Question:

What do the scholars and experts of shari’ah say regarding the meat of a sacrificed animal during Eid-al-Adha? Can the meat of Eid al-Adha be given to non-Muslim neighbours?

Answer:

It is permissible to give the meat of Eid al-Adha sacrifice to non-Muslims, especially if they are your relatives, neighbours, or needy individuals.

It has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: “Eat the cattle and feed the needy and poor.”   (Surat al-Hajj: 28)

It is established from this verse that one should consume the meat of the sacrifice themselves and share it with others in need. It is permissible to give the meat of sacrifice to a needy person of any religion. From the verse we see the ruling for recipients of the meat is general (‘aam). This ruling becomes general from being specific, and it is permissible to give the meat of sacrifice to non-Muslims.

Further evidence for this is in the following hadith: Narrated by Mujahid from Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) that a goat was slaughtered for them at the house of Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them). When they arrived, Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) asked them, ‘Did you give any portion of it as a gift to our Jewish neighbour?’ I had heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying, ‘Jibril kept on recommending me to be good to my neighbour until I thought that he would make him my heir.’ (Tirmidhi)

Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) states: ‘It is also permissible to feed a disbeliever with the meat of this sacrifice… because it is a voluntary charity, just as other charities can be given to them. It is permissible for us to share the meat of the [Eid al-Adha] sacrifice with a disbeliever or a prisoner, whether it is due to poverty, kinship, neighbourhood, or for the purpose of winning hearts. And the reason for this permission is that the Prophet ﷺ commanded Asma bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) to maintain ties of kinship with her mother by providing financial support, even though her mother was a polytheist at that time, during the period between the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the Conquest of Makkah. (Al-Mughni)

It is mentioned in ‘Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah’ regarding the meat of sacrifice: “He gives whatever he wants from it to the rich, the poor and the Muslim.”

Similarly it has been mention in ‘I’ila al-Sunan’: “The one who offers the sacrifice may give all of that, as a gift or as donation to the rich, the poor, or a disbeliever.

It is permissible to give the meat of the sacrifice to a needy person of any religion, as explicitly stated by the jurists. This proves that it is permissible to give the meat to a non-Muslim, which promotes social harmony and showcases the beauty of Islam. Furthermore, it emphasises that Islam is for humanity.

And Allah ﷻ knows best

This fatwa is written by Dr Musharraf Hussain al-Azhari