Rules of Qurbani: All Your Questions Answered
This year, the first day of Eid al-Adha will be on 16th or 17th June 2024 (dependent on moon sighting).
The days of Dhul Hijjah and the festival of Eid al-Adha is one of the most important periods in the Muslim calendar. Many of us will be organising to donate our Qurbani over the next few weeks, and it is important that we fulfil this obligation in the correct way. Here we address the most common queries about this important act of worship.
What is Qurbani?
Qurbani is an annual sacrifice of an animal offered to Allah during the days of Eid al-Adha, marking the completion of Hajj.
This sacrifice commemorates the actions of the Prophet Ibrahim (as), when he was prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail (as) after seeing in a dream that Allah (swt) wanted him to do so. However, the dream was a test from Allah, and He sent down a ram from heaven to be sacrificed in Ismail's place.
By sacrificing an animal each year, we are confirming that we are willing to sacrifice whatever Allah asks of us and to submit to Him completely.
When do the Qurbani sacrifices take place?
Qurbani takes place after the Eid prayer on Eid al-Adha, from 10th-12th Dhul-Hijjah. This year, the first day of Eid al-Adha will be on 16th or 17th June 2024 (dependent on moon sighting).
Any sacrifice made before the Eid prayer is counted as a Sadaqah, not as the obligatory Qurbani; if you do this, you must still perform the Qurbani after Eid prayer.
Jundab bin Sufyan Al-Bajali reported, 'I witnessed the Prophet (saw) on the Day of Nahr (or Eid day). He (saw) said, "Whoever slaughtered the sacrifice before offering the Eid prayer, should slaughter another sacrifice in its place; and whoever has not slaughtered their sacrifice yet, should slaughter now'". (Bukhari)
Muslim Hands takes Qurbani orders up until the third day of Eid and sacrifices the animals over the three days of Eid.
Is Qurbani fard (compulsory)?
The Prophet (saw) said (on the day of Eid), 'The first thing we will do on this day of ours, is to offer the (Eid) prayer and then return to make the sacrifice. Whoever does so, he acted according to our Sunnah...' (Bukhari)
According to the Hanafi school of thought, Qurbani is wajib and is considered compulsory. The difference between fard and wajib is that fard actions are compulsory based on definitive evidence, while there is some uncertainty regarding whether or not wajib actions are definitely compulsory. However, wajib actions are still highly recommended and, in the Hanafi school of thought, they are considered obligations upon Muslims i.e. one should not deliberately miss them.
According to the Shafi'i school of thought, Qurbani is sunnah mu'akadah. This means that it is highly recommended as a confirmed Sunnah, but it is not compulsory.
The most well-known Maliki and Hanbali opinion is that Qurbani is a sunnah mu'akadah; however, in some views they have said it is compulsory.
No matter which school you follow, performing the Qurbani carries a great reward as this is something the Prophet (saw) did personally and encouraged his followers to do too.
Who needs to offer Qurbani?
The Hanafi school states that any adult, sane Muslim who possesses the Nisab value must give a Qurbani. So if you are eligible to pay Zakat, you need to offer a Qurbani.
The Maliki and Hanbali schools state that the person responsible for the household can make the Qurbani on their behalf.
'Ata bin Yasar reported, 'I asked Abu Ayub (Al-Ansari) how the sacrifices (of animals) were done during the time of the Messenger of Allah (saw). He said, "A man would sacrifice a sheep for himself and the people in his household"'. (Tirmidhi)
However, in many households today, it is not uncommon to have two or more people who pay Zakat. The best and safest option is for all those who pay Zakat to offer their own Qurbani.
What should I do if I've missed Qurbani?
If you have missed Qurbani in a previous year, you can make it up this year by sacrificing an extra animal. Simply calculate how many years you've missed and you will know how many animals you need to sacrifice. Muslim Hands is happy to facilitate this.
Alternatively, you can make up for missing the Qurbani by offering the market value of one sheep/goat to the poor. You can do this through Muslim Hands.
How many animals do I have to sacrifice?
One Qurbani is either a small animal, such as a goat, or a share in a larger animal, like a cow. Neither is more rewardable i.e. both fulfil your obligation. If you choose any of our Qurbani options, you have fulfilled your Qurbani.
You can also choose to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet who used to perform an extra sacrifice on behalf of his Ummah.
'The Prophet (saw) sacrificed for the one who could not sacrifice from his Ummah, one who bore witness to the Oneness of Allah and (his) Prophethood'. (Tabarani and Ahmad])
By following the Sunnah and doubling your Qurbani, you can double your reward and feed more needy families.
When should I give my Qurbani?
Most people choose to donate in the days of Dhul-Hijjah, but some will give their Qurbani up to a month before Eid. As Qurbanis in each location have a set quota, we advise that you give your Qurbani as early as possible.
The sacrifices will be made after Eid prayer, over the three days of Eid.
However, you can make a Qurbani order right up until Maghrib time on the third day of Eid (12th Dhul Hijjah), as Muslim Hands has already sacrificed the animals in time for Eid distribution, with the intention that some donors will give their money on the third day.
Can I cut my nails or hair if I'm giving a Qurbani?
It is strongly encouraged that the one who intends to give the Qurbani does not cut their hair or nails, starting from the first day of Dhul-Hijjah up until after the sacrifice.
The Prophet (saw) said, 'When the ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah) start, and one of you intends to sacrifice, then let him not cut his hair or his nails'. (Muslim)
When is Qurbani distributed?
Muslim Hands works hard to ensure that the meat your Qurbani provides is distributed to those in need during the days of Eid al-Adha.
What animals do Muslim Hands sacrifice for Qurbani?
We choose the best value animal for each location. This can be either cows, sheep or goats. Whether you give one small animal or a share in a large animal, the reward will be the same, meaning your sacrifice will amount to one Qurbani.
Should I give the names of all the people who are giving this Qurbani?
It is not mandatory to offer the names of people, when performing their sacrifice. However, if you would like to give names when donating your Qurbani, you can. Some of our donors who order multiple Qurbanis on behalf of friends and families chose to do this in order to keep track of who has given.
The important thing is the intention that is made when the person is offering the Qurbani.
Does Muslim Hands distribute tinned or frozen meat?
No, we do not. Muslim Hands only distributes freshly slaughtered meat on the days of Eid.
How does Muslim Hands select who to distribute Qurbani meat to?
Our local experts on the ground come from the communities we help. This makes them best-placed to find those most in need. Before Eid al-Adha, they are out in their local communities looking for the families that will benefit most from your sacrifice. See our Qurbani locations here.
Where should I give my Qurbani to?
If you can't decide where to send your Qurbani, why not choose our 'Where Most Needed' option, and let our experts distribute your sacrifice to the people who need it most?
What is a Prophetic Qurbani?
‘The Prophet (saw) sacrificed for the one who could not sacrifice from his Ummah, one who bore witness to the Oneness of Allah and [his] Prophethood’. [Tabarani and Ahmad]
After fulfilling his personal obligation, the Prophet (saw) gave an additional Qurbani in the name of the Muslims who could not afford to do so. We encourage all of our donors to revive this forgotten Sunnah and help more needy people.
Don't forget, Qurbani is a spiritual action and a chance to draw closer to Allah! You can read more about the history of Qurbani and why we make this annual sacrifice on our blog.
We hope to have answered all your queries, in sha Allah, but don’t forget – if you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Call us on 0115 911 7222 and a member of our dedicated team will be able to assist you.
See all our Qurbani locations and order your Qurbani here.
