should be performed with intention.

The conditions and specifications of slaughtering are as follows:

1. On the basis of obligatory caution, a camel should have entered in its sixth year of age, a cow and goat should have entered their third year of age, and in case of a sheep, it should have entered the second year of its age. This age range is the minimum limit. However there is no maximum regarding the age, .i.e. if an animal for slaughter is above this limit, it is sufficient provided that it is not too old.
2. The animal should be healthy and physically sound.
3. It should not be lean in form.
4. All the parts of its body must be perfect. Therefore, slaughtering a defective, castrated animal is not sufficient. However, if the testes of an animal are pounded without castration, slaughtering it is sufficient. Therefore, slaughtering an animal with a cut tail/ear; a blind, paralyzed animal; an animal whose internal part of horn is broken; or an animal born with these defects is not sufficient. Similarly, slaughtering an animal that lacks a body part/organ while other animals of the same species have it so that lacking it is considered a defect would be considered invalid. However, there is no objection in slaughtering an animal if one of its external parts of horn is broken (the covering sheath over the internal horn) or its ear is pierced.

If an animal is slaughtered thinking that it is healthy but later it becomes apparent that it was sick or defective, one should slaughter another animal, if possible financially.

On the basis of obligatory caution, slaughtering should be performed after the ramy (stoning) of al-Jamara al-ʿAqaba.

Based on caution, one should slaughter it on the day of Eid al-Adha and do not delay it by choice. If he/she delays it deliberately, inattentively, ignorantly, or due to a genuine excuse, on the basis of obligatory caution, he should slaughter the animal during the days of Tashrīq (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhu l-Hijja) if possible. Otherwise, the person should slaughter the animal on any other day of the month of Dhu l-Hijja. There is no difference, whether it is slaughtered during the day or at night.

The site of slaughter is Minā. If one is prevented from slaughtering in Minā, he can slaughter at the substitute place that is prepared for slaughtering. On the basis of obligatory caution, the representative in slaughtering should be a believer (Ithna 'Ashari/Twelver). However, it is possible that belief is not a condition, if a person intends for this rite himself and hires a person only to slaughter. It is a condition that one should slaughter himself or give the power of attorney to another person to slaughter. If somebody slaughters on behalf of another person without a latter's previous power of attorney, the slaughter is objectionable and on the basis of caution, it would not be sufficient.

The slaughtering tool must be made of iron or stainless steel. If a person doubts regarding the tool, he should ascertain that it is made of iron or else the slaughter does not suffice.