Sacrificing an animal is one of the great rituals of Islam. It is sunnah mu’akkadah (confirmed sunnah) according to the majority of jurists for one who can afford it. When one intends to sacrifice an animal, one is to observe that the animal to be sacrificed has reached the required age, which is 6 months (or more) for sheep, 2 years (or more) for cattle, and 5 years (or more) for camels.
Regarding the Islamic ruling of preservation of the meat of Udhiyyah for a period of time, it is permissible according to the opinion of the majority of scholars that people preserve the meat of udhiyah beyond three days.
Dr. Husam al-Din Ibn Musa `Afana, professor of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence states the following:
It is established according to the authentic hadiths in this respect that one year the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that the Muslims preserve the meat of udhiyah, but then he (peace and blessings be upon him) allowed it. This means that the forbiddance of preserving the meat of udhiyah was abrogated; and so do believe the majority of scholars.
Below are some of these hadiths:
1. `Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr reported on the authority of `Abdullah ibnWaqid that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade (people) to preserve the meat of sacrificial animals beyond three days. `Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr said: I made a mention of that to Amra, whereupon she said: He [`Abdullah ibnWaqid] has told the truth, for I heard `A’ishah, Mother of the Believers, say, “The poor among the people of the desert came (to the towns) on the occasion of `Eid Al-Adha during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Upon that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Retain with you (the meat) sufficing for three (days), and whatever is left out of that give in charity.’ After this, the Muslims said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger, the people make waterskins with the (hides) of their sacrificial animals and they melt fat out of them.’ Thereupon he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Why so?’ They said, ‘You forbade (us) to eat the flesh of sacrificial animals beyond three (days).’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then said, ‘I forbade you for those (poor persons) who flocked (to the towns on this occasion for getting meat) but now when (this situation has improved) you may eat, preserve and give in charity.’“ (Muslim)
2. Salamahibn Al-Akwa` (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever has slaughtered a sacrificial animal should not keep anything of its meat beyond three days.” When it was the following year the people said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Shall we do as we did last year?” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No. In that year the people were having a hard time and I wanted you to help (the needy).” (Al-Bukhari)
3. Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri quoted Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) as having said, “O people of Madinah, do not eat the meat of sacrificial animals beyond three days.” The Muslims then complained to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that they had children and servants of theirs (to feed), whereupon he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Eat, feed others, and store [of your udhiyahs].” (Muslim)
There are many other hadiths reported to that effect. Accordingly, the majority of scholars, including the righteous predecessors, were of the opinion that it is permissible in the viewpoint of Islam that people preserve the meat of udhiyah beyond three days, as the contrary was abrogated.