The Location of Hajj Dam Slaughter in the Thematic Exegesis of Al-Tabari: Normative Rulings, Modern Ihsar, and SDGs Perspectives

Objective: This study examines Qur’anic verses concerning the location of hadyu by analyzing al-Ṭabarī’s exegetical framework to clarify the relationship between the normative ruling that designates the Ḥaram as the required site of slaughter and the legitimate exceptions concerning slaughter locations. Theoretical framework: The analysis employs the al-tafsīr al-mawḍūʿī al-wajīz model as articulated by al-Farmawī and Fathullāh Saʿīd, with al-Ṭabarī’s tafsīr serving as the primary exegetical source for interpretive data. This framework integrates the systematic compilation of relevant verses, historical–contextual examination, munāsabah, ḥadīth corroboration, and a comprehensive integrative analysis, while engaging contemporary perspectives related to SDG 3, SDG 12, and SDG 16. Literature review:  Contemporary studies predominantly engage with issues of digitalized dam payments, hajj services, and regulatory reforms, yet none have addressed the question of slaughter location through a concise thematic exegesis constrained within the authoritative boundaries of al-Ṭabarī’s tafsīr. Methods: A qualitative–descriptive approach aligned with thematic exegesis guides the data compilation, analytical sequencing, and interpretive techniques used throughout the study. Results: Al-Ṭabarī identifies two conditions governing the location of hadyu slaughter: under normal circumstances, sacrificial rites are performed within the Ḥaram, as established in QS al-Mā’idah: 95, QS al-Ḥajj: 33, and Ibn Mājah (4/238); under exceptional circumstances of iḥṣār, the slaughter is carried out at the site of obstruction. Implications: These findings support the permissibility of dam slaughter outside the Ḥaram within the framework of “modern iḥṣār,” including public health risks from mass slaughter (SDG 3), inefficiencies and waste in sacrificial logistics (SDG 12), and governance constraints in pilgrimage management (SDG 16), as analogically reflected in QS al-Baqarah: 196 and QS al-Fatḥ: 25. Novelty: Slaughtering outside the Ḥaram is not an equivalent alternative to the normative rule but a valid and scripturally grounded option in specific circumstances (classic or modern iḥṣār).