seven sacrificial camels with his own hand while they were standing. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, also sacrificed two white rams flecked with black in Medina.”
The answer is that there is no contradiction between the two hadiths. Abū Muhammad ibn Hazm (1) said that the hadith of Anas can be understood in one of three ways:
The first is that he, peace and blessings be upon him, slaughtered no more than seven sacrificial camels with his own hand, as Anas stated, and instructed someone to slaughter further camels until the total reached sixty-three. He then left that place and instructed Alī, who slaughtered (2) the remainder.
The second is that Anas witnessed (3) only his slaughtering seven with his own hand, peace and blessings be upon him, whereas Jābir witnessed him complete the slaughter of the rest. Each therefore reported what he had seen and witnessed (4).
The third is that he, peace and blessings be upon him, slaughtered seven sacrificial camels with his own hand, unaided, as Anas stated. Then he and Alī held the spear together and slaughtered further camels in this manner until the total reached sixty-three. This accords with the account of Gharafa (5) ibn al-Hārith al-Kindī, who said that he witnessed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that day holding the upper part of the spear and instructing Alī to hold its lower part. They slaughtered the sacrificial camels with it together; Alī then slaughtered the remainder of the hundred alone, as Jābir stated. And Allah knows best.
If it is asked: How, then, do you account for the hadith reported by Imam Ahmad and Abū