Qurbani Questions Answered
The days of Dhul Hijja and the festival of Eid al-Adha is one of the most important periods in the Muslim calendar. The sacrifice in commemoration of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) and his son Ismail's (as) devotion to Allah (swt) is a duty on all Muslims who are eligible to pay Zakat. It is important that we fulfill this obligation in the correct way. Here we address the most common queries about this important act of worship.
When is Qurbani?
The sacrifice takes place on the tenth day of Dhul Hijja, marking the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Who Needs to Perform Qurbani and do I have to Perform Qurbani on Behalf of My Children?
The Hanafi school states that every adult eligible to pay Zakat should fulfill the obligation of Qurbani whereas the Maliki and Hanbali schools purport that the Qurbani is prescribed per household.
How Many Animals do I Have to Sacrifice?
The Hanafi school states that a separate Qurbani should be done per adult. The Maliki and Hanbali schools purport that the Qurbani is prescribed per household. The Prophet (saw) told the people to slaughter another animal if they slaughtered too early (before the eid prayer).
Narrated Jundab bin Sufyan Al-Bajali:
‘I witnessed the Prophet on the Day of Nahr. He 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)
You can also choose to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet who used to perform an extra sacrifice on behalf of his Ummah.
When Should You Give Money for Qurbani?
We advise giving your Qurbani as early as possible. However, you can pay right up until maghrib time on the fourth day of Eid (13th Dhul Hijja) as Muslim Hands has already slaughtered the Qurbanis in time for Eid distribution with the intention that some donors will give their money on the fourth day.
Can I Cut My Nails/Hair Before Giving My Qurbani?
It is strongly encouraged that the one who intends to give the Qurbani – normally the head of the household- 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’ start, and one of you intends to sacrifice, then let him not cut his hair or his nails’(Muslim).
When is the Latest I can Make a Qurbani Payment?
You can give your Qurbani money with Muslim Hands right up until maghrib time on the fourth day of Eid as Muslim Hands has already carried out sacrifices on behalf of donors who will give later.
When is the Sacrifice Performed?
The sacrifice coincides with the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Qurbani can only be performed after the Eid al-Adha prayers from the 10th of Dhul-Hijja to the 12th of Dhul-Hijja (the last month of the Islamic Calendar). This means Muslims have three days to perform this ritual. If it is performed before this it must be repeated. If performed after, it will not be accepted.
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?
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.
Do You Need to Give All the Names of the People Who Are Giving Qurbani?
When performing the Qurbani, the names of the people should be mentioned after mentioning Allah’s name and glorifying him. For example, one should say ‘Bismillah, Allahu Akbar. Oh Allah, this is from you and for you on behalf of so and so’. After the sacrifice they should say, ‘Oh Allah accept this from so and so’. Muslim Hands will take the names if you so desire. Our respective field offices will then utter them before the Qurbani is offered.
Does Muslim Hands distribute canned/frozen meat?
No we do not. Muslim Hands only distributes freshly slaughtered meat on the days of Eid.
How Does Muslim Hands Select Qurbani Beneficiaries?
Our local experts on the ground come from the communities we help. This makes them best placed to find those most in need. Every Qurbani they are out in their local communities looking for the families that will benefit most from your sacrifice.
