Can Money Be Given as Charity in Place of the Udhiyah Sacrifice?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

هل يجوز إخراج قيمة الشاة في العقيقة أو الأضحية وإعطاء هذا المبلغ للجمعيات الخيرية التي تكفل اليتامى والمساكين والفقراء بدلا عن شراء شاة وذبحها

QUESTION: Is it permissible to give money in place of the value of the sheep slaughtered for an ‘Aqeeqah or an Udhiyah Sacrifice? The amount of money would be given directly to charitable organizations that sponsor orphans and the poor and needy, instead of being used to actually purchase a sheep and slaughter it.

ANSWER by the Permanent Committee for Religious Verdicts, headed by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him):

لا يجزئ دفع القيمة عن ذبح العقيقة وذبح الأضحية؛ لأن ذبحهما والأكل من لحمهما والتصدق منه عبادة لا يقوم مقامها التصدق بالقيمة.

It is Continue reading

Did Imam Al-Bukhari say “My Recitation of the Quran is Created”?

In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful, the Ever Merciful…

A phrase of disbelief and one of the slogans that identify the Laf-thiyyah Cult from the offshoots of the disbelieving Jahmiyyah Sect was attributed to the greatest scholar of Hadeeth in the history of Islaam, al-Imaam Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel al-Bukhaaree (d.256), may Allaah have Mercy on him.  This short phrase was attributed to him:

لفظي بالقرآن مخلوق

“My recitation of the Quran is created.”

According to the scholars of Islam, anyone who held this belief was considered a disbeliever, speaking with one of the distinguishing traits of the Laf-thiyyah Cult, who were considered far more dangerous than the original Jahmiyyah disbelievers.

The great imaam, Abul-Qaasim al-Laalakaa’ee (d.418), listed the names of the scholars who were reported to have declared those who say “My recitation of the Quran is created” to be disbelievers. He listed over 50 scholars, including: Continue reading

Common Acts of Religious Excessiveness (Ghuluww): Overplanning an ‘Aqeeqah

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…

Allaah says, addressing the Jews and Christians with a stern admonition that Muslims are required to also heed and live by:

يا أهل الكتاب لا تغلوا في دينكم
“O people of the Book!  Do not go overboard in your religion!” [1]

His Messenger (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said:

إياكم والغلو فإنما أهلك من كان قبلكم الغلو
“Be warned against ghuluww (religious excessiveness), since that which destroyed the people who came before you was ghuluww!” [2]

To help fulfill this Prophetic order, this series of brotherly reminders highlights some everyday manifestations of religious excessiveness that Muslims may commonly fall into, so that we can be on guard against them and warn others of them.

Overplanning an ‘Aqeeqah

An ‘aqeeqah is when a Muslim father slaughters two sheep after being blessed with a newborn baby boy, or one sheep for a girl. Continue reading

The Ruling on the ‘Aqeeqah (Slaughtering for a Newborn)

In the Name of Allaah…

‘Aqeeqah: Slaughtering sheep after the birth of a newborn, two for a boy, one for a girl, preferably on the seventh day after the birth.

Ibn Qudaamah (d.620), may Allaah have Mercy on him, said:

“The ‘aqeeqah is a Sunnah (recommended deed) according to the vast majority of the scholars, like Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn ‘Umar, ‘Aa’ishah, the jurists of the taabi’oon (those who came after the companions), and the scholars of the various lands, with the exception of Ahlur-Ra’y (the Hanafees), who held that it was from the customs of Jaahliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance)… And Al-Hasan (al-Basree) and Daawood (ath-Thaahiree) held it to be an obligation…” [1] Continue reading

Preferring to Spend on One’s Poor Parents Over Slaughtering Sheep for an ‘Aqeeqah

Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa’dee (d.1376), may Allaah have Mercy on him, was asked, “If someone has poor parents, should preference be given to spending on their needs over slaughtering sheep for an ‘Aqeeqah (i.e. for a newborn child)”?

His answer: Continue reading