Will you give information about the sacrifice of vow and when is it necessary to sacrifice?

-  Who is not allowed to eat the meat of a sacrificial animal??
- For example, suppose that a person said, “I will sacrifice an animal if this or that happens.” Does a vow include sacrificing an animal?
- If yes, does this animal have to be slaughtered on Eid al-Adha in return for such an intention, or can the person sacrifice it whenever he wants after what he wants has happened?

Dear Brother / Sister,

A person who vows a sacrifice can slaughter it at any time when he is free to do so.

Nazr, which is the equivalent of vow in English, is a kind of worship. In fact, the real meaning of nazr is that a person promises to do something that is permissible for the sake of Allah and makes it obligatory on himself to do what he has vowed to do.

Religiously, it is obligatory to fulfill a vow because the person has promised to do something for Allah.

The verse “Then let them … perform their vows.” (al-Hajj, 22/29)

is a command from God Almighty to those who make vows. Our Prophet (pbuh) said,

“If a person vows something and pronounces it, he must fulfill what he has vowed.” (Molla Husrev, Dürerü’l-Hukkâm, İstanbul: Fazilet Neşriyat ve Matbaacılık, 1976, II/45)

However, there is something that should be taken into consideration regarding the issue: The vow does not change what is vowed, that is, it has no effect on Divine Predestination. Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) points to the issue as follows:

“Vow does not change anything from destiny. However, a stingy person will be deprived of some property because of his vow.” (Tirmidhi, Nuzur: 10)

If one makes a vow knowing that it has no effect on one’s happiness or misfortune, and then fulfills it, he will be rewarded. Besides, a vow can only be made related to something that is fard or wajib. Fulfilling those obligations will undoubtedly gain man rewards. However, it is best not to get used to the custom of making a vow very much, as those deeds of worship can also be performed and good deeds can also be done without making a vow.

The purpose of the vow must be Allah’s consent. In all those issues, Allah’s consent must be stipulated, and if something is to be offered, it must be done in order to attain His consent.

No limitations or determinations such as time, place, money, or poor people are considered in a vow. If a person makes a vow to sacrifice an animal in Ramadan, it is permissible for him to sacrifice it in any month. Similarly, if a person vows to perform a prayer at the Fatih Mosque, it is permissible for him to perform the same prayer at the Süleymaniye Mosque. If a person makes a vow to give a certain amount of money to a certain poor person, his vow will be fulfilled even if he gives it to another poor person.

Certain conditions must be fulfilled for a vow to be valid:

1. The thing that is vowed must be something that exists and can be done. For example, a vow cannot be made by saying something like, “I will fast yesterday for the sake of Allah.”

2. The vow must not be something that is forbidden or sinful in religion. For example, it is invalid to vow to gamble or drink wine.

3. The vow must be something that is obligatory or wajib like fasting, performing a prayer, sacrificing an animal, etc. A vow to go on a journey, travel, or visit a sick person is not regarded as a vow.

4. The vow must not exceed the financial capacity of the person making the vow, and it must not be something that belongs to someone else. For example, if a person who vows to slaughter a calf cannot afford it, he can slaughter a sheep. However, if he vows to slaughter someone else’s sheep, he does not have to fulfill this vow.

It is not permissible to make a vow on behalf of a person or a creature. For example, one cannot make an offering in the name of a notable person, a shrine or a tomb. It is not permissible to sacrifice animals that are not permissible for sacrifice, such as chickens and roosters, which is a custom of the Jews; nor is it permissible to make vows by lighting candles. One must not rely on such things, and must seek help and healing only from Allah.

There are some vows that are regarded as oaths. Atonement (kaffarah) is necessary for them. For example, if a person vows not to go somewhere, not to eat something, or not to do something and if he does it, he has to atone for his vow. He does not have to sacrifice an animal.

If it is an animal that is permissible to be sacrificed, such as a sheep, goat and cattle, when the animal is slaughtered, its meat cannot be eaten by the person who made the vow, nor can his close relatives (called usul and furu’) eat from it. That is, the person who made the vow, his parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren, husband and wife cannot eat from it. There is no difference between a man and a woman in terms of a vow. However, a person’s mother-in-law and father-in-law can eat from it. The meat of this animal must be given to the poor. (Ibn Abidin, V/208)

The animal that has been sacrificed cannot be given to the rich. If the person who has made the vow and his relatives eat the meat, they must give the equivalent of the meat to the poor. However, if a person who has benefited from the meat of the vow offers some of it to the people who have made the vow, they can eat from it.

By the way, it would be useful to clarify one more point. If a person who buys a house, a car, or something similar buys an animal, slaughters it, and distributes the meat to the poor, both as a thankful gesture and with the intention of keeping it safe from accidents, it is both a good deed and a kind of du’a (prayer). This animal is not regarded as a vow since he has not had an intention of vow beforehand.

However, if he intends, for example, by saying “If I buy a car, I will slaughter a sheep for the sake of Allah”, he has to slaughter the animal when he can after buying the car and give its meat to the poor.

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