Qurbani is one of the most religious rituals of Islam that every financially stable Muslim needs to perform for the sake of Allah Almighty. In Qurbani (Udhiyah) we remember the Unity of Allah, His Blessings upon us and the obedience of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) to Allah (SWT). There are much goodness and blessing in Qurbani. Udhiyah is sacrificing animals like goats, cows, sheep, and camels just to gain the pleasure of Allah. Qurbani takes place after offering the Eid prayer mostly on the 10th of Zil Hajj and two days following it. Allah says:
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Say, “Indeed, my prayer, and my rites of sacrifice, and my living, and my dying (are) for Allah, Lord (of) the worlds.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:162)
Qurbani (Udhiyah) is an act of worship that Muslims all over the world performed on Eid-al-Adha as an offering to Allah Almighty. As we all know that it is a religious practice so one should give careful attention while performing it. Udhiyah should conduct properly and according to the rules of Islam. Allah says:
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“(There is) no compulsion in the religion. Surely has become distinct the right (path) from the wrong. Then whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, surely he grasped the handhold – [the] firm, (which) not (will) break [for it]. And Allah (is) All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:256 )
The command for this sacrifice has been revealed by Allah in the Quran. Qurban in Islam is essentially a form of devotion and resignation of his devoted servant in carrying out Allah’s commands.
Here are some common rules of Qurbani in Islam:
- The result of animal sacrifice Qurban
- Conditions for implementing Qurban
- Terms of the sex of animal Qurban
- Allah’s Commandment on Qurban
- Animals that used in Qurban
- The law of Qurban in Islam
- Implementation of Qurban
- Age of the Qurban
- A goat for a family
- Giving alms meat Qurban
- Animals worthy of sacrifice
- Qurban animal slaughterhouse
- Terms of slaughter for cows and camels
- Prohibition of people who wants to do Qurban
- The procedure of slaughtering the animals of Qurban
- The signs of Qurban animal that is not accepted in Islam
- The animals eligible for Udhiya are goats, sheep, cattle, and camels, male or female. No other type of animal is allowed for Udhiya
Conditions and Rules Regarding Qurbani (Udhiyah)
Below mentioned are some conditions and rules regarding Qurbani (Udhiyah) that we all should know about:
- Qurbani must be performed on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of Zil Hajj.
- It should be one of the An’aam classes of animals, which are camels, cattle, sheep, and goats.
- The animal should have reached the required age, which is six months for a lamb, one year for a goat, two years for a cow and five years for a camel.
- An individual who is eligible to pay Zakat must perform Qurbani for himself and every family member including children.
- Animals for slaughtering should be free of any kind of fault.
- If an animal has been selected for sacrifice, it is not permissible to sell it or give it away, except in exchange for one that is better.
- The animal must be alive at the time of slaughter that is the animal being sacrificed has to be alive and it should be awake.
- The person who is making the sacrifice must be a Muslim and has to invoke the name of Allah by saying Bismillah Allahu Akbar at the time of the sacrifice.
- The animal shouldn’t be slaughtered when it’s hungry and also water should be offered to the animal before the time of slaughter.
- Animals should be purchased a few days before the slaughter, and they must be cared for, fed and nurtured before their sacrifice.
- A person who is giving Qurbani should present at the time of slaughtering an animal.
- Animals should be slaughtered quickly with a sharp knife, so they do not suffer. The knife is not to be sharpened in front of the animal though, and no animal should be slaughtered in the presence of another animal.
- Slaughtered animals are not to be skinned until completely cold.
- It is disliked or considered Makruh for the one who intends to perform the sacrifice to remove any hair or nails from his body from the 1st of Zil Hajj until he performs the sacrifice.
- At the end divide the meat into three is one third for consumption, one third to be given as gifts and one third to be given in charity. Meat is then distributed among neighbours, family and poor people.
The following animals are not to be used for Qurbani:
- Blind, one-eyed or have lost a third (or more) of their sight
- Missing a third (or more) of their ear or tail, either through loss or since birth
- Those whose horn(s) have been broken off from their root
- Those with one leg lame to such a degree that they are unable to use it to walk on
- Excessively thin or lean creatures
- Weak animals unable to walk themselves to the site of the slaughter
- Toothless animals, or those missing most of their teeth
- Animals should be slaughtered quickly with a sharp knife, so they do not suffer. The knife is not to be sharpened in front of the animal though, and no animal should be slaughtered in the presence of another animal. Slaughtered animals are not to be skinned until completely cold.
- It is best to slaughter the animal yourself, but if you do not know how, you should remain present whilst someone else sacrifices the creature. It is also necessary to say “Bismillahi Allahu Akbar” when slaughtering the animal.
- The meat should be distributed to family, friends and the poor (Muslim and Non-Muslim). If you perform Qurbani with a partner(s), the meat should be shared by weight, not by approximation. You cannot pay the butcher with the meat, fat and by-products of the slaughtered animal. The skin can be kept for personal use, but if it is sold, the amount must be given to the poor.
It is important to know in the selection of animals Qurban, in addition to a healthy physical it would be good that the age of the animal is feasible for Qurban. If you want Qurban with a goat, your goat’s Qurban is enough for one of your family. Islam does not specify Qurban for one member of his family. Holy Prophet (SAW) said:
“There are four that will not do for sacrifice: a one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious, a sick animal whose sickness is obvious, a lame animal whose limp is obvious and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones.” (Sahih Al-Jami)
For any Muslim who wants Qurban with a cow then the provision is made for seven people. If a Muslim wants to sacrifice the camel, then his provision is for ten people. This provision has been established since the time of the Prophet SAW. Make sure the animal to be sacrificed is fat and it has a perfect physical. The Qurban animals that have the criteria like this are most preferred and more important for Qurban. Allah says:
وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ
“And (even) if [that] We (had) [We] sent down to them the Angels and spoken to them the dead and We gathered before them everything faces to face, not they were to believe unless [that] Allah wills. But most of them (are) ignorant.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:111)
The sex of the animal to be sacrificed is usually male. However, it is possible if no one is allowed to sacrifice livestock. The female livestock who is pregnant can be made urban animals, provided it is fat and it has a good physical and it is not disabled. For anyone who wants to do Qurban, you do not cut the nails and cut hair. This applies to anyone who wants to perform Qurban. Allah says:
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا لِّيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ فَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ
“And for every nation, We have appointed a rite, that they may mention (the) name (of) Allah over what He (has) provided them of (the) beast (of) cattle. And your God (is) God One, so to Him submit. And give glad tidings (to) the humble ones.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:34)
The distribution of the sacrificed Qurbani results is to get one-third of the slaughtering of Qurban animals. However, if the person sacrificing wants to leave it for alms, it is permissible. Giving alms meat to other people (especially the poor) the law is sunnah. Every year the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) always does this, some of his Qurban results are eaten, others are given to others, and others are kept (anticipating if there is a famine season so people have difficulty eating).
How many Qurbani animals do I have to sacrifice?
Qurban animals have shared. Sheep and goats have one share each, camels and cattle each have seven shares. So for a single person, Qurbani is fulfilled with a sheep or a goat. Up to seven people can share in the purchase of a cow or a camel, and the sacrifice will be made for the seven.
1 small animal (Sheep or Goat) = 1 Qurbani
1 large animal (Cattle) = 7 Qurbani
You can make as many Qurbani as you want – for example, two or three shares in a cow – and on behalf of as many individuals as you like, including those who have passed away.
When is Qurbani performed?
Qurbani can be performed from the 10th day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah until the sun sets on the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah. The best time is to perform the act of Qurbani is immediately after the completion of the Eid-ul-Adha prayers. It is mentioned in one of Hadith of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW):
“When you see the moon of Zil Hajj and you intend to perform the sacrifice then don’t remove any of your hair or nails.” (Muslim)
In Islam, the law of Qurban is Sunnah Mu’akkadah which means this Sunnah is preferred. This means that it is mandatory for Muslims who have more property to perform the Qurban. The person appointed is a Muslim and the person with the ability to bring Qurban (has the advantage of wealth). If he can not sacrifice, then they are entitled to receive the meat of Qurban. Allah says:
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Say, “Indeed, my prayer, and my rites of sacrifice, and my living, and my dying (are) for Allah, Lord (of) the worlds.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:162)
Eid al-Adha is about to come so it is important that Muslims who will be performing Qurbani for the first time this year get it done properly according to the rules mentioned above. May Allah allow us to perform Hajj next year and also make eligible all of those who are not performing Qurbani this year could perform it next year and accept our sacrifice as a demonstration of our faith! Ameen
