Who is obliged to offer the udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is it permissible for a housewife who has an income to offer the udhiyah?


Praise
be to Allah.

The scholars
differed concerning the ruling on offering the udhiyah: is it obligatory,
such that the one who does not do it is sinning, or is it a confirmed
Sunnah, such that it is makrooh (disliked) not to do it? The correct view is
that it is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah). This has been discussed
previously in the answer to question no.
36432

In order for it to
be obligatory or Sunnah to offer the udhiyah, it is stipulated that the one
who offers it should be independent of means, in that the price of the
udhiyah is surplus to his needs and the needs of those on whom he spends. If
a Muslim has a salary that comes to him every month, and this salary is
sufficient for him and he has surplus money which which he can afford the
price of the udhiyah, then in his case it is prescribed for him to offer the
udhiyah. 

The fact that it
is stipulated that he should be independent of means is indicated by the
words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him):

“Whoever can afford it but does not offer a sacrifice, let
him not come near our prayer-place.”
Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 3123; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh
Ibn Maajah. What is meant by being able to afford it is being
independent of means. 

The udhiyah is
prescribed for the members of the household, because the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The people of each household should
offer an udhiyah every year.” Narrated by Ahmad, 20207. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar
said in Fath al-Baari: Its isnaad is qawiy. It was classed as hasan
by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 2788. 

There is no
difference between men and women in this regard. If a woman is living on her
own or with her children, then they should offer the udhiyah. 

It says in
al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (5/81): 

Being male is not
a condition of it being obligatory or sunnah to offer the udhiyah; as it is
required of males it is also required of females, because the evidence for
it being obligatory or Sunnah applies to everyone.

End quote. See:
al-Majmoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 5/79-81 

And Allah knows
best.