What is the order of preference among sacrificial animals?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Sacrifices (Uḍḥiyah)
Primary text
The most excellent sacrificial animal is the camel (*Badanah*), followed by the cow, then the sheep, and finally, sharing in a cow. This is the view held by Abu Hanifah and Al-Shafi'i. The justification for the superiority of the camel and cow lies in their greater proximity to Allah through sacrifice, similar to the greater value of the Hady (sacrificial offering during Hajj) animal. Moreover, they offer more meat and are of greater benefit, and they are more expensive.
Supporting text
Malik stated that the best is the young male sheep (*Jad'*) from the sheep species, followed by the cow, then the camel. He based this on the Prophet sacrificing two rams, implying that he would not perform anything less than the best. However, evidence supports the superiority of larger animals based on the analogy of the reward for attending Friday prayer, where walking earlier is likened to sacrificing a camel, which is superior to a sheep. Furthermore, the sheep is preferred over sharing in a camel because the shedding of blood is a primary objective in the *Udhiyah*, which the solitary sacrificer fulfills completely. The ram is the best of sheep because it was the Prophet's sacrifice and has the best meat.