Q37 :Last year, I intended to sacrifice a sheep on
the Eid day. However, after buying the sheep, it got electrocuted
through neting in contact with a live electric wire and was killed
within two minutes. Do I have to sacrifice another sheep in place of
it?
A37 : A sacrifice on Eid day is strongly
renetmended. When we do the sacrifice and give some of its meat to poor
people and make presents of some of it to relatives and friends,
retaining a portion to ourselves, we earn reward from Allah. The
Prophet says: “Actions are but intentions,” which means that when you
intend to do something good, you are rewarded for your intentions. When
you carry it out, your reward is increased. Now you intended to make
the sacrifice and bought the sheep and brought it home, ready to make
the sacrifice when it falls due. The fact that it was killed makes its
meat forbidden to eat and you cannot sacrifice it. However, Allah
rewards you for your intention and for the money you have spent. It is
not necessary to buy another sheep, since the occasion has lapsed and
it is, in the first place, a renetmendation – not an obligation.
However, if you had bought and sacrificed another sheep, you would have
earned greater reward from Allah. When you did not, it was perfectly in
order. Now it is better that you wait till next Eid, when you do
another sacrifice, if you so wish.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )