Is doing Udhiyyah abroad against the SUNNAH??

…and is NOT eating from the sacrifice LEAVING the SUNNAH?

Sheikh Saleh al Fawzaan حفظه الله:

O Muslims! Udhiyyah is a stressed Sunnah for the one who is able to do it. It is slaughtered in the houses, they eat from it in their houses, give some of it to their neighbours, and give some of it as charity to those poor people around them.

As for what some of the people have invented, from paying the price of the udhiyyah to charity organizations who slaughter (for them) outside of their city and far away from the house of the one offering the udhiyyah, then this is against the Sunnah and changing an act of worship. So it is obligatory to leave this transaction and slaughter the udhiyyah in the houses and in the same city as the one offering the udhiyyah, as is shown in the Sunnah and as has been the practice of the Muslims since the time of the Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم up until this invention has occurred. And I am afraid that it may be an innovation, and the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم had said, “Whoever introduces into our affair something that is not part of it, it is rejected.” And he صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said, “Be warned of newly invented matters, for verily every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a straying.”

So whoever wants to give in charity to those in need, then the door of charity is wide open, but do not bring change to the correct Shar’ee way of an act of worship by calling it a sadaqah, I seek refuge in Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى from the accursed Shaitaan,

وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

"And what the Messenger gives you, then take it, and what he forbids you from, then cease doing it, and fear Allaah, verily Allaah is severe in punishment."

[al-Hashr 59:7]

May Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى bless me and you by way of the great Qur’aan.

Sheikh Uthaimeen رحمه الله:

“…the sacrifice is a clearly defined worship, because if the intent behind the sacrifice was to benefit the people with the meat then the people would have bought meat and gave it away as charity on the day of the Eid. Rather, the most important thing is the sacrifice for Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى, as He سُبحانه وتعالى said,

‘It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allaah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him.’

(Hajj:37)

Then also, if you sent out money to another town for the sacrifice to be done for you then you have opposed the command of Allaah, because Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى said,

‘Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor who have a very hard time.’

(Hajj :28)

And so is it possible for you to eat from it when it was sacrificed in Somalia?…No! Then you have opposed the command of Allaah. And many of the Scholars have said, ‘Eating from the sacrifice is obligatory and the person will be sinning if he leaves it off’. And by this we know that the call to implore that money for the sacrifice is sent outside of the person’s town is a call that is not correct. And that it is not befitting for the people to partake in this, rather sacrifice at your houses and with your families and manifest the rites of Islaam in your town.

And whoever wants to benefit their brothers in the places where they are in need, then benefit them with money and with clothes and other than that. But as for a rite from the rites of Islam that we use to draw near to Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى by sacrificing and eating from it, then it is never befitting for the people to forsake this.”

End of Sheikh’s speech. (Tape titled: 'the rites of Hajj'- side one)