Q 9: Who are those deserving to be gifted with the meat of Ud-hiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims)? What is the ruling on presenting the Ud-hiyah meat to a person who slaughtered the Ud-hiyah? Moreover, many Muslims in our country delay the distribution of the meat of the sheep slaughtered as Ud-hiyah to the day after the day they slaughtered it. I do not know whether it is a Sunnah (supererogatory act of worship following the example of the Prophet) or more rewardable.

A: One slaughtering an Ud-hiyah may assign part of its meat to eat it himself, another part to the poor to meet their needs on that day, a third part to relatives as a means of maintaining the ties of kinship, a fourth part to neighbors as a means of coexistence and a fifth part to friends as a means of strengthening the ties of brotherhood. Moreover, distributing such assignments immediately on the first day is better than delaying it to subsequent days with a view to meeting the needs of those deserving it and making them happy on the day of `Eid. This is also based on the general tenor of the saying of Allah (Exalted be He), And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth In the same regard, Allah said, So hasten towards all that is good. However, (Part No. 11; Page No. 424) it is unobjectionable to give the slaughterer a part of the meat provided that it is not his fees. Rather, his fees should be something other than a part of the Ud-hiyah.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.