How to choose a sheep for Eid al-Adha: signs of health and quality

Signs of a healthy sheep

• Alert and active: stands and walks steadily and responds to its surroundings.
• Clear eyes without discharge, and a clean nose.
• A good appetite for food and water.
• A sound gait with no limp or reluctance to stand.
• A well-filled, balanced body: running a hand along the back, the bones should not stick out sharply.
• A clean coat without bald patches or visible wounds.

The four defects

A hadith narrated by al-Bara' ibn 'Azib states that four are not acceptable as sacrifices: one that is clearly one-eyed, one that is clearly sick, one that is clearly lame, and one so emaciated that its bones have no marrow. Scholars extend this to defects of the same kind or worse.

Age

The minimum age for a sheep is the jadha', which many jurists put at six months and others at one year. Because schools differ, ask a scholar in your country which view you follow.

Tips before you buy

1. Book early: demand rises sharply in the final weeks before Eid.
2. Ask for real photos of the batch, the weight and when it was measured.
3. Agree the collection time and place in advance, and any transport costs.
4. Don't go by weight alone: health and age are conditions of the sacrifice.

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This article is general guidance; detailed religious rulings should be taken from scholars.