The default rule is that a Muslim slaughters his sacrificial animal by himself. This is the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

 

Scholars have unanimously agreed that a Muslim can empower a Muslim to slaughter on his behalf. They based their consensus of the hadith of the Prophet.

 

According to the report of At-Tirmidhi, Ata said, “I asked Abu Abyub [Al-Ansari] how the slaughtering was done during the time of the Messenger of Allah. He said: ‘A man would sacrifice a sheep for himself and the people in his household. They would eat from it and feed others, until the people (later) would boast about it and it became as you see now.”

 

It was also reported on the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet slaughtered 36 camels of his sacrificial animals he offered in his hajj and asked Ali to slaughter the rest on his behalf.

 

According to ash-Shafi`i school of law, if a person does not have a Muslim to slaughter a sacrificial animal on his behalf, he may empower a Christian or a Jew, provided that he/she knows the Islamic ruling of slaughtering. He based his view on the fact that Islam permitted easting of meat slaughtered by Jews and Christians. The main intent of empowering someone to slaughter on one’s behalf is to legally slaughter the animal while the intention for offering sacrifice is retained by the donor (An-Nawawi, al-Majmu`, vol. 8, p. 405)

 

Almighty Allah knows best.