The Adhha sacrifice is legislated on behalf of the Living Person or the Deceased

Question :

Is it permissible to perform the Adhha sacrifice for the deceased? I would like some clarification of the evidence. Also, what is the ruling on giving its value in money in charity?

Answer:

The Adhha sacrifice is legislated on behalf of the living and the deceased. This is because the Prophet used to perform the Adhha sacrifice with one sheep for himself and his family members in Al-Madinah, and some of them were deceased like Khadijah and his two daughters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum. This is also because it is an act of charity and drawing near (to Allâh), so it is similar to all the other types of charity. It is stressed more for the living due to the Prophet's action and his statement:
"When the month of Thul-Hijjah enters and one of you wants to perform the Adhha sacrifice, he should not remove any of his hair or nails."

This was recorded by Muslim in his Sahih from a Hadith of Umm Salamah.

In reference to what some of the Fiqh scholars have mentioned regarding this issue of the prohibition of the person for whom the sacrifice is being performed removing any of their hair or nails, I do not know of any evidence for it that is reliable. Only the person who is performing this Adhha sacrifice for himself, who sacrifices the animal from his wealth is addressed with this command. In reference to his wife and his children, they are not prohibited from removing any of their hair or nails, because they are not offering the sacrifice. The sacrifice is only being performed on their behalf by the one who takes care of them, so he is the one addressed with this prohibition.

Slaughtering the animal is better than giving charity with its price due to what that contains of reviving the Sunnah and manifesting it, and following the Prophet and his Companions. And Allâh is the Giver of success.

Read more:

Standing at the Sacred Site is not obligatory on the Hajj Pilgrim

Question : During my Hajj this year and after 'Arafah, I went to Muzdalifah and ...

The Time at which the slaughtering of sacrificial Animals of At-Tamattu' ends during the Hajj

Question : When does the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal for At-Tama...

The ruling on whoever performed Tawaf and he did not perform Sa'y

Question : If someone who had to perform Sa'y made Tawaf and then left without p...

Shaving the Head and Cutting the Hair Short after performing the rites of 'Umrah or Hajj

Question : Which is better, shaving the head or cutting the hair short after per...