It is to tie a necklace or a piece of shoe or a strap, or the bark of a tree, or something similar around the neck of a sacrificial animal, whether it is obligatory or voluntary, as a sign that it is a sacrifice for the House of Allah, and he drives it, intending to enter into the state of ihram. Its rulings are as follows: 1. The act of marking the sacrifice while driving it takes the place of the talbiyah, thus making him a muhrim. However, it is preferable to perform the talbiyah before marking it, so that he does not become a muhrim merely by marking; because the Sunnah is to begin with the talbiyah. 2. The act of making a mark — which is to cut the skin of the sacrificial animal or stab it until blood appears — does not take the place of the talbiyah, and it is disliked when there is fear of spreading the wound; otherwise, it is good for camels but not for cattle and sheep. Similarly, if the sacrificial animal is marked without being tied, and he intends to perform Hajj, he does not become a muhrim even if he drives it; as narrated by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed the noon prayer at Dhul-Hulayfah, then he called for his she-camel, marked it on the right side of its hump, let the blood flow, and tied two sandals to it" [in Sahih Muslim 2: 912, Sahih Ibn Hibban 9: 314, Sunan Al-Darimi 2: 91, Sunan Abu Dawood 2: 146]. 3. Camels can be marked, tied, and have blood let, while cattle can only be tied and marked, and nothing is done with sheep. 4. If seven people share in one sacrificial animal: if one of them marks it with their permission and they drive it together, they all become muhrim. If he marks it without their permission, he becomes a muhrim alone. 5. If he sends the sacrifice and then heads towards it: if it is a sacrifice for qiran or tamattu during the months of Hajj, he becomes a muhrim when he heads towards it with the intention. If the sacrifice is not for qiran or tamattu or is outside its months, he does not become a muhrim until he reaches it or drives it. See: Lubab Al-Manasik, pp. 117-118.