The first is that no sacrificial animal is available, such that he finds no livestock for sale in the markets.

The second is that it is available, but he does not have the money to pay for it. Both cases fall under the description of one who lacks it and cannot find it. Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“And whoever cannot find one must fast for three days.” [al-Baqarah 2:196]

The object is omitted: He did not say, “whoever cannot find a sacrificial animal,” nor did He say, “whoever cannot find the price of a sacrificial animal.” This is for the sake of generality: whoever cannot find the sacrificial animal, or cannot find its price, must fast for three days during Hajj.

With regard to having or not having access to the sacrificial animal, what point in time is considered? Is it the time he enters ihram for ‘umrah—such that, if he had money with which to buy it when he entered ihram for ‘umrah, but it was then stolen, he is deemed to have had access to it? Or is the relevant time when he enters ihram for Hajj? Or is it dawn on the Day of Eid? Or is it the time when slaughter becomes permissible—that is, after the sun has risen to the height of a spear?

All of these are views, but the relied-upon position is that the relevant time is dawn on the Day of Sacrifice.

Thus, when entering ihram for ‘umrah, he may not have had access to it; or he may have had some money, but thought that the sacrificial animal would be expensive. Later, however, he may acquire some money through earnings, a gift, the death of an inheritor, or the like.

In this matter, he acts according to what he most likely expects. If, when entering ihram for ‘umrah, he most likely thinks that he will not be able to find the sacrificial animal, then he is ruled to be one who has not found it, even if he might be able to find it on the Day of Eid.