UAE Fatwa Council issues detailed guidelines on valid Eid Al Adha sacrifices

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Council For FATWA has clarified the religious requirements for sacrificial animals ahead of Eid Al Adha, detailing the conditions and age criteria that must be met for the ritual sacrifice to be considered valid under Islamic law.

The council said sacrificial animals must meet three principal conditions, beginning with the requirement that the animal belong to livestock categories permitted under Islamic law, including sheep, goats, cattle and camels.

It also stressed that animals selected for sacrifice must be free from visible defects that could invalidate the ritual, including lameness, illness, blindness in one eye or severe weakness and emaciation.

The guidance further detailed the minimum acceptable age for each category of livestock according to Islamic jurisprudence.

For sheep, the council stated the animal should be considered “jadh’a”, generally meaning at least one year old, although some scholarly opinions permit six-month-old sheep under specific conditions.

Goats must have completed one year and entered their second year, while cattle are required to have completed three years and entered their fourth year. Camels, meanwhile, must be at least five years old and have entered their sixth year.

The Fatwa Council said the Eid sacrifice is a major Islamic ritual and a strongly recommended Sunnah for those financially capable of performing it, emphasizing that the practice reflects joy during Eid while reinforcing values of solidarity, compassion and social cohesion within society.

The council said the guidance aims to help worshippers select animals that fully comply with religious requirements while also supporting public health and safety standards during the Eid Al Adha season.