Udhiya / Qurbani

What is Udhiya / Qurbani?

Udhiya / Qurbani is one of the fundamental rituals of Islam performed on the occasion of 'Eid ul-Adha, and is prescribed not only for the pilgrims performing Hajj, but for all able Muslims. Although the practice of Udhiya began in the time of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), particular significance is brought to the practice through a specific act of Prophet Ibrahim / Abraham (peace be upon him).

According to Islamic belief, the dreams of the prophets are regarded as revelations from Allah. Prophet Ibrahim / Abraham (peace be upon him) dreamt that Allah commanded him to sacrifice his only son, Prophet Ismail (AS), a child who was a blessing to him in his old age by Allah. Prophet Ibrahim (AS) told his son of the dream; thus, Ismail (AS) entrusted himself to Allah, and agreed to be sacrificed by his father. Because of their true belief, humility and devotion, Allah (SWT) stopped Ibrahim (AS) from slaying his beloved son, and sent a ram to be slaughtered in Ismail's (AS) place.

This tradition of sacrifice for the sake of Allah (SWT) continues even today. On the occasion of 'Eid ul-Adha, faithful Muslims all over the world submit to the will of Allah and sacrifice a camel, cow, goat or sheep. The meat is then divided into three equal portions: the person who performs the Udhiya / Qurbani retains one part, the second is given to their friends and relatives (whether wealthy or poor), and the third portion is distributed to the poor.

Ruling of Udhiya?

There are two scholarly opinions on Udhiya/Qurbani. The first is that it is waajib (obligatory). This is the opinion of al-Ozaa’i, al-Layth and Abu Haneefah. It is also one of the two opinions of Imam Ahmad and Imam Malik. Those who favor this opinion take the following verse as evidence: “Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)” [al-Kawthar 108:2]. As this is a command, it implies that something is obligatory. This opinion is also supported by the Hadith: “Whoever can afford to offer a sacrifice but does not do so, let him not approach our place of prayer” (Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Majah).

The second scholarly opinion is that performing Udhiya/Qurbani is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu’akkadah). This is the view of al-Shafa’i school, as well as those of Malik and Ahmad. However, most who favor this opinion stated that it is makrooh (disliked) for the one who is able to offer a sacrifice to neglect to do so.

Some scholars say that each point of view has its evidence. To be on the safe side, the one who is able to offer a sacrifice should not neglect to do so because of what is involved in this act of reverence towards Allah. Aishah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbani than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgement with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore, sacrifice with an open and happy heart." (Tirmithi p. 275, Vol.1)

Conditions of Udhiya?

For many reasons, some known only to Allah, the conditions of Udhiya/Qurbani are quite stringent, and include:

The animal may be male or female, and should have reached the required full age of six months for a lamb, one year for a goat, two years for a cow, and five years for a camel.

The animal should be free of any faults. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There are four that will not do for sacrifice: a one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious, a sick animal whose sickness is obvious, a lame animal whose limp is obvious, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones".

It is virtuous to purchase the animal a few days prior to slaughtering, and to care for it by feeding and nursing it. Once the animal has been designated for Udhiya, it is not permissible to resell it or give it away, except in exchange for one that is better.

The animal should be sacrificed at the specified time after the 'Eid prayer on the 10th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah, until before sunset on the last of the days of Tashreeq (the 13th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah). Moreover, the sacrifice may not happen prior to the specified time. This is clarified by the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said, “Whoever sacrifices before the prayer, let him repeat it" (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). Additional explanation about the accepted time for performing Udhiya comes from Imam Ali who said, “The days of Nahr (Sacrifice) are the days of 'Eid ul-Adha and the three days which follow it".

If possible, it is preferable for the Muslim to perform the slaughter by one's own hands according to the method prescribed by Allah, and to eat a share from it.