Qurbani is a sacred act of worship in Islam that is performed during the blessed days of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice. It is when able adult Muslims worldwide sacrifice an animal to show their love and loyalty to Allah (SWT), earn reward and honour the Prophet Ibrahim (AS). This tradition began due to Ibrahim (AS) being commanded by Allah (SWT) to sacrifice his only son, Ismail (AS). Even though this pained him, Ibrahim (AS) knew that he needed tomake the sacrifice and never wavered in his commitment to the command. To reward this unwavering loyalty, Allah (SWT) replaced Ismail with a ram to be sacrificed instead, which began Qurbani.
Now, able Muslims carry out the animal sacrifice every year during Eid to show their submission,obedienceand devotion to Allah (SWT), while strengthening faith and expressing gratitude for the blessings in life. As well as this, the meat from the sacrifice helps to feed the poor and hungry whodon’tget to have proper meals, so that they can join in with the Eid celebrations and have vital nutrition to save their lives. Due to the importance of Qurbani, there are specific Qurbani requirements that must be met to make the sacrifice valid. These are requirements like carrying out the sacrifice during the specific daysof Eid al-Adha, beginning after the Eidprayerand lasting until sunset of the 13th day of DhulHijjah.Understanding these requirements is key to pleasing Allah (SWT), fulfilling thisworshipand helping the poor. Learn about the Qurbani rules in our guide to help youobservethis act of worship correctly.
A huge part of thegivingQurbani rules is the timing of your donation, so you need to know when Qurbani is to ensure that your sacrifice is valid. The sacrifice is performed after the Eid prayer on Eid al-Adha and is continued during the three extra days, known as the days oftashreeq. This means that the Eid al-Adha Qurbani rules are that the sacrifice must be done on the10thof DhulHijjahup until sunset on the 13thof DhulHijjah. So, if you offer Qurbani before the Eid prayer on the first day, even if you have good intentions, it means that your sacrifice is invalid and only counts as ageneral act of charity(Sadaqah),not Qurbani. The same goes for any sacrifices after sunset on the 13thday.
This timing isstatedin a hadith where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that sacrifices that are made before the Eid prayerdon’tfulfil Qurbani. This means that a Muslim must be careful on getting the timing right and not rushing the sacrifice. At Al-QulubTrust, we make sure that your sacrifice follows these rules by carrying out your sacrifice in theallocatedtimeframe, so that you can be confident that your act of worshipisfulfilled properly and in line with Islamic Eid al-Adha Qurbani rules.It’sbest for you to make your donation to us before Eid al-Adha begins to ensure that we can do the sacrifice during the days of Eid.
Another major aspect of the Qurbani requirements is whether the act of worship is compulsory for every Muslim to do.This changesdepending on the school of thought you follow, as each has varying opinions on whether the sacrifice is compulsory or not. In the Hanafi school, which is the largest followed school of thought in the world, Qurbani is seen aswajib, which means thatit’sobligatory with no directevidence in the Quran or hadith. This means that every sane, adult Muslim whopossesseswealth above theNisabthreshold should give Qurbani, just like Zakat. So, if you pay Zakat, you need to do the sacrifice.
For the Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi’i schools, theydetermineQurbani as SunnahMu’akkadah, which is a highly recommended act that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) regularly carried out and encouraged the ummah to do the same. Even though each school has a different opinion,it’sa highly encouraged act for every adult Muslim who meets or exceeds theNisabto do because the worship offers immense spiritual benefits and helps those in desperate need. If you neglect this act of worship with no valid reason, every scholar agrees that youmiss out onsignificant rewards because it is an important act that should be embraced when you can.
The rules of Qurbani mentioned in the Quran are the animals that are eligible for the sacrifice. These rules clearlystatethe animals you can use, how many shares each animalrepresentsand the condition the animals must be in. The animals that can be used are sheep, goats, cows,buffaloand camels.
For the smaller animals, such as sheep and goats,theyfollow the Qurbani goat rules, where they must be at least one year old at the time of sacrifice, and theyrepresentone share of Qurbani (one person’s). As for larger animals, like cows,buffaloand camels, these can be divided into seven shares (seven people’s Qurbani), which makes them a practical and more affordable option for a group of individuals to contribute their share of Qurbani to the large animal. These animals also must meet specific age requirements that are different from each other. For buffalo and cows, they must be at least two years old and camels must be at least five years old.
On top of this, the rules of Qurbani mentioned in the Quran outline that every animal used for the sacrifice must be healthy, free from obvious defects like blindness,lamenessor emaciation, and should be well cared for before the sacrifice takes place.
Al-Qulubselects animals in line with these Qurbani rules to meet the criteria and ensure your sacrifice is valid, giving you immense reward and closeness to Allah (SWT). We provide you with the option to contribute to a whole animal or a share in a larger animal to suit your budget,so that you can give within your means and help more needy people.
The Qurbani rules for family are different depending on who you have in your family. Qurbanidoesn’twork as a shared donation, so it cannot be given as a family. This is because the sacrifice is an individual responsibility for all eligible adult Muslims. So, if you have a family made up of eligible adult Muslims, the rules are that each person should give their share of Qurbani. This can be done by eachpurchasinga share in a larger animal to cover everybody’s sacrifice. There is no rule that children must be included in your Qurbani. However, some Muslims prefer to offer an extra share on behalf of their children or others to earn more rewards and help even more vulnerable communities.
The best time to make a Qurbani donation is as early as possibleduring the month of DhulHijjah. By making an early donation, you help to make sure that your sacrifice is carried out on time and that the meat is distributed quickly to those who need it most. We accept Qurbani donations up to a month before Eid al-Adha to help you fulfil your worship properly and within the righttimeframe. Our team then carries out the sacrifice process after the Eid prayer and during the days of Eid.
Your donation to us before Eid al-Adha is Maghrib on the third day of Eid (the 13thof DhulHijjah), which is the final time for Qurbani sacrifices.We accommodate late donorsandthose who are preparing in advance, so that you can rely on us to fulfil your act of worship. Each sacrifice is carried out with the appropriateniyyah(intention) so thatit’son your behalf and is done correctly.
There are even Qurbani meat distribution rules that must be followed for your sacrifice to count and be valid. One of the main purposes of the act of worship is to support the less fortunate and bring unity during the celebration of Eid al-Adha. This is why the Qurbani meat distribution rules traditionally split the meat into three equal parts when a Muslim performs the sacrifice themselves. This is one part for the person who did the sacrifice and their family, one part for extended family and friends, and the last part for those in need. However, as Muslims are spread out all around the world and cannot perform Qurbani themselves, the sacrifice follows different distribution rules.All ofthe meat is given to the poor and hungry to help feed them with substantial, quality meals that can save their lives and allow them to be a part of the Eid celebrations.
Al-QulubTrust distributes only fresh meat to needy families worldwide, with local teams on the ground ensuring that your sacrifice reaches those most in need. We help those experiencing poverty and hardship to finally have a substantial meal and, for many, Eid al-Adha is the only time they get to have fresh meat. Through this, we provide them with vital nutrition and hope for a better future. We also allow you to choose your sacrifice to take place in an area whereit’smost needed, which ensures your Qurbani reaches communities that are facing severefood insecurity, fulfilling yourobligationsand spreading joy to those in hardship.
The Prophetic Qurbaniis anadditionalsacrifice that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave on behalf of the ummah whocouldn’tafford to give their own. This meant that he would fulfil his own Qurbani and then offer a second animal as an act of compassion and solidarity. Prophetic Qurbani is a Sunnah for those who have the means, and it helps even more people in need. It allows you to increase your spiritual reward while helping to end the hunger and suffering of more people in need.
We allow you to follow this beautiful Sunnah by offering anadditionalProphetic Qurbani on behalf of the Prophet’s (PBUH) ummah. Doing this connects you closer to the Prophet (PBUH) and Islam while creating a bigger, more meaningful impact with your charity.
Q: Is Qurbani mandatory every year?
A: Yes, if you meet theNisabthreshold each year, you areobligatedto perform Qurbani annuallybecauseit’sa highly encourage act of worship.
Q: Can I give Qurbani in another country?
A: Yes, international Qurbani is valid and often more impactful in impoverished areas. Al-QulubTrust facilitates this while ensuring the sacrifice follows Islamic rules.
Q: Do I need to mention names when donating Qurbani?
A: No, naming individuals is not mandatory. The intention at the time of donation is what counts.
Q: Can one animal be shared among multiple people?
A: Yes, up to seven people can share large animals like cows or camels, and each person will receive full Qurbani credit.
Q: Is it necessary to avoid cutting hair and nails before Qurbani?
A: It is highly advised that anyone wishing to do Qurbanishouldavoid trimming their hair or nails from the beginning of DhulHijjahuntil the sacrifice is finished, though this is notrequired.
Q: What if I missed Qurbani in past years?
A: You can compensate by offering extra sacrifices this year or donating the equivalent market value to people experiencing poverty.
Q: Can I give multipleQurbanis?
A: Yes, andit’sencouraged to do so as extra charity or to perform the Prophetic Qurbani.
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