How many times did the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) offer the udhiyah?
Imam Ahmad (4955) and at-Tirmidhi (1507) narrated via Hajjaaj ibn Artaah, via Naafi‘, that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed in Madinah for ten years, and offered the udhiyah every year.
This hadith was classed as hasan by Imam at-Tirmidhi.
But there is some weakness in its isnaad; Hajjaaj ibn Artah is sadooq (sincere), but he is also mudallis [i.e., he engaged in tadlees, which is when a narrator narrates a hadith that he did not hear directly from his shaykh, without mentioning the name of the third party from whom he did hear it, using wording that may or may not give the impression that he heard it directly]. al-‘Ajli said: People criticised him for tadlees. Abu Zar‘ah said: He is sadooq but he engaged in tadlees. Abu Haatim said: He is sadooq but engaged in tadlees, narrating from da‘eef (weak) narrators. But if he says “[so and so] told us”, then the hadith is sound, and there is no doubt about its authenticity, if he makes it clear that he heard the hadith directly. Ibn al-Mubaarak said: Hajjaaj used to engage in tadlees. Ibn ‘Adiy said: Rather people criticised him for his tadlees in narrating from az-Zuhri and others. He was also described as engaging in tadlees by Muhammad ibn Nasr, Ismaa‘eel al-Qaadi, as-Saaji, Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Bazzaar, and others.
See: Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (2/196-19 8)
The hadith was classed as da‘eef by al-Albaani in Da‘eef at-Tirmidhi and by the commentators on al-Musnad.
But it seems from the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he was keen to offer the udhiyah, to the extent that he even offered the udhiyah when Eid al-Adha coincided with his travel.
Muslim (1975) narrated that Thawbaan said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) slaughtered his udhiyah then he said: “O Thawbaan, prepare this meat for us.” And he kept giving it to him to eat until he came to Madinah.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This indicates that offering the udhiyah is prescribed for the traveller just as it is prescribed for the one who is not travelling. This is our view and is the view of the majority of scholars. End quote.
This indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) regarded the matter of the udhiyah as being of great importance, and obviously his eagerness and concern to do it when not travelling would be even greater.
Ibn Maajah (3123) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever can afford it but does not offer an udhiyah, let him not come near our prayer-place.”
Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
Abu Dawood (2788) narrated from Mikhnaf ibn Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O people, verily the people of every household must offer an udhiyah every year…”
Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood
See also the answer to question no. 36432
More than one of the scholars has stated that he used to offer an udhiyah every year.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to offer an udhiyah every year of two horned rams that were white speckled with black, one on behalf of himself and on behalf of the members of his household, and the other on behalf of all those among his ummah who affirmed the Oneness of Allah.
End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (18/38)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
What is prescribed for the pilgrim is to offer the hadiy and not the udhiyah. Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not offer an udhiyah during his Farewell Pilgrimage, even though he used to offer an udhiyah every year. During the Farewell Pilgrimage he offered a hadiy of one hundred camels, sixty-three of which he slaughtered with his own hand, and the rest he gave to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: “Slaughter them.” And he did not offer an udhiyah.
End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (25/42)
If that is correct, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the udhiyah nine times. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed for nine years during which he did not do Hajj, then in the tenth year he announced to the people that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was going for Hajj. Narrated by Muslim (1218)
So he stayed for nine years, and every year he offered an udhiyah, then in the tenth year he went for Hajj, during which he offered a hadiy and not an udhiyah.
The hadith of Ibn ‘Umar – assuming that it is proven – may be understood as meaning that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered an udhiyah every year except the year in which he performed Hajj.
And Allah knows best.
