How should the characteristics (quality, gender, age) of the substitute livestock relate to the killed game animal?
Chapter on Ransom (Fidyah) and Penalty for Hunting
Al-Mughni
Book of Hajj
Primary text
The ruling requires the substitute livestock to match the killed game in size (large for large, small for small), gender (male for male, female for female), and condition (sound for sound, defective for defective). This view is held by the Ashabuna (our companions) and Al-Shafi'i. The substitute must be of the same species in terms of category (e.g., a young female goat for a young female wild animal). If a defective animal is substituted with a sound one, it is better, but if a defective animal matching the defect of the killed animal is used, it is valid.
Supporting text
Malik held that a large animal should be substituted for a small one, and a sound one for a defective one, citing the requirement for the offering (hady) mentioned in the verse to be sound and not small. This is rejected because the rulings of the Companions established validity for substitutes that would not be valid as an offering (like the Jafrah or Jady), and the analogy to the blood money for a human being is inapplicable.