Points derived from the ḥadith:
1 - It is recommended to send hady (sacrificial offerings) to the Sacred House from far-off countries even if the donor does not accompany them, for dedicating them to the House is charity for the needy of the Ḥaram, an act of venerating the House, and a means of drawing near to Allah by shedding their blood in obedience to Him.
2 - It is recommended to mark and garland the hady with cords, sandals, or strips of tree bark—objects not ordinarily used for such a purpose—so that people will recognize the animals and show them due respect.
3 - Dispatching hady does not place the donor in a state of iḥrām, because iḥrām consists in intending to perform the rites.
4 - For the same reason, none of the prohibitions that bind a pilgrim in iḥrām apply to the donor. Ibn al-Mundhir said: “The majority hold that garlanding the hady does not make a person muḥrim and does not impose any obligation upon him.” Some scholars—this is likewise the view of the jurists of the great cities—agree with them.
5 - It is permissible to appoint an agent to drive the animals to the Ḥaram, slaughter them, and distribute their meat.
6 - The Sacred Law is established wherever there is pure benefit or an overriding benefit. Although marking the camels and cattle that are offered causes them a measure of pain, the benefit of marking them—namely, venerating them and manifesting obedience to Allah by sending them—outweighs that slight harm.
7 - It is better to send the animals already garlanded from their place of origin than to garland them only after entering iḥrām, so that everyone who sees them along the way will respect them and so that people will compete in performing this form of charity whose benefit reaches others.
Second Ḥadith
ʿĀʾishah (Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet ﷺ once sent sheep as hady.” (1)
Overall Meaning
Most of the sacrificial animals the Prophet ﷺ sent to the House were camels, because they provide greater benefit and earn a higher reward. ʿĀʾishah reports, however, that he ﷺ once sent sheep. Offering animals from the anʿām (camels, cattle, and sheep) and even other things is permissible, but