158. How to divide the Udhiyah meat

By Asma bint Shameem

It's good to eat ‘some’ from the udhiyah (qurbaani) and give ‘some’ as charity. 

 Allaah said:

“Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor having a hard time” 

[al-Hajj 22:28] 

And the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said about the udhiyah: 

“Eat some, store some and give some in charity.” 

(Muslim)

It’s recommended to divide the Udhiyah meat into three parts. 

And keep a third for yourself, give a third to the poor, and a third to your family.

But that’s not a hard and fast rule. 

You could do more or less than that. 

The scholars said:

“The division of the udhiyah into three portions was narrated from some of the Sahaabah radhi Allaahu anhum, but the matter is broad in scope. What matters is that “some” of it should reach the poor and needy.

Ibn ‘Umar radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“With regard to the meat from the sacrificial animals, one third should be for your family, one third for yourself, and one third for the poor.”

Something similar was narrated from Ibn Mas‘ood radhi Allaahu anhu.”

(Islamqa Fatwa # 160055)

So try to find even one poor person to share some of the Qurbaani (Udhiyah) meat. 

Then, after that, the scholars say that you may distribute the meat however you like. 

Do I ‘have’ to eat some from it?

The majority of the scholars say that it’s mustahabb or recommended to eat some from your own Udhiyah. 

Others say it’s mandatory to eat at least a small portion from your sacrifice. 

That’s because when the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam slaughtered his sacrificial animals, he instructed that a piece from each camel be collected in the cooking pot. 

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah radhi Allaahu anhu  said: 

“Then he went to the place of slaughter and slaughtered sixty-three camels with his own hand, then he gave the knife to ‘Ali and he slaughtered the remaining camels. Then he ordered that a piece from each sacrificial animal be brought; (the pieces) were put in a pot and cooked, and they [the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam and ‘Ali] ate from the meat and drank from the soup… “

[Muslim (1218)]

Imaam An-Nawawi said: 

“This indicates that it is mustahabb to eat from the hadiy and udhiyah. 

The scholars said: Because eating from each one is Sunnah, and eating from each one of the hundred separately was too difficult, a piece from each one was put into a pot, so that he could eat from the soup of all of them which would contain part of each one.“

[Sharh Saheeh Muslim (8/192)]

And Imaam An-Nawawi also said: 

“He only took a piece from each animal and drank from the soup made from all of them so that he would have eaten something from each one of them.” [al-Majmoo‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (8/414)]

Can I keep ALL of it for myself and my family?

It’s *not right* to keep all of it and not give any to charity according to the stronger scholarly opinion. 

That’s because Allaah and His Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam have told us to share some of the Udhiyah with the poor. 

Allaah said:

“Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor having a hard time” 

[al-Hajj 22:28] 

And the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said about the udhiyah: 

“Eat some, store some and give some in charity.” 

(Muslim)

Imaan An-Nawawi said: 

“It is obligatory to give in charity as much as may be described as such, because the purpose is to show kindness to the poor and needy. 

Based on that, if a person eats all of it, he is liable for what may be described as a reasonable amount of charity.”

[Rawdat at-Taalibeen wa ‘Umdat al-Mufteen [?] (3/223)]

Someone asked Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen about a person who cooked all the sacrificial meat with his relatives, without giving any of it in charity. 

Is their action valid? 

He said:

“This is wrong, 

because Allah, may He be exalted, says: 

“That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days (i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah), over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice) (at the time of their slaughtering by saying: Bismillah, Wallahu-Akbar, Allahumma Minka wa Ilaik). 

Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor who have a very hard time” [al-Hajj 22:28]. 

Based on that, what they must do now is make up for what they ate themselves, by giving some meat for each sheep, which they may buy and give in charity.”

[Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (25/132)]

Can I give some of the Udhiyah meat to non Muslims?

Yes that’s permissible. 

Someone asked the scholars about giving Udhiyah to non Muslims since there are no poor Muslims where he lives. 

The scholars said:

“If the one who offers the sacrifice gives some of the meat to one poor Muslim, even if it is only one, after that he may give it in charity to non-Muslims too. 

Ibn Qudaamah said: 

"It is permissible to give some of it – i.e., the udhiyah meat – to a disbeliever. 

This is the view of al-Hasan, Abu Thawr and ashaab ar-ra’y. 

That is because it is charity that is voluntarily given, so it is permissible to give it to a dhimmi (non-Muslim living under Muslim rule) and prisoners of war, as in the case of other kinds of voluntary charity. But in the case of obligatory charity, it is not acceptable to give it to a disbeliever, because it is obligatory charity and therefore is more akin to zakaah and kafaarat yamen (expiation for breaking an oath).“ 

[al-Mughni (11/109)]”

(Islamqa Fatwa # 160055)

And Allaah knows best