Permissibility of Giving a Goat as Charity in Islam

Ruling on Giving a Goat as Charity and Its Rewards in Islam

There is no harm in giving a goat or any halal animal as charity to the poor and needy, or slaughtering a goat/sheep and distributing its meat to the poor. There are several proofs for this, and I will present a few of them.

General Proofs for Giving Any Food Item in Charity:

First, I will mention general proofs that show that any food item can be given to charity. For example, consider the following hadith:

إنْ أردتَ أنْ يَلينَ قلبُكَ ، فأطعِمْ المسكينَ ، وامسحْ رأسَ اليتيمِ (صحيح الجامع:1410)
Translation: “If you want your heart to soften, feed the poor and rub the head of an orphan.”

This hadith shows that feeding the poor is a rewarding act that softens the heart, and the food you give can include meat as well. Similarly, another general proof is this hadith:

ا: مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَتِرَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ (صحيح مسلم:2347)
Translation: “Whoever among you can protect themselves from the fire, even if it is with half a date, let them do so.”

Since dates are food, this hadith emphasizes that giving even a small piece of food as charity can protect one from the fire of Hell.

Specific Proofs for Slaughtering an Animal as Charity and Giving Its Meat to the Poor:

Now, let me mention specific proofs that relate to slaughtering an animal as charity and giving its meat to the poor.

A hadith from Ummul Mu’minin Aisha (RA) is narrated:
أنَّهم ذبحوا شاةً فقالَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليْهِ وسلَّمَ ما بقيَ منْها ؟ قلت ما بقيَ منْها إلَّا كتفُها . قالَ : بقيَ كلُّها غيرَ كتفِها (صحيح الترمذي:2470)
Translation: “The companions slaughtered a goat, and the Prophet (ﷺ) asked: What remains of it? Aisha (RA) replied: Nothing remains except the shoulder. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Everything except the shoulder remains.”

This hadith indicates that slaughtering a goat and giving its meat to the poor is a highly rewarded act, and whatever part is given in charity is lasting, while the part that is not given away will not remain.

Similarly, another hadith is narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):
انَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أُتِيَ بِطَعَامٍ سَأَلَ عَنْهُ، أَهَدِیَّةٌ أَمْ صَدَقَةٌ؟ فَإِنْ قِيلَ صَدَقَةٌ، قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: كُلُوا، وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ، وَإِنْ قِيلَ: هَدِیَّةٌ، ضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَكَلَ مَعَهُمْ (صحیح البخاری:2576)
Translation: “Whenever food was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ), he would ask: Is this a gift or a charity? If it was said to be charity, he would tell his companions to eat, but he would not eat himself. If it was a gift, he would eat with them.”

A third hadith related to the meat of charity is as follows:

: أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِلَحْمٍ، فَقِيلَ: تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى بَرِيرَةَ، قَالَ: هُوَ لَهَا صَدَقَةٌ وَلَنَا هَدِیَّةٌ (صحیح البخاری:2577)
Translation: “Meat was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ), and it was said: This has been given to Barira as charity. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: It is charity for her, but it is a gift for us (since it came to us).”

A fourth hadith related to a goat given as charity:

عن ام عطية، قالت: دخل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على عائشة رضي الله عنها، فقال: عندكم شيء؟ قالت: لا، إلا شيء بعثت به ام عطية من الشاة التي بعثت إليها من الصدقة، قال: إنها قد بلغت محلها (صحیح البخاری:2579)
Translation: “Umm Atiyah (RA) said: The Prophet (ﷺ) entered Aisha’s (RA) house and asked: Do you have anything? She replied: Nothing except the meat sent by Umm Atiyah from the goat she sent as charity. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: It has already reached its intended place.”

From these proofs, it is clear that giving food, whether dates, meat, or a goat/sheep, as charity to the poor and needy is permissible, and there is no issue in doing so from an Islamic perspective.

A Few Issues and Rulings Related to Giving Animals as Charity:

Here, I will mention a few issues and rulings related to giving animals as charity so that the true essence of charity can be understood and any un-Islamic practices can be avoided.

First Issue: Is it permissible to slaughter an animal as charity for the poor and needy even without a specific need or necessity? Yes, it is permissible to slaughter an animal and give it as charity to the poor, or to donate a whole animal to an orphanage or a charity organization for the benefit of the needy.

Second Issue: Sometimes, when there is a sick person in the household, it is permissible to give an animal as charity with the intention of seeking healing. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
دَاوُوا مَرضاكُمْ بِالصَّدقةِ (صحيح الجامع:3358)
Translation: “Treat your sick ones with charity.”

Third Issue: When slaughtering an animal, the intention should be to seek closeness to Allah. Even when slaughtering on behalf of a sick person, the intention should be to seek Allah’s pleasure. The intention should not be that the animal itself will bring about the benefit, but rather that it is done for Allah’s approval, and the benefit comes through Allah’s will.

Fourth Issue: The rightful recipient of charity is the poor and needy, but it is also permissible to give charity to wealthy individuals. Therefore, there is no harm in giving the meat of the charity animal to a wealthy person.

Fifth Issue: If an animal is slaughtered in the house with the intention of giving charity, can the family members eat from it? The answer is that if the animal is slaughtered with the intention that the family will also eat from it, then the family members can eat from it. However, if there was no such intention, the entire animal should be given as charity.

Sixth Issue: Is it better to help the poor with money or give them a goat? The apparent answer is that giving money is better because it can fulfill various needs. However, giving meat or an animal as charity is also permissible and valid. There are many types of expiations (kafara) in which the poor are ordered to be fed, and money alone would not suffice in these cases. Thus, there is wisdom in feeding them in this manner.

False Beliefs Related to Slaughtering Animals:

(1) Some people believe that illness is caused by jinn or an evil shadow in the house, and they slaughter an animal and spill its blood with the belief that doing so will ward off the jinn or evil influence and cure the illness. This belief is false.

(2) Similarly, some people keep animals or slaughter them as a precautionary measure to protect themselves from the harm of jinn or evil influences. This belief is also false and rejected.

(3) Some people slaughter animals when they move into a new house, believing it will protect the house and its inhabitants from jinn. This practice is un-Islamic and falls under the category of superstition and polytheism. However, if someone slaughters an animal or holds a feast to celebrate the blessings of a new home, there is no harm in that, as it is done out of gratitude and joy.