of him. Rather, he offered a sacrifice for himself and the members of his household. If someone wishes to include the deceased within this general designation, that may be a valid view; but in that case, the sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is incidental, not independent. Hence, it is not prescribed to offer a sacrifice independently on behalf of a deceased person, since no report to that effect has come from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. If a sacrifice is offered on his behalf, it has been said:

It counts as a sacrificial offering.

And it has been said:

It counts as charity.

The difference between the two is evident, for the reward of a sacrificial offering is greater than the reward of charity.

His statement: “Slaughtering it is better than giving its price in charity.”

Thus, if someone were to say, “I have five hundred riyals. Is it better for me to give them in charity or to offer a sacrifice with them?” We would say: It is better for you to offer a sacrifice with them.

If he then says, “What if I were to buy with them a large amount of meat—four or five times the value of a sheep? Would that be better, or should I offer a sacrifice?”

We would say: It is better for you to offer a sacrifice. Slaughtering it is better than giving its price in charity, and better than purchasing meat equal to its value—or greater—and giving it away in charity. This is because the foremost purpose of the sacrificial offering is to draw near to Allah, Most High, through slaughtering it, as Allah, Most High, says:

“Neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah, but what reaches Him is piety from you.” [al-Hajj: 37]

Likewise, freeing a slave is better than giving his price in charity.

If someone were to ask: “What if there were a famine among the Muslims, and giving a dirham in charity would be more beneficial, meeting the Muslims’ urgent need—which of the two would take precedence?”