Question
What is the authenticity of the following Hadiths:
1) There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbani than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Qiyamah with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed on a persons good deeds). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart.
2) Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Arqam (radiyallahu ‘anhu) relates that the Companions asked,
‘O Messenger of Allah! What is Udhiyah?’ He replied, ‘It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim (‘alayhis salam).’ They asked again, ‘What benefit do we get from it?’ He answered, ‘A reward for every hair (of the sacrificed animal).’ ‘And [what reward is there for animals with] wool, O Messenger of Allah?’ they asked. ‘A reward’, he said, ‘for every fibre of the wool.’
Answer
1) Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has recorded the first Hadith in question on the authority of Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) and has declared it sound (hasan).
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has chosen not to comment on the grade of this Hadith in his book, ‘Hidayatur Ruwat’, thus rendering it sound (hasan) according to him, based on his principle therein.
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 1493. Hidayatur Ruwat, Hadith: 1415)
2) The second Hadith is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah with a very weak chain. However the first Hadith does indicate towards the fact that a person is rewarded for the hair on the animal as well. The first Hadith should be quoted instead.
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 3127. Refer: Misbahus Zujajah, Hadith: 1084 and Targhib, vol. 2 pg. 154)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar