Qurbani FAQ

Q. What is Qurbani?  

1. Qurbani is the act of offering a sacrifice on Eid Al-Adha. It commemorates the supreme sacrifice offered by Prophet Ibrahim (as) to show his total submission and gratitude towards Allah (swt). It is also one of the compulsory acts of Hajj. 

Once our beloved Prophet (saw) was asked, what is Qurbani? The Prophet (saw) answered, ‘‘It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim (as). For every hair of the Qurbani, you receive a reward from Allah (swt).’’ [Al-Tirmidhi] 

Q.  Why do we sacrifice an animal during Qurbani?  

1. The Holy Qur’an informs us that in a vision, Prophet Ibrahim (as) saw that he offered his son Isma'eel (as) in sacrifice to Allah (swt). When he shared this vision with his son, Isma'eel (as) said: "O my father! Do as you are commanded: you will find me, if Allah so wills, of the patient ones.’’ However, when Prophet Ibrahim (as) carried out the commandment, Allah (swt) replaced Isma’eel (as) with a ram.  

To remember his incredible bravery and to emulate the piety and example of one of the greatest men of Islam, donating Qurbani is considered a highly rewardable act of worship as demonstrated by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  

Q. Where can I carry out my Qurbani? 

1. In developed countries, it is very difficult to perform your own Qurbani. Therefore, it is permitted to arrange for Qurbani in a different country on one's behalf. In this case, the whole Qurbani is distributed among the poor and most vulnerable.  

Muslim Aid ensures that Qurbani is performed in the country band that you choose. We then distribute the Qurbani meat to the poor. 

Q.  What happens to the Qurbani meat once sacrificed?  

1. It is recommended that the meat of the Qurbani sacrifice is shared equally in three parts between
   1. Family members of the person performing Qurbani,
   2. Relatives and friends and 
   3. The poor and most vulnerable.  

Q.  Why can't I choose which animal to sacrifice?  

1. Local customs and the type of animal that would be most suited to beneficiary needs, plays a huge role in the selection of animals. Therefore, it would be difficult and not practical to allocate an animal according to your requirements.  

Q.  Which animals can be sacrificed?  

1. The following animals can be sacrificed; goats, sheep, cattle and camels. It is necessary the following ruling applies, animals that are younger are not suitable for Qurbani: 

• Goat; one (full) year old, whether male or female.  
• Cow, Bull or Buffalo; two years old,  
• Camel; five years.  
• Sheep (of any kind); no less than six months old. If it is six months and is strong and healthy, this will suffice for Qurbani, otherwise it will have to be one (full) year old.  

If an animal seller stipulates that the animal has reached the required age, and outwardly there is no sign to disprove it, then it is permissible to rely on this statement. No other type of animal is allowed for Qurbani. In addition, the animals should be in good health.  

Q. How much meat (kg) is distributed to a family/individual? 

1. The amount of Qurbani meat distributed to the poor depends on the size of the family, therefore the amount distributed ranges from 2kg - 5kg. 

Q. Is the meat distributed fresh, cooked or both? 

1. Muslim Aid provides fresh meat to beneficiaries. We do not provide canned or cooked meat, due to the costs involved.  

Q.  When will Qurbani be carried out?  

1. The days of Qurbani are the tenth, eleventh and twelfth of Dhul Hijjah. The first day is better than the second and the second better than the last. In towns, cities and villages where Jumu'ah and Eid prayers are performed, Qurbani is not permissible before the Eid salah. However, you can and should order your Qurbani with Muslim Aid any time before Eid. 

We try our best to carry out the Qurbani on Eid day, however this could extend to the 12th of Dhul Hijjah, where your Qurbani will definitely be fullfilled.  
 

Q. When should we give money for Qurbani? 

1. We recommend you make your payment for Qurbani as soon as possible. You can make payments right up until the end of the second day after Eid (12th of Dhul-Hijjah) before Maghrib. The time for the Qurbani sacrifice begins after the Eid prayer on Eid al-Adha and ends when the sun sets on the 12th of Dhul Hijjah, a total of 3 days of sacrifice.  

Muslim Aid has already estimated the required number of units and therefore have purchased the animals ready to be slaughtered after Eid.  

Q.  Is performing Qurbani obligatory? 

1. According to most Muslims Qurbani is obligatory upon every sane male/female that has wealth in excess to his/her needs. Normally those who are eligible to pay Zakat tend to give a Qurbani - Nisab is the value of excess wealth which makes a Muslim liable for Zakat. 

We can take your Qurbani order up until the sun sets on the 12th of Dhul Hijjah. After that, you may have to pay compensation for missing the obligation. Contact your local imam for advice.     

Q.  What is the difference between Qurbani and Udhiyah?  

1. Essentially, there is no difference between the two terms. Udhiya is an Arabic word meaning "blood sacrifice", and ‘Qurbani' is an Urdu and Persian word derived from the Arabic word "Qurban" which literally means an act performed to seek Allah's pleasure. Qurbani is far more popular among the Muslims of UK, but Udhiyah is also used commonly.  

Q.  Why have banding systems?  

1. Muslim Aid has created a banding system to ensure that donations are spread across a range of countries to reflect donor demand, as well as other factors, such as the capacity of the implementing partner and the level of need. The banding method allows a fair approach to allocations, especially given the large numbers of countries in which we operate.     

Q.  How does the Qurbani programme work at Muslim Aid?  

1. This year, Muslim Aid will be carrying out Qurbani in 16 countries around the world, including the UK.  We have arranged the programme into seven bands this year to ensure we can distribute meat more effectively. Once you select a band and price which is suitable for you, Muslim Aid will carry out the Qurbani in one of the countries in your chosen band. 

Q.  Do I need to do anything special if I intend to offer a sacrifice?  

1. A person who intends to fulfil a Qurbani sacrifice should refrain from cutting their hair or nails, or removing parts of the skin, during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.* 

*Some believe that this applies on everyone who is doing a sacrifice, and some say it is only for the people who are performing Hajj. 

Q. If I pay for Qurbani on behalf of someone else, will their name be called out at the time of the slaughter? 

1. No, as we are expecting to conduct hundreds of thousands of Qurbanis around the world, this is practically not possible.  

Q. How does Muslim Aid decide who is the most needy when distributing Qurbani meat? 

1. Muslim Aid selects beneficiaries of the Qurbani programme through a needs assessment carried out by staff on the ground. Typically those who will receive Qurbani are: 

• Orphans 
• People on low income 
• Female led families 
• Rainbow Family  
• Members of the community who are marginalised/vulnerable 
• The disabled 
• Internally displaced people 
• Those who are suffering due to conflict or disaster.   

Q. How can we really be sure that the Qurbani we pay for in some of the poorest countries are actually taking place? 

1. Our established aid chain and experience of performing Qurbani since 1985, will ensure that your Qurbani will be fulfilled.  Our Qurbani project, as well as all our other projects are constantly monitored and audited.  Reports are also produced each year showing how funds were allocated.  

Q. What is Need is Greatest? 

1. Deciding where to give your Qurbani can be difficult. Our Need is Greatest option lets you give your Qurbani, ensuring no-one is forgotten. Based on our needs assessments we can choose to respond to emergency situations as they happen and ensure those who are in desperate need don’t miss out on having meat on Eid.  

Q. What is the family Qurbani? In which country will this take place?  

1. Family Qurbani is for 1 Cow = 7 Qurbani (One Qurbani equals 1/7th of the share). This is only carried out in India.  

 Q. Why does Muslim Aid no longer offer canned meat? 

1. We no longer offer canned Qurbani as it is too expensive for us to implement. Costs incurred include purchase of animal, packaging of meat and shipping the meat to the countries in need and would therefore not be the most cost effective way to reach wider communities.  

Q. Why are Muslim Aid’s Qurbani prices lower compared to some charities e.g. Ummah Welfare Trust Qurbani for Sierra Leone is £130 compared to Muslim Aid, which is £65?  

1. Qurbani prices generally depend on the size and type of animal, which varies across the world. Sometimes prices within the same country can also change from location to location. 

Q. How is Qurbani distributed in the UK?  

1. When you choose UK Qurbani, two thirds of your meat is delivered straight to you to distribute to family and friends, helping you to implement the Prophetic Sunnah of partaking from the Qurbani meat! This will be delivered to the address provided upon order, on the third day of Eid via DPD. We advise all those who purchase UK Qurbani to ensure they can take delivery on this day prior to purchase. DPD will provide an email and a text of the delivery time on this day. We will deliver once and then an agreement will need to be made with the courier. Meat will be safe for 48 hours after Qurbani 

One third goes to those in most need in the UK. Through our partners and agencies in the UK, we identify disadvantaged and poor members of the community to distribute one third of Qurbani meat.  

Q.  How can I perform a Qurbani with Muslim Aid?  

You can donate a Qurbani by sending a cheque, cash, online or by calling us on: 020 7377 4200 

Donate your Qurbani today, do it like Ibrahim (as)