بھینس کی قربانی کی شرعی حیثیت: تاریخی، سائنسی، لغوی، عرفی اور فقہی آراء کے تناظر میں ایک تجزیاتی مطالعہ

The Shariah Status of Buffalo Sacrifice: A Critical Analysis in Historical, Scientific, Linguistic, Customary, and Jurisprudential Perspectives

Abstract

The act of animal sacrifice is a significant religious obligation in Islam, performed in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim’s (A.S) Sunnah. While the Qur'an and Hadith specify certain animals for sacrifice, ambiguity exists around some animals not explicitly mentioned in the primary texts, such as the buffalo. This research investigates the juristic status of sacrificing buffalo, exploring its biological, linguistic, historical, and jurisprudential dimensions. It examines the divergent views among scholars, particularly the debate between those requiring explicit textual evidence and others allowing analogical reasoning (qiyas). The study highlights that while biologically buffalo and cow differ in genus and species, classical Arabic lexicons and jurists often classify buffalo as a type of cow. The research underscores the need for coherent and principled legal methodology (usul) to avoid contradictory fatwas and to ensure public clarity. By examining the views of Mufassireen, and Fuqaha, the paper concludes that buffalo may be considered permissible for sacrifice due to its close classification and equivalence to cows in religious, linguistic, and customary contexts.