2025 - The Virtues & Masail of Qurbani

Email from Fairfield Masjid

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Allah Taala said in the Holy Quran, “So pray to Him and sacrifice for Him only.”(Surah Kauthar)

“It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah Taala, but it is piety from you that reaches Him.” (Al Hajj)

H. Ayesha Siddiqah RA said that Rasulullah SAW said, “There is nothing dearer to Almighty Allah during the days of Qurbani than sacrificing animals.The sacrificed animal shall come on the day of Qiyamah with its horn, hairs and hooves. The sacrifice is accepted by Allah Taala before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart.

   H. Zaid bin Arqam RA said that Sahaba RA asked “Yaa Rasulallah, what is Qurbani?” Rasulullah SAW replied,

It is a sunnah of your father Ibraheem AS.” they asked again, “ what benefit do we get from it?” He SAW answered, “A reward for every hair of sacrificed animal” They asked, “ what reward is there for the animal with the wool?”

Rasulullah SAW said, “ A reward for every fiber of the wool” (Ibne Majah )

Interesting facts from a veterinary view: “On average sheep have 15 strands of wool per square millimeter, approx 650 per square inch. The average hide for a large sheep is 9 square feet. So the average number of wool strands is over 7.5 million.” 1 hasanah for 1 strand, 7.5 million Hasanah per sheep!

Rasulullah SAW said, “A person who has the means of performing Qurbani but doesn’t do it, should not even come near our place of Eid prayer.”

Upon Whom Qurbani is wajib?

Qurbani is wajib upon a possessor of minimum Zakatable wealth ( 52.5 tola silver 612.36grams $455.37)(7.5 Tola gold 87.48 Grams $5453.16)

Qurbani is wajib on a man for himself only, not for his parents, wife or children. but if he voluntarily makes qurbani on their behalf out of his wealth with their permission, then their Qurbani will be valid.

 It was not permissible to eat the meat of sacrificial animals that existed from Nabi Adam AS till H. Isa AS. A fire from heaven used to come and burn that animal which had been accepted by Almighty Allah. As happened in the incident of Habil and Qabil. It is the special favor of Allah ta’ala upon the ummah of Beloved Rasulullah SAW that He made the meat of Qurbani Halal to eat for them. If the income of one person is from a haram source like the insurance company or he is working for the bank then it shouldn’t be mixed with collective shares.

If children are wealthy sahib e nisab, then the qurbani will be done from their wealth. Likewise if the wife is wealthy then she must pay from her wealth the price of a qurbani animal , but if the father or husband does the qurbani on their behalf with their permission, then it will be accepted.

One can do qurbani for their marhoom relatives. Even one share or goat and sheep is sufficient for all the marhumeen, even for the whole ummah. As Rasulullah SAW had slaughtered one sheep for the entire ummah.

The animals of Qurbani:

Camel or She Camel of at least 5 years old, Cow, Buffalo 2, years old and Goat or Sheep 1, year old. If a sheep which is 6 months old but healthy looks like a year old so it is permissible to sacrifice it.

In Camel, cow, bull and Buffalo maximum 7 people can share. If less than seven persons make a qurbani of cow, It is also permissible. All should have a niyyah of Qurbani. And meat of the qurbani should be distributed by equal shares, everyone should get a seventh share. If out of seven one person doesn’t have a niyyah of qurbani but he just wants to have meat, then that qurbani will be invalid. One can combine aqeeqah also with qurbani shares.

It is not permissible to do qurbani of an animal which was bought on credit, because it is the possession of someone else.

The qurbani animal should be defect free:

The animal that was born without horns or the horns had broken from the middle can be used for qurbani, but the horn has broken off from the root, so it can't be used for qurbani.

The animal is totally blind or has lost one third or more of eye sight, or one third or more of one ear or tail is cut off, is not allowed for qurbani. An animal which limps and walks only on three legs and can’t put its 4th leg on the ground and can not walk by itself to the place of qurbani is invalid. If the animal has no teeth, can’t use for qurbani, the animal was born without ear can’t use for qurbani, the animal is so thin and weak or sick which can’t walk to the place of qurbani can not use for qurbani.If an animal sustains an injury whilst slaughtering its qurbani will be valid. If an animal of qurbani gives birth, then this newly born baby also should be slaughtered.

The meat of the qurbani can be given to rich and poor Muslim and non-Muslim. It is preferable that the meat be divided into three parts: one part for home, one part for the relatives and friends and one part for the poor people. But one can keep the whole animal for himself or distribute it.

The method of Zabah ( Slaughter):

It is mustahab to slaughter the animal by oneself, but if he isn't able to do so then ask someone to do it for him, but he should be present while his qurbani is getting slaughtered. but if he has sent money for qurbani overseas then it's ok. His representative will do it on his behalf.

The person who is slaughtering has to be Muslim, zabiha of non-Muslim is not valid. At the time of sacrificing one should say Bismillahi Allahu Akbar then make zabiha.

The Islamic zabah requires that the throat, the external jugular veins and the windpipe of the animal should be cut swiftly with a sharp knife by reciting Bismillahi Allahu Akbar. If any three of these four are cut then zabiha will be valid. It is mustahab to face the animal towards qibla. The knife shouldn’t be sharpened in front of the animal.

An animal shouldn’t be slaughtered in front of the other animal. After slaughtering the animal should not be skinned or cut into pieces before it turns completely cold. May Allah ta'ala give us taufeeq to do qurbani and accept it. Qurbani can be done till the sunset of 12th Zulhijjah.

~ Imam Faridbeg ~