Muhammad Al-Hurr Al-Amili writes:

باب تأكد استحباب الأضحية وإجزاء الهدي عنها وسقوطها عن الجنين ومن لا يجد واستحباب الدعاء عندها بالمأثور والتضحية عن العيال وجملة من أحكامها

Chapter: Emphasizing the desirability (mustahab) of the slaughter sacrifices, the offering of the sacrificial animal for it, as well as its decrepitude for the unborn and the one who does not find it, the desirability of the supplication thereby with the traditional, the sacrifice for the household and a number of its judgments

١٨٩٨٦ / ١ – محمد بن يعقوب، عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن عبد الله بن المغيرة، عن عبد الله بن سنان، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال سئل عن الاضحى: أواجب هو على من وجد لنفسه وعياله فقال: أما لنفسه فلا يدعه وأما لعياله إن شاء تركه

1/18986 – Muhammad ibn Ya’qub reported from Ali ibn Ibrahim, who reported from his father, who reported from Abdullah ibn Mughirah, who reported from Abdullah ibn Sinan, who said about Abu Abdillah (As-Sadiq): ,,He was asked about the slaughter sacrifices: ﴾Is it fixed (wajib) for him, who finds it for himself and his household? ﴿ Then he said: ﴾As for himself, he does not refrain from it and as for his household, he refrains from it if he wishes.﴿”

١٨٩٨٧ / ٢ – محمد بن الحسن بإسناده عن محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن العلاء، عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: يجزئه في الاضحية هديه وفي نسخة: يجزئك من الاضحية هديك

2/18987 – Muhammad Ibn Hasan reported with his chain to Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Yahya, who reported from Ya’qub Ibn Yazid, who reported from Ibn Abi Umair, who reported from Al-Ala’, who reported from Muhammad Ibn Muslim, that Abu Ja’far (Al-Baqir) said: ,,For the slaughter sacrifice suffices for one his sacrificial animal.” And in one version: ,,It is sufficient for you from the slaughtering sacrifice your animal which you offer.”

١٨٩٨٨ / ٣ – محمد بن علي بن الحسين بإسناده عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: الاضحية واجبة على من وجد من صغير أو كبير وهي سنة

3/18988 – Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husain reported with his chain to Muhammad ibn Muslim, that Abu Ja’far (Al-Baqir) said: ,,The slaughter sacrifice is fixed (Wajib) for those, who have found in small or big and it is a custom (Sunnah).”

١٨٩٨٩ / ٤ – قال وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: إنما جعل الله هذا الاضحى لتشبع مساكينكم من اللحم فأطعموهم

4/18989 – He said: ,,And the Messenger of God (s.) said: ﴾God ordained this sacrifice only for that, so that your needy ones may be satiated from the meat. So feed them.﴿”

١٨٩٩٠ / ٥ – وبإسناده عن العلاء بن الفضيل، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام إن رجلا سأله عن الاضحى فقال: هو واجب على كل مسلم إلا من لم يجد فقال له السائل: فما ترى في العيال فقال: إن شئت فعلت وإن شئت لم تفعل فأما أنت فلا تدعه

5/18990 – And with his chain to Ala’ Ibn Fudail, who reported about Abu Abdillah (As-Sadiq): ,,Someone asked him about the slaughter sacrifice, whereupon he said: ﴾It is fixed (Wajib) for every Muslim, except for those, who did not find one.﴿ Then the questioner said to him: ﴾What do you see fit for the household?﴿ Whereupon he said: ﴾If you like, then you do it and if you do not like, then you do not do it. But as for you, do not refrain.﴿”

١٨٩٩١ / ٦ – قال: وضحى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله بكبشين ذبح واحدا بيده وقال: اللهم هذا عني وعمن لم يضح من أهل بيتي وذبح الآخر وقال: اللهم هذا عني وعمن لم يضح من أمتي

6/18991 – He said: ,,And the Messenger of God (s.) sacrificed two rams. One he slaughtered with his own hands, saying: ﴾God, this is for me and for him of the people of my household who did not sacrifice.﴿ And he slaughtered the other saying: ﴾God, this is for me and for him of my nation who did not sacrifice.﴿”

١٨٩٩٢ / ٧ – قال: وكان أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام يضحي عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله كل سنة بكبش يذبحه ويقول: بسم الله وجهت وجهي للذي فطر السموات والارض حنيفا مسلما وما أنا من المشركين إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله رب العالمين اللهم منك ولك ويقول: اللهم هذا عن نبيك ثم يذبحه ويذبح كبشا آخر عن نفسه

7/18992 – He said: ,,And the Commander of the Faithful (a.) used to sacrifice a ram every year for the Messenger of God (s.) and slaughter it and say: ﴾In the name of God. I have turned my face to the One who created the heavens and the earth. As a righteous believer, submitting and I am not one of those who associate. My prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death belong to God, the Lord of the Worlds. God, from You and for You.﴿ And to say: ﴾God, this is for Your prophet.﴿ Then he slaughtered it and he slaughtered another ram for himself.”

١٨٩٩٣ / ٨ – قال وقال عليه السلام: لا يضحي عمن في البطن

8/18993 – He said: ,,And he (a.) said: ﴾You do not sacrifice for the one, who is in the belly.﴿”

١٨٩٩٤ / ٩ – قال: وذبح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله عن نسائه البقرة

9/18994 – He said: ,,And the Messenger of God (s.) slaughtered a cow for his wives.”

١٨٩٩٥ / ١٠ – وفي العلل عن أبيه، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن الحسين ابن يزيد النوفلي، عن إسماعيل بن مسلم السكوني، عن جعفر بن محمد، عن أبيه، عن آبائه قال قال رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وآله: إنما جعل هذا الاضحى لتشبع مساكينكم من اللحم فأطعموهم

10/18995 – And he reported in Al-Ilal from his father, who reported from Sa’d Ibn Abdillah, who reported from Husain Ibn Yazid An-Nawfali, who reported from Isma’il Ibn Muslim As-Sakuni, who reported from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, who reported from his father, who reported from his fathers, that the Messenger of God (s.) said: ,,This slaughter sacrifice has only been ordained, so that your needy may be satiated from the meat. So feed them.”

١٨٩٩٦ / ١١ – وعن علي بن أحمد بن محمد، عن محمد بن أبي عبد الله الكوفي الاسدي، عن موسى بن عمران النخعي ، عن عمه الحسين بن يزيد النوفلي، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال قلت له: ما علة الاضحية فقال: إنه يغفر لصاحبها عند أول قطرة تقطر من دمها على الارض، وليعلم الله عزّ وجلّ من يتقيه بالغيب، قال الله عزّ وجلّ: لن ينال الله لحومها ولا دماؤها ولكن يَنالُه التقوى منكم ثم قال: انظر كيف قبل الله قربان هابيل ورد قربان قابيل

11/18996 – And from Ali Ibn Ahmad Ibn Muhammad, who reported from Muhammad Ibn Abi Abdillah Al-Kufi Al-Asadi, who reported from Musa Ibn Imran An-Nakha’i, who reported from his uncle Husain Ibn Yazid An-Nawfali, who reported from Ali Ibn Abi Hamzah, who reported from Abu Hamzah, who reported from Abu Abdillah (As-Sadiq): ,,I said to him: ﴾What is the reason for the sacrifice?﴿ Whereupon he said: ﴾His associates will be forgiven at the first drop, that falls from his blood on the ground and so that God knows who respects Him in secret. God said: ,,Neither their flesh nor their blood will reach God, but it is the mindfulness of you that reaches Him.”﴿ (22:37) Then He said: ﴾Look how God accepted the sacrifice of Abel and rejected the sacrifice of Cain.﴿” (5:27)

١٨٩٩٧ / ١٢ – علي بن جعفر في كتابه عن أخيه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام قال: سألته عن الاضحية فقال: ضح بكبش أملح أقرن فحلا سمينا فإن لم تجد كبشا سمينا فمن فحولة المعزى أو موجأ من الضأن أو المعز فإن لم تجد فنعجة من الضأن سمينة قال: وكان علي عليه السلام يقول: ضح بثني فصاعدا واشتره سليم الاذنين والعينين واستقبل القبلة وقل حين تريد أن تذبح: وجهت وجهي للذي فطر السموات والارض حنيفا مسلما وما أنا من المشركين إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله رب العالمين لا شريك له وبذلك أمرت وأنا من المسلمين اللهم منك ولك اللهم تقبل مني بسم الله الذي لا إله إلا هو والله أكبر وصلى الله على محمد وعلى أهل بيته ثم كل وأطعم أقول: وتقدم ما يدل على بعض المقصود

12/18997 – And Ali Ibn Ja’far reported in his book about his brother Musa Ibn Ja’far (Al-Kazim): ,,I asked him about the sacrifice, whereupon he said: ﴾Sacrifice a male, obese, horned, white ram with a black head. But if you do not find an obese ram, then from the males of the goats or an offcut from the sheep or goats. But if you do not find that, then a female from the obese sheep.﴿ He said: ﴾And Ali (a.) used to say it: ,,Sacrifice something passing into the third year and beyond and buy it with its ears and eyes intact and turn to the direction of prayer and say when you slaughter: ,,I have turned my face to Him Who created the heavens and the earth. As a righteous believer, submitting and I am not one of those who associate. My prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death belong to God, the Lord of the Worlds, Who has no associate and those things I was asked to do and I am one of the submitters. God, from You and for You. God, accept from me. In the name of God, besides Whom there is no God and God is greater and God bless Muhammad and the people of his house.” Then eat and give food.﴿” I say: ,,And it preceded, indicating some things to that effect.” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah, Volume 14, page 204 – 207]

Comment:

The term “wajib” which usually refers to something which is fixed  is not equal to the term “fard” which means obligatory. Often the fiqhi meaning is confused with the linguistical meaning. As explained in the following article [Read here!]