What is the ruling on slaughtering a sheep and distributing it like an 'aqīqah or an udhiyah with the intention that it be a ransom (fidya) for a new car so that Allah may bless it, and is this considered a vow (nadhr) that necessitates distributing all of it to the poor, even though the intention was not a vow?

Spending and charity upon the renewal of blessings fall under the general category of showing gratitude to Allah. However, restricting this to slaughter, to the extent that it becomes a habit, is considered an innovation (bid'ah), as there is no textual evidence for it, nor was it practiced by the Salaf. This is often accompanied by the erroneous belief that not slaughtering will bring calamities. But if one does not believe in the necessity of slaughtering and offers it as an act of drawing closer to Allah, then he will be rewarded, and he may distribute it as he wishes. He is not obliged to give all of it to the poor unless he has vowed to do so.