Eid al-Adhā with him at the prayer ground. When he had finished his sermon, he descended from his pulpit, and a ram was brought to him. He slaughtered it with his own hand, saying: “In the name of Allah; Allah is the Greatest. This is on my behalf and on behalf of those of my community who have not offered a sacrifice.” The two Sahīh collections (1) report that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to slaughter at the prayer ground, both by cutting the throat and by piercing the base of the neck.

Abū Dāwūd (2) also reported from him that the Prophet slaughtered two horned, castrated rams, white with black markings, on the Day of Sacrifice. After positioning them, he said: “I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, devoted to Him alone, and I am not one of those who associate partners with Him. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah, Lord of all worlds. He has no partner. This I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah, this is from You and for You, on behalf of Muhammad and his community. In the name of Allah; Allah is the Greatest.” Then he slaughtered them.

He instructed people, when slaughtering, to slaughter well, and when killing, to kill well. He said: “Allah has prescribed excellence in all things” (3).

His guidance also included that a single sheep suffices as a sacrifice for a man and for (4) his household, however numerous they may be. As ‘Atā’ ibn Yasār related: I asked Abū Ayyūb al-Ansārī, “What were the sacrifices like during the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him?” He replied: “A man would sacrifice a sheep on behalf of himself and his household; they would eat (5) from it and feed others (6).” Al-Tirmidhī said: “This is a good and sound hadith.”