Is It Permissible to Offer a Sacrifice on Behalf of One’s Parents?

It is permissible to offer a sacrifice on behalf of living parents with their permission, and the one who offers it will receive the reward for honoring their parents. As for offering a sacrifice on behalf of deceased parents, scholars have different opinions, which can be summarized as follows:

First Opinion: The Shafi’i school of thought holds that a sacrifice for a deceased person is only valid if the deceased had made a will for it, based on the verse: “And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives” (Quran 53:39). Thus, a sacrifice can be made and it will be valid if the deceased had instructed it before their death, with the condition that the entire sacrifice be given in charity, and it is not permissible to eat from it since the deceased cannot give permission for that.

Second Opinion: The Maliki school of thought states that it is disliked to offer a sacrifice for a deceased person if they did not specify it before their death. However, it is recommended for the heirs to perform the sacrifice if the deceased had designated it without making a vow.

Third Opinion: Both the Hanafi and Hanbali schools of thought permit offering a sacrifice for a deceased person, and it is allowed to both eat from it and give in charity. However, the Hanafis state that if the sacrifice was performed upon the deceased’s instructions, it is forbidden to eat from it.

The Wisdom Behind the Legislation of Udhiyah

The sacrifice (Udhiyah) was legislated for several reasons, including:

1. Reviving the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham): When Allah commanded him to sacrifice his son, and he complied, Allah ransomed him with a great sacrifice.
2. Thanking Allah for His Blessings: Sacrificing is a way to show gratitude to Allah for the bounties He has provided.
3. Bringing Joy to the Needy: By distributing part of the sacrifice’s meat to the poor and needy.
4. Bringing Happiness to One’s Family: By allowing them to eat from the sacrificial meat.

Is it Permissible to Give Charity Instead of Sacrificing?

Scholars have stated that performing the Udhiyah is preferable to giving its price in charity. This opinion is supported by the Shafi’i, Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali schools of thought, as giving up the sacrifice and replacing it with charity leads to abandoning the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who performed sacrifices, as did his companions. If giving charity were better, they would have done so.

Furthermore, the time for sacrifice is limited, unlike charity, which can be given at any time. Sacrifice combines the act of shedding blood and giving in charity, which brings one closer to Allah, and combining both acts is superior.