Giving out the skin of sacrificial animals in charity
Question
Our association defends the rights of Muslims in East Turkistan – which is still under occupation by Communist China – whether these rights are related to Turkistanis at home or abroad. Moreover, we have a large mosque in Turkey named “al-Turkistan Mosque”. We offer scholarships for a number of students. The society does not have any financial resources and depends on donations. For this and other reasons, over the the past years we took to collecting the skins of sacrificial animals and spending [the proceeds] on the matters mentioned above. However, we have not done so this year because some people said that collecting the skins for the association is not permissible – even when it is to benefit a mosque or something else
Answer
It is permissible to collect the skins of sacrificial animals from those who sacrificed them and are giving them as charity and as a donation for the mentioned purposes.
The majority of scholars maintain that it is impermissible for the person performing the sacrifice to sell part of the animal to benefit from its proceeds. However, it is permissible if the person who is sacrificing the animal gives the skin or part of the sacrifice as charity for the above mentioned purposes, and they are then sold and the proceeds spent for those purposes.
And Allah knows best.