Twenty One People Sharing One Cow for Udhiyah Allowed

Question

Can 21 people share one cow for Udhiyah, or is there a fixed limit?

Bottom Line

Seven is the max for a cow or camel. Sheep cannot be shared.

Quick Answer

One cow is sufficient for seven men and their families if the intention is made on behalf of their households. The Sunnah allows up to seven people to co-own one cow or camel for udhiyah. Sharing a sheep is not allowed. Fewer than seven may share, but no one’s portion can be less than one-seventh if they intend udhiyah. Twenty-one sharing a single cow is not valid for Udhiyah.

Key Takeaways

• Maximum sharing: seven for a cow or camel; zero sharing for a sheep.
• Each participant must own at least one-seventh for it to count as udhiyah.
• Fewer than seven is fine; more than seven invalidates the extra participants’ udhiyah.

Detailed Answer

It is permissible to share in a sacrifice if it is a camel or a cow, but it is not permissible to share in a sheep. It is permissible for seven people to share one camel or cow.

Jabir ibn ʿAbdullah reported that with the Prophet ﷺ at al-Hudaybiyyah, “a camel was for seven and a cow for seven.” This is recorded in multiple hadith collections under the chapter permitting partnership in the sacrifice.Sahih Muslim 1318;
Sunan Abi Dawud 2809; Muwatta Malik, Book 23, Hadith 8.

What can be shared

Camels and cows may be shared by up to seven co-owners for one udhiyah. Sharing a sheep is not permitted. This is the practice of the Companions and the ruling cited by major jurists.

How shares work

Each co-owner must hold at least one-seventh for their udhiyah to be valid. If someone owns less than one-seventh, it does not count as udhiyah for them, even if others’ shares are valid.

Fewer than seven

Two, three, or any number up to seven may share a cow or camel. One person may also sacrifice a whole cow or camel as a supererogatory act beyond the minimum.

Not twenty-one

Because the prescribed limit is seven co-owners, twenty-one people sharing one cow exceeds the Sunnah and is not valid for those beyond seven. Acts of worship follow textual limits and established consensus, not convenience.

What This Means for You

Organize shares in sevenths. Do not split a sheep between owners for Udhiyah.

And Allah knows best.

References

Primary Sources

Hadith

1. Sahih Muslim 1318: Chapter permitting partnership; camel or cow for seven people.
2. Sunan Abi Dawud 2809: “A camel for seven and a cow for seven.”
3. Muwatta Malik 23/8: Report of Jabir on sharing a camel and a cow among seven.

Secondary Sources

4. Islam Q&A #45757: Sharing allowed in cow and camel; not in sheep.
5. Islam Q&A #111887: Minimum valid share is one-seventh.
6. IslamWeb Fatwa 189873: Fewer than seven may share; up to seven valid.