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My family and I are staying in a land where Islamic slaughter is banned. What should we do? Can we give its price in charity?.
Praise be to Allah.
If what is meant is the udhiyah (sacrifice) or ‘aqeeqah on behalf of a newborn, and it is not possible to carry out Islamic slaughter in the land where you are staying, then it is better for you to send money to someone who can slaughter it on your behalf in another country where there are family members or poor and needy people, because slaughtering the udhiyah or ‘aqeeqah is better than giving the price in charity.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Doing the ‘aqeeqah is better than giving its price in charity, in our opinion. This is also the view of Ahmad and Ibn al-Mundhir. End quote from al-Majmoo’ (8/414).
It says in Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha: Slaughtering it – the udhiyah or ‘aqeeqah – is better than giving its price in charity. This was stated by Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him). The same applies to the hadiy, because of the hadeeth: “The son of Adam does not do any deed on the Day of Sacrifice that is dearer to Allaah than shedding blood. It will come on the Day of Resurrection with its horns and cloven hoofs and hair. Its blood is accepted by Allaah before it reaches the ground. So be content when you do it.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) slaughtered the hadiy as did the caliphs after him. If giving the price in charity were better, they would not have failed to do it. End quote. The hadeeth mentioned was classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah, no. 526.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible to slaughter the sacrifice in the land where one is, or to send a sum of money for that to your own country or to another Muslim country?
He replied:
It is better to offer the sacrifice in your own country if your family are with you. If your family are 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. End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (24/207)
And Allaah knows best.