He said: "I have turned my face toward Him who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward the truth, on the creed of Ibrahim (Abraham) (14), and I am not of the polytheists. Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And of this I have been commanded, and I am of the Muslims. O Allah, from You and for You, on behalf of Muhammad and his Ummah. In the name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest." Then he slaughtered it. Narrated by Abu Dawud (15). Ibn Majah (16) narrated from Abu Ayyub, who said: A man in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) would sacrifice a sheep on his own behalf and on behalf of his household, and they would eat and feed the people. It is a hasan sahih (good and authentic) hadith.

Section: The best of the sacrifices is a camel, then a cow, then a sheep, then a share in [a camel, then a share in] (17) a cow. This was the view held by Abu Hanifah and al-Shafi'i. Malik said: The best is a lamb (jadh') from sheep, then a cow, then a camel; because the Prophet (peace be upon him) sacrificed two rams, and he would not do anything except what is best; and if Allah had known of anything better than it, He would have ransomed Ishaq (Isaac) with it. Our evidence is the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) concerning Jumu'ah (Friday prayer): "Whoever goes in the first hour is like one who has offered a camel, whoever goes in the second hour is like one who has offered a cow, whoever goes in the third hour is like one who has offered a ram, whoever goes in the fourth hour is like one who has offered a hen, and whoever goes in the fifth hour is like one who has offered an egg" (18). Furthermore, it is a slaughter by which one draws near to Allah Almighty, so the camel is superior in it, just as it is in the case of the Hadi (sacrificial animal for Hajj); for indeed he has granted its excellence. Also, because it is of higher price and more abundant in meat, and therefore more beneficial. As for the sacrifice of a ram, it is because it is the best of the categories of sheep, and likewise, the attainment of the ransom through it is superior. A single sheep is better than a share in a camel, because the spilling of blood is the objective in the Udhiyah, and the individual [sacrificing a whole animal] draws near to Allah by spilling all of its blood. A ram is the best of sheep because it was the sacrifice of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and it is tastier in meat. The Qadi mentioned that a lamb (jadh' of sheep) is better than a mature goat (thani of goats) for that reason, and because it is narrated from the Prophet