The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sacrificed two black and white horned rams, which he slaughtered with his hand, as he mentioned Allah's name and said: "Allāhu Akbar" (Allah is the Most Great), and put his foot on their necks

Chapter: It is recommended to select a good animal for the sacrifice and to slaughter it oneself, not delegating it to anyone else, and to say the name of Allah, and to say the Takbir

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1966a

Narrator:Anas ibn Mālik

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ

ضَحَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ ذَبَحَهُمَا بِيَدِهِ وَسَمَّى وَكَبَّرَ وَوَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا ‏.‏

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sacrificed two black and white horned rams, which he slaughtered with his hand, as he mentioned Allah's name and said: "Allāhu Akbar" (Allah is the Most Great), and put his foot on their necks.

Reported by Muslim (No. 1966a, 1966b, 1966c), Al-Bukhari (No. 5565), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1494), An-Nasa’i (No. 4386, 4387, 4415, 4416, 4417, 4418), Ibn Majah (No. 3120), Ahmad (No. 11522, 11704, 12427, 12725, 12757, 12845, 13186, 13373) and Ad-Darimi (No. 1863).

Explanation

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) slaughtered, with his hand on the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, two male sheep with white horns mixed with black, and said: Bismillāh (in the name of Allah) and Allāhu Akbar; and he placed his foot on their necks.

Lessons

’Ud'hiyah (animal sacrifice) is prescribed in the Shariah, something Muslims unanimously agree upon.
It is preferable that ’Ud'hiyah be of the same type with which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered ’Ud'hiyah, given its good appearance and more tasty fat and meat.
An-Nawawi said: It is recommended that a person slaughter his ’Ud'hiyah by himself and not delegate someone else to slaughter it unless there is an excuse for that, in which case it is recommended that he witness its slaughter. However, it is indisputably permissible for him to delegate a Muslim to do so.
Ibn Hajar said: It indicates that it is recommended to say Takbīr along with mention of Allah's name while slaughtering, and it is recommended to place one’s foot on the right side of the neck of the sacrificial animal. They agreed that it should be laid down on its left side, so that he places his foot on the right side to make it easier for the slaughterer to take the knife with his right hand and hold its head with his left hand.
It is recommended to sacrifice a horned animal, though it is permissible to sacrifice an unhorned one.

Explanation in Arabic

أَخْبَرَ أنسٌ رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَبَحَ بيده يومَ عيدِ الأضحى مِن ذُكور الضَّأْنِ كَبشَيْنِ ذات قرون أبيضين يخالطهما السواد، وقال: باسم الله والله أكبر، ووضع رجلَه على عُنقِها.

مشروعية الأضحية، وقد أجمع عليها المسلمون.
الأفضل أن تكون الأضحية من هذا النوع الذي ضحَّى به النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم؛ لِحُسْن منظرِه ولكون شحمه ولحمه أطيب.
قال النووي: فيه أنه يستحب أن يتولَّى الإنسانُ ذبحَ أضحيتِه بنفسِه، ولا يُوكِّل في ذبحِها إلا لعذر، وحينئذ يُستحب أن يَشْهَدَ ذَبْحَها، وإن استناب فيها مسلمًا جاز بلا خلاف.
قال ابن حجر: وفيه استحباب التكبير مع التسمية عند الذبح واستحباب وضع الرِّجْل على صَفْحَةِ عُنُقِ الأضحية الأيمن، واتفقوا على أن إضجاعها يكون على الجانب الأيسر فيضع رجله على الجانب الأيمن ليكون أسهل على الذابح في أخذ السكين باليمين وإمساك رأسها بيده اليسار.
استحباب الأضحية بالأقرن ويجوز بغيره.

Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله : ( ضَحَّى النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ وَذَبَحَهُمَا بِيَدِهِ وَسَمَّى وَكَبَّرَ وَوَضَعَ رِجْله عَلَى صِفَاحهمَا ) قَالَ اِبْن الْأَعْرَابِيّ وَغَيْره : الْأَمْلَح هُوَ الْأَبْيَض الْخَالِص الْبَيَاض , وَقَالَ الْأَصْمَعِيّ : هُوَ الْأَبْيَض وَيَشُوبهُ شَيْء مِنْ السَّوَاد , وَقَالَ أَبُو حَاتِم : هُوَ الَّذِي يُخَالِط بَيَاضه حُمْرَة , وَقَالَ بَعْضهمْ : هُوَ الْأَسْوَد يَعْلُوهُ حُمْرَة , وَقَالَ الْكِسَائِيّ : هُوَ الَّذِي فِيهِ بَيَاض وَسَوَاد وَالْبَيَاض أَكْثَر , وَقَالَ الْخَطَّابِيُّ : هُوَ الْأَبْيَض الَّذِي فِي خَلَل صُوفه طَبَقَات سُود , وَقَالَ الدُّؤَادِيّ : هُوَ الْمُتَغَيِّر الشَّعْر بِسَوَادٍ وَبَيَاض. وَقَوْله : (…

Scholar	Grade	Applies to	Work
Muslimd. 261 AH	Authenticصحيح	The hadith	صحيح مسلم No. 1966

Grades of other versions (2)

AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح النسائي (4399)
AuthenticAl-Bukhari صحيح — صحيح البخاري (5565)

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 5565

The Prophet (ﷺ) offered as sacrifices, two horned rams, black and white in color. He slaughtered them with his own hands and mentioned Allah's Name over them and said Takbir and put his foot on their sides.

ضَحَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ، ذَبَحَهُمَا بِيَدِهِ، وَسَمَّى وَكَبَّرَ وَوَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1966b

I saw him sacrificing them with his own hand and saw him placing his foot on their sides, and recited the name of Allah and Glorified Him.

ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ قَالَ وَرَأَيْتُهُ يَذْبَحُهُمَا بِيَدِهِ وَرَأَيْتُهُ وَاضِعًا قَدَمَهُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا قَالَ وَسَمَّى وَكَبَّرَ ‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1966c

Qatada informed me that he had heard Anas saying that Allah's Messenger (may peace be npon him) sacrificed (the horned rams) and like that. I said: Did you (Qatada) hear from Anas? He said. Yes.

وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْحَارِثِ - حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، أَخْبَرَنِي قَتَادَةُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا، يَقُولُ ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ بِمِثْلِهِ…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1494

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) slaughtered two horned male sheep which were mostly white. He slaughtered them with his hand and mentioned Allah's Name, and he said 'Allahu Akbar', and put his foot on their side."

ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ ذَبَحَهُمَا بِيَدِهِ وَسَمَّى وَكَبَّرَ وَوَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 4386

"The Messenger of Allah sacrificed two Amlah rams."

ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 4387

"The Prophet sacrificed two horned, Amlah rams, slaughtering them with his own hand, pronouncing the name of Allah, and saying: 'Allahu Akbar, and placing his foot on their sides."

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

See all 22 versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 4415

"The Messenger of Allah sacrificed two horned, Amlah rams, saying: 'Allah Akbar and pronouncing the Name of Allah. I saw him slaughtering them with his own hand, and placing his foot on their sides." I said: You heard it from Him? He said: Yes. (Sahih )

ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ يُكَبِّرُ وَيُسَمِّي وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ يَذْبَحُهُمَا بِيَدِهِ وَاضِعًا عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا قَدَمَهُ ‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Differing grades Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 4416

"The Messenger of Allah used to sacrifice two pronounce the name of Allah and say: 'Allah Akabar,' and I saw him slaughtering them with his own hand, and placing his foot on their sides "(Sahih )

يُضَحِّي بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ وَكَانَ يُسَمِّي وَيُكَبِّرُ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ يَذْبَحُهُمَا بِيَدِهِ وَاضِعًا رِجْلَهُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Differing grades Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 4417

"I saw him: - meaning the Prophet - "slaughtering them with his own hand, and placing his foot on their sides, pronouncing the name of Allah and saying: 'Allah Akbar,' (sacrificing) two horned, Amlah rams." (Sahih )

- يَذْبَحُهُمَا بِيَدِهِ وَاضِعًا عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا قَدَمَهُ يُسَمِّي وَيُكَبِّرُ كَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 4418

the Prophet sacrificed two Amlah horned rams, putting his foot on their sides and slaughtering them pronouncing the name of Allah, and saying: Allahu Akbar."" (Sahih )

ضَحَّى بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ يَطَؤُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا وَيَذْبَحُهُمَا وَيُسَمِّي وَيُكَبِّرُ ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 3120

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to sacrifice two horned, black-and-white rams and he would say the Name of Allah and pronounce His greatness. I saw him slaughtering them with his own hand, putting his foot on their sides.”

يُضَحِّي بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ وَيُسَمِّي وَيُكَبِّرُ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ يَذْبَحُ بِيَدِهِ وَاضِعًا قَدَمَهُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 11522