Muhammad drew inspiration for his new religion from the Jewish faith and incorporated various rituals and teachings. However, in a political move aimed at appeasing the Arab pagans, he also integrated the rituals of Hajj into Islamic Sharia.
The rituals of Hajj extended beyond animal sacrifice alone. There existed additional practices such as making cuts on the humps of camels, smearing blood on animals during the journey, and adorning their necks with strings of shoes.
Following the practices of the polytheistic Arabs, Muhammad included these rituals as part of Islamic Sharia.
Sahih Muslim, Book of Pilgrimage:
قَالَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الظُّهْرَ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِنَاقَتِهِ فَأَشْعَرَهَا فِي صَفْحَةِ سَنَامِهَا الأَيْمَنِ وَسَلَتَ الدَّمَ وَقَلَّدَهَا نَعْلَيْنِ ثُمَّ رَكِبَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَلَمَّا اسْتَوَتْ بِهِ عَلَى الْبَيْدَاءِ أَهَلَّ بِالْحَجِّ .
Ibn 'Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger observed the Zuhr prayer at Dhu'l-Hulaifa; then called for his she-camel and marked it (made a cut) on the right side of its bump, removed the blood from it, and tied two sandals around its neck (as garland).
Is it not an act of ignorance to adorn animals with strings of shoes? Why would Allah, the creator of not just the earth but the entire universe, require animals for sacrifice to be decorated with footwear?
Furthermore, what kind of intelligence is displayed by harming a living creature and considering it a symbolic act? Why subject animals to the humiliation of wearing shoe necklaces and causing them harm?
This practice was so lacking in wisdom that today many Muslims are abandoning it, despite it being considered an established "Sunnah of the Prophet."
Even Abu Hanifa, a renowned Islamic scholar, rejected this practice of Muhammad due to its cruelty. He refused to follow this Sunnah and claimed it to be a MUTILATION (مثلة) of animals.
Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 906:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَلَّدَ نَعْلَيْنِ وَأَشْعَرَ الْهَدْىَ فِي الشِّقِّ الأَيْمَنِ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ وَأَمَاطَ عَنْهُ الدَّمَ . … كنا عند وكيع فقال لرجل عنده ممن ينظر في الرأي أشعر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ويقول أبو حنيفة هو مثلة قال الرجل فإنه قد روي عن إبراهيم النخعي أنه قال الإشعار مثلة قال فرأيت وكيعا غضب غضبا شديدا وقال أقول لك قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وتقول قال إبراهيم ما أحقك بأن تحبس ثم لا تخرج حتى تنزع عن قولك هذا
Ibn Abbas narrated: "The Prophet garlanded two sandals and marked the Hadi (i.e. camel) on the right side (i.e. by cutting its hump) at Dhul-Hulaifah, and removed the blood from it." … Imam Wak’i told that the Prophet of Allah did al-Isha’ar (i.e. making a cut in the hump of camel), but Imam Abu Hanifa said that it was mutilation (مثلة) of an animal's body. One man said that Imam Ibrahim Nakhi’i also called al-Isha’ar to be mutilation. Upon hearing that, Wak’i became angry and said: “I am telling you the Sunnah of the holy prophet, but you tell me what Ibrahim Naki’i said. I deem it permissible to imprison you and not set you free till you abandon telling people (about the saying of Ibrahim Nakhi’i i.e. it is mutilation of an animal).
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) Darussalam.
Muslim excuse: The Prophet made cuts in the humps of the animals and adorned them with shoes as a means to distinguish them as animals intended for sacrifice
The excuse presented by Islamic apologists to defend the practices of Muhammad is the claim that making cuts in the humps of the animals and garlanding them with shoes was done to differentiate them as sacrificial animals.
In response, it is important to note that there were alternative methods available to distinguish sacrificial animals from others, such as applying henna or using colored ribbons around their necks. The use of cuts in the humps, smearing the blood, and shoe garlands was unnecessary and could have been easily avoided.
More References:
Muwatta Imam Malik, Book of al-Hajj:
أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، كَانَ إِذَا طَعَنَ فِي سَنَامِ هَدْيِهِ وَهُوَ يُشْعِرُهُ قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ .
Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar said, when nicking (making a cut in) the hump of his sacrificial animal to brand it, "In the name of Allah, and Allah is greater."
Muwatta Imam Malik, Book of al-Hajj:
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا أَهْدَى هَدْيًا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَلَّدَهُ وَأَشْعَرَهُ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ يُقَلِّدُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُشْعِرَهُ وَذَلِكَ فِي مَكَانٍ وَاحِدٍ وَهُوَ مُوَجَّهٌ لِلْقِبْلَةِ يُقَلِّدُهُ بِنَعْلَيْنِ وَيُشْعِرُهُ مِنَ الشِّقِّ الأَيْسَرِ
When Abdullah ibn Umar brought an animal to be sacrificed from Madina he would garland (i.e. tie sandals/shoes around its neck) it and brand it (i.e. to do al-Isha’ar by making a cut in its hump) at Dhu'l-Hulayfa, doing the garlanding before the branding, but doing both in the same place, while facing the qibla. He would garland the animal with two sandals and brand it on its left side.
The Prophet’s wives themselves used to make garlands of shoes for the animals.
Sahih Muslim, Book of al-Hajj:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ رُبَّمَا فَتَلْتُ الْقَلاَئِدَ لِهَدْىِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيُقَلِّدُ هَدْيَهُ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ بِهِ ثُمَّ يُقِيمُ لاَ يَجْتَنِبُ شَيْئًا مِمَّا يَجْتَنِبُ الْمُحْرِمُ .
'A'isha reported: I often wove garlands for the sacrificial animals of Allah's Messenger, and he garlanded his sacrificial animals, and then he sent them and stayed in the house) avoiding nothing which a Muhrim avoids.
And not only camels, but Muhammad also used to garland sheep too.
Narrated `Aisha: I used to make the garlands for (the Hadis of) the Prophet (ﷺ) and he would garland the sheep (with them)
Mutilation of camels and garlands of shoes are such shameful practices that Muslims of today don’t do it despite it being proven Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.
And remember that before Muhammad claimed the prophethood, he used to slaughter the animals in name of Pagan gods and ate them.
Allah's Messenger said that he met Zaid bin `Amr Nufail at a place near Baldah and this had happened before Allah's Messenger received the Divine Inspiration. Allah's Messenger presented a dish of meat to Zaid bin `Amr, but Zaid refused to eat of it and then said, "I do not eat of what you slaughter on your stone-altars (Ansabs) nor do I eat except that on which Allah's Name has been mentioned on slaughtering."
Imam Ibn Khuyzamah gave the following heading to one of his chapters (link):
باب إشعار البدن في شق السنام الأيمن ، وسلت الدم عنها ، ضد قول من زعم أن إشعار البدن مثلة ، فسمى سنة النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - مثلة بجهله .
Chapter about making a cut in the hump of camel from right side (i.e. al-Isha'ar) and shedding blood from it, in order to refute that person (i.e. Abu Hanifa) who says that al-Isha'ar is equal to mutilation of animal's body, so he called the Sunnah of Prophet (pbuh) to be mutilation due to his own ignorance.
And Imam Ibn 'Abdul Bar wrote (link):
وهذا الحكم لا دليل عليه إلا التوهم والظن ولا تترك السنن بالظنون
There is no proof present regarding the ruling of (Abu Hanifa), except for his delusion and conjecture. And Sunnah of the hold prophet cannot be left due to delusions and conjectures.
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