Who bears the operational costs of sacrifice? Can it be taken from the sacrificial animal? How is it determined? Read the complete explanation here!
Sacrifice is one of the highly recommended acts of worship in Islam, especially for those who are capable. However, in the implementation of sacrifice, there are several aspects that need to be considered, one of which is the operational costs of sacrifice.
The operational costs of sacrifice refer to the expenses incurred in organizing the process of slaughtering, skinning, cutting, packaging, and distributing the sacrificial meat to the poor and deserving individuals.
These operational costs can be substantial, especially when a significant number of sacrificial animals are slaughtered. So, who should bear the operational costs of sacrifice? Can it be taken from the sacrificial animal itself? Or should it be charged to the owner of the sacrificial animal?
The Ruling on Sacrificing Animls
Before delving into the details of the operational costs of sacrifice, it is important to understand the ruling on sacrificing animals in Islam.
According to the majority of scholars, sacrificing animals is a highly recommended act of worship for those who are capable. It is strongly encouraged for those who have the means to sacrifice animals on the day of Eid al-Adha and the following three days known as Tashreeq.
This is based on a hadith narrated by Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
"When you see the new moon of Dhu al-Hijjah, and one of you intends to sacrifice, let him refrain from cutting his hair and nails." [Sahih Muslim]
In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever has the means to offer a sacrifice but does not do so, let him not come near our prayer place." [Ahmad and Ibn Majah].
From the above hadiths, it can be understood that sacrificing animals is a noble act of worship with many virtues. Therefore, for those who are capable, it is advisable not to miss the opportunity to perform the act of sacrifice.
Operational Costs of Sacrifice Cannot Be Taken from the Sacrificial Animal
After understanding the ruling on sacrificing animals, let us address the main question: who bears the operational costs of sacrifice?
The answer is that the operational costs of sacrifice cannot be taken from the sacrificial animal itself, neither from its meat nor its skin. Instead, it should be borne by the owner of the sacrificial animal or funded from other sources such as voluntary contributions.
This is based on a hadith narrated by Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
"Commanded me to look after my sacrificial camels, and to give as charity from their meat and skin, and prohibited me from giving wages to the butcher from it." He (the Prophet) said, "We will give the wages to the butcher from our own wealth." [Sahih Muslim]
This hadith shows that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited paying the butcher from the sacrificial animal, as it is tantamount to selling a portion of the sacrificial animal. However, selling the sacrificial animal or any part of it is forbidden (haram).
Imam Nawawi explained in his commentary:
"This hadith contains many benefits, including the recommendation to lead the sacrificial animal, the permissibility of appointing someone to carry out the slaughter, take care of, distribute, and donate the meat, skin, and fat. The butcher should not be paid from the sacrificial animal because such payment is considered a substitute for his work, which is equivalent to selling a part of the sacrificial animal. And in this hadith, it also indicates the permissibility of employing someone else for the slaughtering and similar tasks. Refer to: (Abu Zakariya Muhyiddin bin Sharaf al-Nawawi, Sharh Nawawi 'ala Muslim, [Beirut: Darul Ihya' al-Turots], Vol. IX, page 65).
Similarly, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haytami stated:
"It is not permissible to sell anything from the recommended sacrificial animal. It should not be wasted or destroyed, even without selling it, and it is also not permissible to pay the butcher from its skin. Instead, the operational costs should be borne by the owner."
How to Determine the Operational Costs of Sacrifice?
After understanding that the operational costs of sacrifice should be borne by the owner of the sacrificial animal or funded from other sources, the next question is: how to determine the amount of the operational costs?
This depends on various factors, such as the number of sacrificial animals, the number of committee members involved, the facilities provided, and so on.
Therefore, it is advisable for the sacrificial committee to make a transparent and accountable estimation of the operational costs. These costs may include transportation expenses for the sacrificial animals, slaughter fees, skinning fees, cutting fees, packaging fees, distribution fees, and the committee's consumables.
Afterward, the committee can determine the contribution amount to be charged to the participants (sahibul-qurban) based on the estimated operational costs. The contributions can be standardized or differentiated according to the price of the sacrificial animal or the type of animal being sacrificed.
For example, if the price of a goat is $2,500 per animal and the operational costs are $500 per animal, the contribution charged to each participant for a goat sacrifice would be $3,000 per animal.
However, if the price of a cow is $25,000 per animal and the operational costs are $5,000 per animal, the contribution charged to each participant for a cow sacrifice would be $30,000 per animal.
Alternatively, the contributions can be differentiated based on the number of people participating in a single sacrificial animal. For instance, if seven individuals participate in one cow sacrifice, the contribution charged to each participant would be $30,000 divided by seven, which is approximately $4,285.714 per person.
Conclusion
From the explanations above, we can conclude that:
- Sacrificing animals is a highly recommended act of worship for those who are capable.
- The operational costs of sacrifice cannot be taken from the sacrificial animal itself, whether its meat or skin.
- The operational costs of sacrifice should be borne by the owner of the sacrificial animal or funded from other sources, such as voluntary contributions.
- The determination of the operational costs depends on a transparent and accountable estimation made by the sacrificial committee.
- The contributions charged to participants can be standardized or differentiated based on the price or type of the sacrificial animal.
We hope that this article has been beneficial and provided useful information for those who are interested in performing the act of sacrifice or being involved in its organization.
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