How Many People is a Cow Sacrifice For? Here's the Explanation of the Hadith

Dream - Cow sacrifice for how many people may be a question for some Muslims. Sacrifice itself is highly recommended for those who are able to buy a sacrificial animal. The question of how many people a cow sacrifice is for has been explained in the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Eid al-Adha is the day when Muslims around the world who have excess wealth will sacrifice goats, cows, sheep, or camels. The sacrificial animals are slaughtered according to each person's ability.

So what is the answer to the question of how many people a cow sacrifice is for? Let's find out more in the explanation below as summarized by Dream from various sources.

Explanation of the Hadith

Returning to the question of how many people a cow sacrifice is for, the answer is that a cow sacrifice is for seven people. This is based on the hadith narrated by Imam Muslim as follows:

“From Jabir, he said that we went out with the Messenger of AllahSAW while in the state of ihram for Hajj, then he commanded us to share in camels and cows, with every seven of us sharing in one camel.” (Narrated by Muslim)

Based on this hadith, it is clear that a cow sacrifice is for seven people. In addition, there is another hadith narrated by Imam Tirmidzi which also mentions that a cow sacrifice can be for seven people.

From Ibn Abbas, he said: “We were with the Messenger of Allah saw on a journey, then the day of Eid al-Adha came, so we shared in slaughtering a cow for seven people and a camel for ten people.” (Narrated by at-Tirmidzi No. 1501)

Based on the information from these two hadiths, it is clear that a cow sacrifice can be shared by seven people. However, there is no prohibition in Islamic law if a Muslim wants to sacrifice a cow alone, as long as he is able to fulfill the required conditions for the sacrifice.

Livestock Animals That Can Be Sacrificed

Sacrificing an animal on the day of Eid al-Adha is a highly recommended sunnah or sunnah muakkadah. Of course, this worship is recommended for those who are financially capable of buying a sacrificial animal, whether it is a goat, sheep, cow, or camel.

The animals that are permissible to be sacrificed are livestock or an’am. Jurists mention a list of livestock animals that are permissible for the act of sacrifice, namely sheep, goats, cows, and camels. These animals have a lot of meat that can be beneficial to humans. In fact, the majority of scholars mention that the most preferred sacrificial animal is a camel, followed by a cow, and then a goat.

Meanwhile, according to the Maliki school of thought, the most preferred sacrificial animal is a male goat, and a sheep is more preferred than a castrated male goat, followed by a cow, and then a camel. A goat sacrifice is intended for one person, while a cow sacrifice can be intended for seven people.

The price of cows is indeed expensive for people with limited income. Therefore, a person can share the cost with seven people to buy a cow. In contrast, the reward for a goat sacrifice is only for one person, while a cow sacrifice can be for seven people.

This is according to the hadith narrated by Muslim:

“The Messenger of Allah SAW commanded us to share in a camel and a cow. Every seven of us shared in that one cow.” (Narrated by Muslim)

A Cow Sacrifice Does Not Have to Be for 7 People

It is not uncommon to see a cow sacrifice being performed by only one person or fewer than seven people. Is it permissible to perform a cow sacrifice by a group of less than seven people or even just one person?

The majority of scholars agree that it is not a problem if the group of people sharing in a cow sacrifice is less than seven. It is narrated from Jabir bin Abdillah that during the Hudaibiyah period, the Messenger of Allah SAW and the Muslim community together slaughtered a sacrifice consisting of a camel for seven people and a cow for seven people.

“We slaughtered a sacrifice with the Messenger of Allah SAW during the Hudaibiyah period, a camel for seven people and a cow for seven people.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Daud, Tirmidzi, and Ibn Majah)

If there is someone who is capable and performs a cow sacrifice themselves with sincerity and pure intention, then this is allowed. Because there is no prohibition in Islamic law that prohibits this action. The important thing that must not be forgotten is to have a sincere intention for the sacrifice, whether it is for oneself or for seven people.

Prayer for Slaughtering a Sacrificial Animal for 7 People

The slaughtering of sacrificial animals is carried out from the 10th to the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah. The person who slaughters the sacrificial animal is preferably the person who is performing the sacrifice or the owner of the sacrifice. However, if the owner of the sacrifice is unable to perform the slaughter, it can be entrusted to someone who can do it.

Although it is delegated, the person who slaughters the sacrificial animal must also know the correct procedure according to Islamic law. One of the things to pay attention to is the prayer for slaughtering a sacrificial animal for seven people. Here is the recitation of the prayer for slaughtering a sacrificial animal for seven people that should be practiced:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا مِنْكَ وَلَكَ هَذَا عَنِّي

Bismillahi allahumma wallahu akbar.Allahumma hadza minka walaka, hadza 'anni.

Meaning: "In the name of Allah and Allah is the greatest. O Allah, this is from You and for You."

This prayer for slaughtering a sacrificial animal is recited when the slaughter is performed by the owner of the sacrifice. However, if it is delegated, the prayer is the same but with the addition of mentioning the names of the people who are performing the sacrifice.

Here is the recitation:

.... بِسْمِ اللَّهِ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا مِنْكَ وَلَكَ هَذَا عَنْ (mention the names of the people who are performing the sacrifice).

Bismillahi allahumma wallahu akbar.Allahumma hadza minka walaka, hadza 'an (mention the names of the people who are performing the sacrifice).