Deputy Chief Imam of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ekenwa campus, Mallam Umar Faruk Haruna, has said the sacrificial animals bought with money earned through illegitimate means are not fit for sacrifice.

The cleric said this in his sermon during the Eid prayer on the campus.

He said the slaughtering of animal is not compulsory, noting that “it is meant for those who have legitimate resources to buy animal for the sacrifice.

“For those buying rams from money made from yahoo, yahoo business or other unlawful businesses, Allah would not accept their sacrifice.

“Any ram or other animals buy for sacrifice from any source that is not legitimate or legal earning is not acceptable by Allah,” he said.

Quoting the Holy Quran 22 verses 37, he said “what Allah needs from the Muslim is neither the flesh nor the blood of the sacrificial animals but the piety behind the sacrifice.”

“It was clearly stated in the verse that “Not their flesh nor their blood reaches Allah, but it is the piety from you that reaches Him,”

“Generally, in Islam, and not just Eid-Kabir festival alone, as a Muslim you are not supposed to live on anything that is unlawful.

“So buying a ram is not compulsory. Even though, Almighty Allah said Hajji is the five pillar of Islam, He didn’t say it is compulsory if you don’t have the resource,” he said.

According to him, that is why Allah put a clause that it is for those whom He has made it easier for.

“So, in a year, if Allah does not make it easier for you, you don’t need to go outside lawful means in order to get it,” he explained.

He said if you acquire money through unlawful means, even if you build multimillion naira mosque, as far as the source of the income is haram, “whatever you are doing with the money is haram too.”

He explained that it would, however, be lawful for those who are not aware of the means of livelihood if bought for them as a gift.

“But, it would only be unlawful if you are aware of the means of livelihood of the giver. If you know that your child is into yahoo yahoo business, prostitution or any other illegal ways to get money and they buy animals for you for sacrifice, that’s haram,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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