It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Shedding the blood of a whitish (dust-coloured) animal is dearer to me than shedding the blood of two black animals."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A jadh'ah (six-month-old lamb) of sheep is better than the chief (a large he-goat) of the goats."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with a lean, poor jadh'ah of sheep and a fat jadh'ah of goats, and said: O Messenger of Allah! Of the two, this one (the goat) is better; shall I sacrifice it? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sacrifice it, for with Allah, goats (are also accepted)." This hadith has an authentic chain (sahih al-isnad), but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a flock of goats to Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), and he distributed them among his companions. One he-goat from among them remained, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) sacrificed it during his Umrah. This hadith has an authentic chain (sahih al-isnad), but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah or Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sacrificed two rams that were fat, large, black-and-white, horned and castrated. While slaughtering one of them he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Allahumma 'an Muhammadin wa ahli baytihi' "O Allah, this is on behalf of Muhammad and his household," and while slaughtering the other he said: 'Allahumma 'an Muhammadin wa ummatihi man shahida laka bit-tawhid, wa shahida li bil-balagh' "O Allah, this is on behalf of that Ummah of Muhammad which bore witness to Your Oneness and to my conveying of the religion."