Sahih Muslim — hadith #4926–#4950
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Sa'id b. Jubair reported that Ibn 'Umar happened to pass by some young men of the Quraish who had tied a bird (and th, is made it a target) at which they had been shooting arrows Every arrow that they missed came into the possession of the owner of the bird. So no sooner did they see Ibn 'Umar they went away. Thereupon Ibn 'Umar said: Who has done this? Allah has cursed him who does this. Verily Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) invoked curse upon one who made a live thing the target (of one's marksmanship).
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade that any beast should be killed after it has been tied.
Jundab b. Sufyan reported: I was with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the day of 'Id al-Adha. While he had not returned after having offered (the Id prayer) and finished it, he saw the flesh of the sacrificial animals which had been slaughtered before he had completed the prayer. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: One who slaughtered his sacrificial animal before his prayer or our prayer ('Id), he should slaughter another one in its stead, and he who did not slaughter, he should slaughter by reciting the name of Allah.
Jundab b. Sufyan reported: I was with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (on the occasion) of 'Id al-Adha. After he had completed the prayer with people, he found that the goats had been slaughtered, whereupon he said: He who slaughtered sacrificial animal before the prayer should slaughter a goat (again) in its stead and he who has not slaughtered he should slaughter it by reciting the name of Allah.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of al-Aswad b. Qais with the same chain of transmitters.
Jundab al-Bajali reported: I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) observing ('Id) prayer on the Day of Sacrifice (10th of Dhu'l-Hijja) and then delivering a sermon and he said: He who sacrificed the (animal) before offering ('Id) prayer, he should offer again in its stead, and he who did not sacrifice the animal should slaughter it by reciting the name of Allah.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba through another chain of transmitters.
Al-Bara' reported: My maternal uncle Abu Burda sacrificed his animal before ('Id) prayer. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: That is a goat (slaughtered for the sake of) flesh (and not as a sacrifice on the day of Adha). He said: I have a lamb of six months. Thereupon he said: Offer it as a sacrifice, but it will not justify for anyone except you, and then said: He who sacrificed (the animal) before ('Id) prayer, he in fact slaughtered it for his own self, and he who slaughtered after prayer, his ritual of sacrifice became complete and he in fact observed the religious practice of the Muslims.
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported that his maternal'uncle Abu Burda b. Niyar sacrificed his animal earlier than the Prophet (ﷺ) had sacrificed. Thereupon he said: Apostle of Allah, it is the day of meat and it is not desirable (to have longing for it and not to make use of it immediately), so I hastened in offering my animal as a sacrifice, so that I might feed my family and neighbours and my kith and kin. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Offer again your sacrifice. He said: Messenger of Allah, I have a small milch goat of less than one year, and that is better than two dry goats (from which only) meat (can be acquired). Thereupon he said: That is better than the two animals of sacrifice on your behalf, and the sacrifice of a goat, of less than six months shall not be accepted as a sacrifice on behalf of anyone after your (sacrifice).
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) delivered an address on the day (of Nahr) in which he said: None of you should offer sacrifice of animals until he has completed the ('Id) prayer. Thereupon my maternal uncle said: Messenger of Allah, it is the day of meat, so it is not desirable (to keep my family in the state of longing). The rest of the hadith is the same.
Al-Bara' reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said: He who observes prayer like our prayer and turns his face towards our Qibla (in prayer) and who offers sacrifices (of animals) as we do, he must not slaughter the (animal as a sacrifice) until he has completed the prayer. Thereupon my maternal uncle said: Messenger of Allah, I have sacrificed the animal on behalf of my son. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: This is the thing in which you have made haste for your family. He said: I have a goat with me better than two goats. Thereupon he said: Sacrifice it for that is the best.
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said: The first (act) with which we started our day (the day of 'Id-ul Adha) was that we offered prayer. We then returned and sacrificed the animals and he who did that in fact adhered to our Sunnah (practice). And he who slaughtered the (animal on that day before the 'Id prayer), for him (the slaughtering of animal was directed to the acquiring of) meat for his family, and there is nothing of the sort of sacrifice in it. It was Abu Burda b. Niyar who had slaughtered (the animal before the 'Id prayer). He said: I have a small lamb, of less than one year, but better than that of more than a year. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) qaid: Sacrifice it, but it will not suffice (as a sacrifice) for anyone after you.
A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of al-Bara' b. 'Azib through another chain of transmitters.
al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) addressed us on the day of Nahr after the ('Id) prayer. The rest of the hadith is the same.
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) addressed us on the day of Nahr and said: None should sacrifice the animal unless he has completed the ('Id) prayer. A person said: I have a milch goat of less than one year, better than two fat goats. Thereupon he said: Sacrifice it, and no goat of less than a year of age will be accepted as sacrifice after you.
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported that Abu Burda slaughtered the animal as a sacrifice before the ('Id) prayer. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Offer a substitute for it (since it does not absolve you of the responsibility of sacrifice). Thereupon he said: Allah's Messenger. I have nothing with me but a goat of less than six months. Shu'ba (one of the narrators) said: I think he (al-Bara' b. 'Azib also) said: And it is better than a goat of one year. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Make it a substitute for that (and sacrifice it), but it will not suffice for anyone (as a sacrifice) after you.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters, but did not mention tht doubt (expressed in his statement) That is (the goat of less than a year) is better than a goat of more than one year.
Anas (b. Malik) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said on the day of Nahr (Sacrifice): He who slaughtered (the animal as a sacrifice) before the ('Id) prayer. should repeat it (i. e. offer another animal). Thereupon a person stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, that is the day when meat is much desired, and he also made a mention of the need of his neighbour, and perhaps Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) attested it. He (the person who had sacrificed the animal before the 'Id prayer) said: I have a goat of less than one year of age with me and I like it more than two fleshy goats; should I offer it as a sacrifice? He permitted him to do so. He (the narrator) said: I do not know whether this permission was granted to anyone else besides him or not. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then turned towards two rams. and he slaughtered them, and the people' came to the goats and got them distributed amongst themselves (for offering them as sacrifice).
Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered the 'Id prayer and then delivered the sermon giving the command: He who slaughtered the animal before prayer should slaughter (another animal as a sacrifice). The rest of the hadith is the same.
Anas b. Malik reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) addressed us on the day of 'Id al-Adha. He smelt the odour of flesh and he prohibited thern from slaughtering (the animals before the 'Id prayer), saying: He who slaughtered the animals (before the 'Id prayer) should do that again (as it is not valid as a sacrifice).
Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Sacrifice only a grown-up animal, unless it is difficult for you, in which case sacrifice a ram (of even less than a year, but more than six months' age).
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) led us in the 'Id prayer in Medina on the Day of Sacrifice. Some persons slaughtered their animals ahead of him under the impression that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had-already offered sacrifice. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Those who had slaughtered their animals ahead of him should slaughter the other ones in their stead. And they should not sacrifice the animal before Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had sacrificed (his animal)
Uqba b. 'Amir reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave the gifts of goats to be distributed amongst his Companions. They sacrificed them, but a lamb of one year of age was left. (Someone) made a mention of that to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), whereupon he said: You sacrifice it.
Amir al-Juhani reported: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) distributed sacrificial animals (amongst us for sacrificing them on 'Id al-Adha). So we sacrificed them. There fell to my lot a lamb of less than one year I said: Allah's Messenger, there has fallen to my lot a lamb (Jadha'a), whereupon he said: Sacrifice that.
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of 'Uqba b. 'Amir al-Juhan with a slight change of wording.