What is Qurbani? A guide to what, who, when and how Qurbani is done.

What is Qurbani?

 Qurbani, also known as Udhiya in Arabic, is a practice of sacrificing a livestock animal during Eid ul-Adha. It is the sacrifice of an animal to Allah (SWT).

“It is neither their flesh nor their blood that reaches Allah, it is your piety that reaches Him.” (22:37)

“Allah (SWT) calls upon the believers to turn to Him through prayer and sacrifice, especially for those whom He has granted an abundance of wealth”. (108:1-2)

 Here is a link to an informative video that explains the ritual of Qurbani in detail and how to perform it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnhA5VCe6Vs

 Statistics about Qurbani and meat consumption

Approximately two billion people in the world eat less than 10 pounds of meat per year. In countries such as the United States, meat consumption is higher than 200 pounds per person and 290 pounds per person in Denmark per year. In contrast, the meat consumption per person in Bangladesh is 6 pounds of meat each year, 10 pounds in the Gambia, 13 pounds in Sri Lanka and 16 pounds of meat in Ethiopia. This is proof that some families around the world only have access to fresh meat at the time of Eid Ul-Adha. The main purpose of sacrifice is to give the best of thanks to Allah (SWT) for all of our blessings.

When is Qurbani performed?

 Eid ul-Adha begins on the 10^th and ends on 13^th of Dhul Hijjah. Dhul Hijjah is the last month of the Islamic calendar. It is during the same months when Muslims make a pilgrimage to Makkah for Hajj. Hajj is performed on the eighth, ninth and tenth of the month.

History of Qurbani

The first ever link to Qurbani can be traced back to Ibrahim (A.S). Ibrahim (A.S) had a recurring dream where Allah was instructing him to sacrifice his son, Ismail (A.S). Ismail (A.S) was his most beloved possession. As the dream kept repeating itself, Ibrahim (A.S) realized this to be a command from Allah. In devotion to Allah, Ibrahim (A.S) agreed to follow this dream and perform the sacrifice. As Ibrahim (A.S) was about to perform the sacrifice, Allah intervened and sent a ram to be sacrificed in Ismail’s (A.S) place. It is a great reminder about the sacrifice that Ibrahim (A.S) was willing to make. Qurbani promotes charity and togetherness because it is customary to give one third to charity, one third to relatives and one third is for yourself.

Who is obligated to offer sacrifice?

Qurbani is to be done by all Muslims who are of sound mind and are financially able to afford it. In order for it to be obligatory or a Sunnah to offer the Udhiyah, it is said that who offers it should be of independent means and has surplus money after the price of udhiyah. If a man offers to offer a goat or a sheep or 1/7 of a cow or camel, then this would be sufficient for himself and his household.  

 “There is no difference between men and women in this regard. If a woman is living on her own or with her children, then they should offer the udhiyah”. Al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (5/81)

Being male is not a condition of it being obligatory or sunnah to offer the udhiyah; as it is required of males it is also required of females, because the evidence for it being obligatory or Sunnah applies to everyone. Al-Majmoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 5/79-81

 To read more about who is obligated to perform sacrifice, please read: https://islamqa.info/en/answers/70291/who-is-obliged-to-offer-the-udhiyah-sacrifice-is-being-male-one-of-the-conditions

And Allah knows best.

How to do Qurbani?

If it is not possible for you to physically do the sacrifice yourself, you can donate towards a well-known charity who will do the Qurbani on your behalf. On charity websites, the prices will vary depending on which country the sacrifice will take place. It is preferred to offer the Qurbani in the country that you are living in. If you choose to do it through a charity, then it is recommended to make your donation to the charity organization as earliest as possible before the day of Eid.

An important reminder for those who intend to do Qurbani: It is recommended that you do not remove anything from your hair or nails until the sacrifice has been done.

Click on the link to find out more about Muslim Hands Canada, a charitable organization who can perform Qurbani on your behalf in the country of your choice. Muslim Hands Canada selects the poorest countries to donate Udhiya/Qurbani meat. Their goal is to reduce the lack of meat in poor countries and increase access to fresh meat to those who do not have it.

You can pay or make a donation towards a charitable organization so they can do a Qurbani on your behalf. Some of the more popular charitable organizations in Canada are Penny Appeal Canada, Islamic Relief Canada, ICNA Relief and National Zakat Foundation. National Zakat Foundation has a focus on local qurbani and their prices reflect this domestic approach as well. 

Many Muslims prefer to have their Qurbani performed in less fortunate countries where people are in dire need, and the meat to be distributed to the neediest or those suffering adversity and poverty. 

What animals are sacrificed at Qurbani?

The animals to be slaughtered at Qurbani are goats, sheep, cattle, buffalo or camels. The animal could be male or female, should be in good health, above a specific age and should not be injured or have a disability. There are specific age ranges that the animals should be over. Goats and sheep must be at least one year old, cattle must be two years and camel must be five years.

Who is the Qurbani meat donated to?

Generally, it is orphaned children, refugees, and poor, elderly, widowed women or disabled people. For the majority of these people, meat is not part of their regular diet. Qurbani meat allows some families to eat meat after a whole year. It is shared with those individuals who are in dire need of food and cannot sustain themselves on a regular basis.

When is Eid Ul-Adha in 2019?

Eid Ul-Adha is expected to be on or around August 11, 2019 or August 12, 2019 and this will not be confirmed until the sighting of the new moon, which will show the start of the new month.

We urge you to donate generously so that the positive influence of Qurbani can be felt around the world this Eid ul-Adha, Inshallah. Please do not miss this opportunity. Not only will you fulfill your good intentions of Udhiya/Qurbani, but your donation will also provide help and hope for millions of those in need all around the world.

JazakAllah khairan for reading this post and we hope that it is beneficial to you. If you learned a thing or two, please share this article with your family and friends to spread knowledge.