Sacrifice on behalf of a deceased person who left no bequest

Question

Question: My late father passed away in July of last year. The deceased kept some goats, among which there is a he-goat of his. The deceased intended to sacrifice this he-goat this year, but he passed away before that. Now the he-goat is here and is in my charge. What should I now do with it? Is it necessary to sacrifice this he-goat in his name or not? Or should the sacrifice be made in my name? Let it be clear that the deceased only had the intention; he made no bequest (wasiyya) or the like.

Answer

That he-goat is your father’s estate (tarika); all the heirs share in it. A sacrifice on his behalf is not wajib. If you are his sole heir, you have the option of sacrificing it on his behalf; and if there are other heirs as well, then with the consent of all of them the sacrifice on his behalf is valid — provided that none of the heirs is a minor.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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