Is leaving the sacrificial animal overnight then slaughtering it afterward Sunnah or merely preferable?
The Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) is a confirmed Sunnah for those who are able to perform it, and it is disliked for them to neglect it. The wisdom behind it is to revive the memory of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and to provide for people during the Eid days. It is sunnah to eat from the Udhiyah, to give some of it in charity, and to store some. It is disliked to delay cutting it and eating from it until the following day with the intention of worship. However, if the delay is due to laziness or preoccupation, there is no sin in it. Nevertheless, it is preferable to hasten to eat from it after returning from the Eid prayer, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/38322