FIQH ISSUES OF UD’HIYA/QURBAANI (Sacrifice)
4th Dhul Hijjah 1445AH
Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuhu
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا لِّيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ ۗ فَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ
“We have ordained rites (of sacrifice) for every nation (of Mu’mineen before you) so that they may take Allah’s name on the animals that Allah has provided for them. Your God is but One God, so submit (be obedient) to Him and convey good news (of Jannah) to the humble ones (Q22:34).
The approved animals for the sacrifice are of the cattle family by way of Camels, Cows, Sheep and Goats ― whether male or female, even though the male animal is the preferred option.
The requirement for the sacrifice of an animal cannot be fulfilled by payment of the cash equivalent as sadaqah. Just as Zakah cannot compensate for Hajj, nor fasting compensate for Salah, similarly charity cannot compensate for Qurbani. However, if the days of Qurbani have passed, and the Qurbani was not offered due to ignorance, negligence or for some other valid reason, then it becomes Wajib to give in Sadaqah the price of Qurbani animal or the un-slaughtered animal itself to the poor.
The degree of excellence and preference are as follows:
If the sacrifice is for the ad’hiya (as for those not doing the Hajj) – Ram (uncastrated), Ram (castrated), Ewe, Male Goat, Female Goat, Cattle (Bull, then Cow) and Camel (Male uncastrated, Male castrated and then Female).
As regards ‘had’ya’ (animals to be sacrificed as part of the hajj) camels are best and then cattle and then sheep and then goats.
The wisdom behind this ranking is that what is desired of ‘hadys’ is to have a lot of meat for the poor and what is desired of the ad’hiya is good meat. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (SAW) used to often make his had’ya camels while his ad’hiya was two rams, as is reported in the Sahih ahadith.
Whatever animal, in the allowed range, that you choose to sacrifice, the following guidelines must be observed:
Goats and sheep have to be at least one-year-old. However, a healthy sheep that looks like a one-year-old may also be used, provided it is at least six months of age. One animal of this class is strictly for one person’s sacrifice.
Cattle (cow, ox and buffalo) must be at least two years old.
Camels must be at least five years old.
One animal of (cow or camel) can be shared by a maximum of seven persons, who may contribute the money to buy it and share its means accordingly.
عن جابر قال : نحرنا مع النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم عام الحديبية البقرة عن سبعة والبدنة عن سبعة (رواه الترمذي Jaabir reported that “we celebrated the sacrifice with the Prophet (SAW) in the year of Hudaibiya and shared a cow among seven people and a camel between seven people” (Tirmidhi 276).
If there are fewer than seven people, it is acceptable on their part, and any surplus is regarded as a supererogatory act on their part, just as a camel is acceptable on behalf of one from whom a sheep is required, and he is regarded as doing a supererogatory act with regard to the difference between the sheep and the camel.
Rulings on Defects in the Udhiya Animal
The animal to be used for sacrifice should be the best one can afford, healthy and pleasing to the eye and free from defects. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri (RA) said:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُضَحِّي بِكَبْشٍ أَقْرَنَ فَحِيلٍ يَنْظُرُ فِي سَوَادٍ وَيَأْكُلُ فِي سَوَادٍ وَيَمْشِي فِي سَوَادٍ
“Allah’s Messenger would sacrifice a noble, sturdy, horned ram that had black around its eyes, its mouth and legs.” (Abu Dawūd, no. 2796,
Al-Bara’a bin Azib narrated that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said:
أَرْبَعٌ لاَ تَجُوزُ فِي الأَضَاحِي الْعَوْرَاءُ بَيِّنٌ عَوَرُهَا وَالْمَرِيضَةُ بَيِّنٌ مَرَضُهَا وَالْعَرْجَاءُ بَيِّنٌ ظَلْعُهَا وَالْكَسِيرُ الَّتِي لاَ تَنْقَى قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي السِّنِّ نَقْصٌ قَالَ مَا كَرِهْتَ فَدَعْهُ وَلاَ تُحَرِّمْهُ عَلَى أَحَدٍ
“There are four animals not allowed for sacrifice (on ‘Eid): The one-eyed animal which has obviously lost the sight of one eye, a sick animal which is obviously sick, a lame animal which obviously limps and an animal with a broken leg with no marrow.” Al-Barā said: “I also detest an animal which has defective teeth.” So, the Messenger (SAW) said: “Leave what you detest, but don’t prohibit it for others.” (Abu Dawud, no. 2802)
In summary, the following conditions must be observed with regard to the animal to be sacrificed.
1. An animal that was born without horns or the horn is broken off from the middle can be used for ad’hiya. However, if the horn is broken off from the root, or the horn has been uprooted, then it will not be suitable.
2. An animal that is totally blind or has lost one-third or more of its eye-sight, or one-third or more of one of its ears is cut, or one-third or more of its tail is cut, is not suitable.
3. An animal which limps/walks on three legs and cannot put the injured (4th) leg onto the ground, or it is able to put the injured leg onto the ground, but is unable to walk on it, is not suitable. However, if it is unable to walk on it, but can still take support from it, then it can be used even though it is limping.
4. Animals having no teeth at all are not suitable. If an animal has lost some teeth only, and has most of its teeth, it is suitable. If most of the teeth are lost, it is not suitable.
5. An animal born without ears is not eligible for Udhiya. An animal with very small ears is good.
6. Thin and extremely weak animals, unable to walk to the place of slaughter, are not suitable for adhiya.
7. If an animal sustains an injury whilst being slaughtered, the ad’hiya is valid.
8. If an animal is purchased in a healthy and eligible state, and thereafter, an accident occurs which renders the animal unfit for ad’hiya, in such a case if the purchaser is no longer wealthy (owner of the required amount) it will be permissible to offer the same animal for ad’hiya. However, if the purchaser is wealthy, then it is necessary to obtain another animal in place of the injured animal.
9. If an animal purchased for ad’hiya gives birth (before being slaughtered), then the newly born animal should also be slaughtered. Where it is not slaughtered, it can be given as sadaqah.
10. If the slaughtered animal aborts a live baby, the live baby will be in the same category as its mother (i.e. it will be treated as a Qurbani animal in terms of its meat, skin etc.)
11. No part of an animal sacrificed for the ‘id may be sold; neither its skin nor anything else.
Time for the Sacrifice
عَنْ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، قَالَ: خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي يَوْمِ نَحْرٍ، فَقَالَ: لَا يَذْبَحَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُصَلِّيَ ، قَالَ: فَقَامَ خَالِي، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَذَا يَوْمٌ اللَّحْمُ فِيهِ مَكْرُوهٌ، وَإِنِّي عَجَّلْتُ نُسُكِي لِأُطْعِمَ أَهْلِي، وَأَهْلَ دَارِي، أَوْ جِيرَانِي، قَالَ: فَأَعِدْ ذَبْحًا آخَرَ ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، عِنْدِي عَنَاقُ لَبَنٍ وَهِيَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ شَاتَيْ لَحْمٍ أَفَأَذْبَحُهَا ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، وَهِيَ خَيْرُ نَسِيكَتَيْكَ، وَلَا تُجْزِئُ جَذَعَةٌ بَعْدَكَ ، قَالَ: وَفِي الْبَاب، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، وَجُنْدَبٍ، وَأَنَسٍ، وَعُوَيْمِرِ بْنِ أَشْقَرَ، وَابْنِ عُمَرَ، وَأَبِي زَيْدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ، وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَكْثَرِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ لَا يُضَحَّى بِالْمِصْرِ حَتَّى يُصَلِّيَ الْإِمَامُ، وَقَدْ رَخَّصَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ لِأَهْلِ الْقُرَى فِي الذَّبْحِ إِذَا طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ ابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: وَقَدْ أَجْمَعَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ لَا يُجْزِئَ الْجَذَعُ مِنَ الْمَعْزِ، وَقَالُوا: إِنَّمَا يُجْزِئُ الْجَذَعُ مِنَ الضَّأْنِ
Narrated Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered a sermon to us on the Day of Nahr and he said: ‘None of you should slaughter until he performs the Salat’. He said: ‘So my maternal uncle stood and said: ‘ O Messenger of Allah, this is the day in which meat is disliked, and I hastened my sacrifice to feed my family and the people of my dwellings – or – ‘my neighbors.’ He said: ‘Repeat your slaughter with another.’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) I have a she-kid that has better meat than my sheep, should I slaughter it?’ He said: ‘Yes, and it is better and it will suffice for you, but a Jadha’ will not be accepted after you.’ (At-Tirmidhi 1508).
In summary:
1. It is good to sacrifice your animal yourself after the Imam has made his sacrifice on the morning of the Day of Sacrifice. If you slaughter your animal before the Imam, you must repeat your sacrifice. This is based on the words of the Almighty, يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ بَيْنَ يَدَىِ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ” Do not advance yourselves in front of Allah and of His Messenger.” (Q49:1) Al-Hasan al-Basri said that on the occasion of an `Eid, some people slaughtered their sacrificial animal before the Prophet (SAW) could do. The Prophet ordered them a repeat (Ibn Jarir, Kashshaf, Qurtubi).
2. If there is no imam with you, you should make sure you do not do it before the time the imam nearest to you would have done so.
3. There are three ‘days of sacrifice’ (10th, 11th and 12th of Dhul-Hijjah) and you can make your sacrifice any time up until Maghrib on the last of these days but the best time to make your sacrifice is on the first day.
4. In rural and village areas where Jumu’ah and ‘Eid Salah are not performed; Qurbani may be performed as soon as Fajr (Subhus Salat) sets in on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah.
5. If a person residing in a town (where Eid salah is performed) arranges for his animal to be slaughtered in a village (where Eid Salah is not performed), then it is permissible for his animal to be slaughtered before he performs his Eid Salah.
6. It is preferable to slaughter during the day. The sacrifice must not be done at night.
7. If there are various venues for Eid Salah, slaughtering is permitted after any one venue has terminated with the Eid Salah.
8. Qurbani will be discharged if one appoints a proxy for this task and the proxy fulfils the task. The proxy may be an organisation or an individual.
On whom is the Sacrifice Mandatory?
1. Qurbani is Waajib on all Muslims (male and female) who are sane, baaligh (have reached the age of puberty) and are the possessors of minimum Zakatable wealth (Nisab). It is not necessary that the ownership of such wealth be for a full year (as required for Zakah).
2. Qurbani is Waajib on a man for himself only, not for his wife and children. However, it is his duty to see that his wife’s and grown-up children’s Qurbani are made if they are possessors of his wealth with their permission, their Qurban will be valid.
3. Qurbani is not Waajib on poor people (who do not possess wealth equal to Nisaab) nor on travellers (Musaafirs) nor on minors. If a minor reaches the age of puberty or a poor person becomes rich or a Musaafir becomes a Muqeem (i.e. by completing his journey or intending to stay in one place for 15 days or more before the sunset of the 12th Dhul Hijjah then Qurbani is Waajib on them).
4. Qurbani on behalf of a deceased person is Waajib if he had made a Wasiyyat (Will) that it should be undertaken from his wealth, provided the cost does not exceed one third of his net estate.
5. If a poor person buys an animal during the days of Qurbani, with the intention of Qurbani, then it becomes Waajib upon him to sacrifice this animal. However, if this animal dies or gets lost, Qurbani will not remain Waajib on him. It will not be necessary for him to buy another animal. If he buys another animal and thereafter the first one is found, it becomes Waajib upon him to sacrifice both animals.
6. A person on whom Qurbani is Waajib, bought an animal for sacrifice. Due to some reason, he did not slaughter it on the fixed days of Qurbani. It is now compulsory upon him to give the animal away, alive, as charity. If he did not purchase the animal and Qurbani was Waajib on him, it is obligatory for him to give as charity, the value of an animal.
7. If a person, on whom Qurbani was Waajib, failed to carry it out for a number of years, he should give the value of that number of animals as charity. Slaughtering of that number of animals during the days of Qurbani will not compensate for the missed Qurbani, but will instead be regarded as voluntary Qurbani.
8. If a person carries out Qurbani on behalf of a person on whom Qurbani is Waajib, without his permission and without his knowing, this Qurbani will not be valid. If it is done with his permission or instruction, it is valid.
Du’a for slaughtering:
It is best to slaughter the sacrificial animal personally if you can, and if you cannot, then you may send someone else. It is preferable to be present even when the slaughtering is delegated to another person except for the slaughtering that takes place in a distant location where the owner is not present. Other issues of relevance include:
to sharpen the knife very well before slaughter to ease the suffering of the animal.
the animal should not be skinned or cut up into pieces before it turns completely cold after the slaughter.
• It is disliked to slaughter an animal in the presence of another animal. Take the animal to a different location where others awaiting slaughter will not witness the slaughtering.
• It is makrooh (disliked) if the animal is not facing the Qiblah. The sacrificial animal should be placed on its left side facing the Qiblah and the following dua should be recited before slaughtering:
• إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
INNI WAJ-HATU WAJ-HIYA LILLADHI FATARA-S-SAMAAWAATI WAL ARDA HANEEFAN WAMA ANAA MINAL MUSHRIKEEN
Verily, I have set my face firmly and truly towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth. And never shall I give partners to Allah.
إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ ٱللَّهُمَّ
ALLAHUMMA INNA SALATEE WA NUSUKEE WA MAH’YAAYA WA MAMATEE LILLAHI RABBIL A’LAMEEN. LA SHAREEKA LAHU WA BI-DHALIKA UMIRTU WA ANA AWALIL MUSLIMINEEN
O Allah, surely my prayer, my worship, my life and my death are solely for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. There is no partner for Him, and thus I was commanded, and I am the first to surrender (as Muslim).
اَللَّهُمَّ مِنْكَ وَلَكَ ALLAHUMMA MINKA WALAKA
O Allah this sacrifice is from you and is for you.”
بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ اَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ BISMILLAHI ALLAHU AKBAR
In the name of Allah. Allah is the Greatest.”
• After the sacrifice is completed, you may also make this Du’a:
اللهم تقبل منی کما تقبلت من خلیلک إبراهيم علیہ السلام و حبیبک محمد صلی اللہ علیہ وآله وسلم
Allahumma taqabal-hu minni kama taqabbalta min habeebika Muhammad Wa Khaleelika Ibraheema alaihima salawatu wasalam
“O Allah! Accept from me this sacrifice like you have accepted from your beloved Muhammad and your friend Ibrahim. Peace be upon them”
However, it will suffice if only BISMILLAH ALLAHU AKBAR (In the name of Allah. Allah is Great) is recited at the time of the slaughter for Allah directed us to “Eat from that over which the name of Allah has been mentioned.” (Q6:118) and ALLAHUMMA TAQABBAL-HU MINNI (O Allah! Accept the sacrifice from me) at the completion.
Dear Brethren! The sacrifice of Eid-el-Adha is an emphasised Sunnah (sunnatul mu’akkada) that is legislated for both men and women ― it is accepted from a man for himself and his household. Likewise, it is accepted from a woman for herself and her household. That is due to the fact that the Prophet (SAW) used to sacrifice two horned rams every year, they were white in colour mixed with some blackness. He sacrificed one ram for himself and his family ― and the other ram on behalf of those in his ummah who worship Allah alone yet were not able to sacrifice, as occurs in a hadith reported by At-Tirmidhi (no. 1504): هَذَا عَمَّنْ لَمْ يُضَحِّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي “This is on behalf of those who did not sacrifice from my Ummah.”
Wassalamu alaykum
Suleiman Zubair