Ala-Maududi
(22:28) to witness the benefits in store for them,[48] and pronounce the name of Allah
during the appointed days over the cattle that He has provided them.[49] So eat of it
and feed the distressed and the needy.[50]
48. “The benefits” include both religious and worldly benefits. It was due mainly to the Kabah
that during the period of 2500 years between the times of Prophet Abraham and the Prophet (peace
be upon them), the Arabs, in spite of their tribal life, remained attached to one central place
and continued to visit it from all parts of Arabia for performing Hajj year after year. This in
turn preserved their language, their culture and their Arab identity. Then during the course of
the year they were afforded at least four months of perfect peace when anybody and everybody
could safely travel alone or in trade caravans; thus the ritual of Hajj was directly beneficial
to economic life of the country as well. For details see (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayat 97) note 80-81
thereof, and (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 97)
note 113 thereof.
49. “The cattle” here imply the camel, cow, sheep and goat as has been clearly mentioned in (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 142-144), “they
should mention the name of Allah over the cattle”, implies that they should slaughter the cattle
for Allah’s sake and in His name, as is clear from the subsequent sentences. Allah’s name should
be recited at the time the cattle are slaughtered to show that the Muslims are to slaughter and
sacrifice animals in Allah’s name alone so as to distinguish them from the disbelievers who
slaughtered animals without mentioning Allah’s name or by mentioning other names than that of
Allah.
As regards to “the appointed days”, there is a difference of opinion as to their exact identity.
Some of the opinions as to what the appointed days mean are.
(1) The first ten days of Zil-Hajj. This view is supported by Ibn Abbas, Hasan Basri, Ibrahim
Nakhai, Qatadah and several other companions and their followers. Imams Abu Hanifah, Shafai and
Ahmad bin Hanbal have also favored this view.
(2) The tenth of Zil-Hajj and the three days following it. This view is supported by Ibn Abbas,
Ibn Umar, Ibrahim Nakhai, Hasan and Ata. Imams Shafai and Ahmad are also reported to have
favored this in a saying each.
(3) The tenth day of Zil-Hajj and the two following days. This view has been supported by Umar,
Ali, Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, Anas bin Malik, Abu Hurairah, Said bin Musayyab and Said bin Jubair.
Sufyan Thauri, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad from among the jurists have also
adopted it, and the Hanafites and the Malikites are also generally agreed on this.
50. The imperative mood of the verb has given rise to the misunderstanding that it is obligatory
to eat their flesh and also to give of it to the needy people, Imams Shafai and Malik opine that
it is good to eat of it and it is obligatory to give of it to others. According to Imam Abu
Hanifah, both these things are permitted but are not obligatory. It is good to eat of it, for
the people in the days of ignorance considered it unlawful to eat sacrificial meat of their own
animals, and it is good to give of it to the poor by way of help. Ibn Jarir has cited instances
from Hasan Basri, Ata, Mujahid and Ibrahim Nakhai to prove that the imperative mood does not
always imply a command, as for example in (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 2) Thus, “give of
it to the indigent” does not mean that the flesh cannot be given to a rich person for the
companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to give of it to their friends, neighbors,
relatives whether they were rich or poor. According to Ibn Umar, one third of the flesh may be
consumed at home, one third may be given to the neighbors and the remaining one third
distributed among the needy.
