Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked:“What kind of animal should be avoided for sacrifice?”He replied:“Firstly, a one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious; (secondly) a lame animal whose lameness is evident; (thirdly) a sick animal whose sickness is clear and apparent; and (fourthly) an extremely thin sacrificial animal whose bones contain no marrow.”

Ubaid bin Firoz said: I asked Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him): From which things did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibit in sacrifice? He replied: Four types of animals are not sufficient for sacrifice: first, one-eyed whose defect is obvious; second, lame whose lameness is evident; third, sick whose illness is apparent; fourth, old such that there is no marrow left in its bones. Ubaid said: I said to Sayyiduna Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him): I do not like an animal with a defect in its tooth, ear, or horn. He said: Leave what you do not like, but do not make it unlawful for anyone else.

Hujayyah bin ‘Adi said: I heard a man ask Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): O Commander of the Faithful! For how many people is a cow (sufficient)? He replied: For seven people. I asked: What is the ruling about (a cow with) a horn? He replied: There is no harm. I asked: And (what about) lameness? He replied: If it can reach the place of sacrifice, then there is no problem (i.e., if it can walk, there is no harm). Then he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to“examine the eyes and ears well.”

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to carefully examine the ears and eyes (of the sacrificial animal), meaning that there should be no defect in them, and not to sacrifice an animal that is muqabala, mudabira, kharqa, or sharqa. Muqabala is the animal whose ear has been cut off, mudabira is the one whose ear is partially cut from the side, kharqa is the one whose ear is pierced, and sharqa is the one whose ear is slit. (All these are defects of the ear, and with these defects, the sacrifice is not valid.)