The Shar`i evidence indicates that a sheep that has reached the age of six months may count as a sacrifice, as may a goat that has reached the age of one year, a cow that has reached the age of two years, and a camel that has reached the age of five years. Sacrificing an animal that is younger than that is not permitted, but if an animal that is older than that is sacrificed, it is permitted and is better.

The one who offers the udhiyah should be independent of means, in that the price of the udhiyah is surplus to his needs and the needs of those on whom he spends. The udhiyah is prescribed for the members of the household. If a woman is living on her own or with her children, then she should offer the udhiyah.

The Sunnah for one who wants to slaughter the udhiyah is to say: Bismillah, wa Allahu akbar, Allahumma hadha minka wa laka, hadha ‘anni (or if it is being offered on behalf of someone else, hadha ‘an [fulan]), Allahumma taqabbal min [fulan] wa ali [fulan].

1. Udhiyah means an animal of the an’aam class (i.e., camel, cow, sheep or goat) that is slaughtered during the days of ‘Eid al-Adha. 2. Udhiyah is one of the rituals of Islam prescribed in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and according to the consensus of the Muslims. Please see the detailed answer for more about the rulings on udhiyah.

There are six conditions for the udhiyah: 1- It should be one of the an’am class of animals; 2- It should have reached the age stipulated in Shari’ah; 3- It should be free of any faults that would render it unsuitable for sacrifice; 4- The animal should belong to the person who is offering the sacrifice; 5- No one else should have any rights to the sacrificial animal; 6- It should be slaughtered at the time specified in Shari’ah

A number of contemporary scholars are of the view that it is permissible to offer the udhiyah outside one’s own country, so as to give to the Muslims who are in greater need and are poorer.