Chapter on Marking and Garlanding (sacrificial Animals)

Hariz narrated from Zurara, from Abu Ja'far عليه السلام, who said: "People used to adorn sheep and cattle with garlands, but they have recently abandoned this practice. They would garland them with a string or a leather strap."

Mu'awiyah ibn Ammar narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام regarding a man who drove a sacrificial animal but neither garlanded it nor marked it. Imam عليه السلام said: "It is sufficient for him. Most often, sacrificial animals are neither garlanded, marked, nor adorned."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Jamil ibn Salih, from Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar, who said: I said to Abu Abdullah عليه السلام: "A man enters Ihram from the Miqat and proceeds on his journey. Then, a day or two later, he purchases a sacrificial camel, marks it, garlands it, and drives it forward. What is the ruling?" Imam عليه السلام said: "If he purchased it before entering the Haram, there is no harm." I asked: "What if he purchased it before reaching the Miqat where he enters Ihram, marked it, and garlanded it? Does what is obligatory upon a Muhrim apply to him at that point?" Imam عليه السلام said: "No. However, when he reaches the Miqat, he should enter Ihram and then mark and garland it. The earlier garlanding does not hold any significance."

Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl narrated from Abu al-Sabbah al-Kinani, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about how camels are marked (Ish'ar). Imam عليه السلام said: "They are marked while sitting, by slitting the right side of their hump, and they are slaughtered while standing, from their right side."

In a narration from Mu'awiyah ibn Ammar, from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, he said: "You garland it with an old sandal that you have prayed in, and both marking (Ish'ar) and garlanding (Taqleed) hold the same status as the Talbiyah."

In a narration from Abdullah ibn Sinan, from Imam عليه السلام: "The camel is marked (Ish'ar) while it is restrained."

Ibn Faddal narrated from Yunus ibn Ya'qub, who said: "I set out for Umrah and purchased a sacrificial camel while I was in Madinah. I sent a message to Abu Abdullah عليه السلام asking him how I should handle it. Imam عليه السلام sent back a reply: 'What were you going to do with it? It would have sufficed for you to buy one in Arafat.' Then Imam عليه السلام said: 'Go to Masjid al-Shajarah, face it toward the Qiblah, and make it kneel. Then, enter the mosque and pray two units of prayer. After that, come out to the camel, mark it (Ish'ar) on its right side, and say: In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, from You and for You. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, accept it from me. When you ascend to al-Bayda', recite the Talbiyah.'"