Qurbani FAQ's

Qurbani is the religious sacrifice of sheep, goats & cattle between the 10^th, 11^th and 12th days of Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar.

It is a sacred act to honour the tradition of the blessed Prophet Ibrahim (as) and Ismail (as) and their story of sacrifice and devotion to Allah (SWT). Sacrificed meat is distributed among the poor and needy across the globe.

Qurbani 2024 will happen on Eid Al-Adha, which falls on or around the 16th of June this year, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Bar a few exceptions, every sane, able, adult Muslim is required to perform Qurbani every year.

The meaning of Qurbani comes from the account in the Holy Qu’ran which describes the sacrifice made by the Prophet Ibrahim (S.A) atop Mount Arafat. 

The Qu’ran records that the Prophet Ibrahim (S.A) had a deep and vivid dream that could have only come from the lips of Allah (SWT) himself. Following this encounter, Ibrahim (S.A) knew he had been instructed to take the life of his son Hazrat Ishmael (S.A) as a divine and holy sacrifice. Both Hazrat Ishmael (S.A) and Ibrahim (S.A) submitted to the will of Allah (SWT) and went to the top of the mountain. Yet in the most vital last moment, Allah (SWT) performed a miracle, moved Hazrat Ishmael (S.A) to safety, and replaced him with a beast. 

Eid al-Adha is the celebration of this supreme act of submission to Allah (SWT), and Qurbani is the remembrance of the specific moment.

Donating your Qurbani can provide meat to people living in some of the most disadvantaged and remote regions of the world, where many people are suffering from poverty and starvation. The aim is to provide these people and their communities with enough food so that they, too, can enjoy Eid al-Adha along with millions of their Muslim brothers and sisters. 

Qurbani holds a special place in Islam. It is stressed in the Qur’an and is a reminder of Prophet Ibrahim’s (as) devotion and obedience.

For many scholars, Qurbani is an obligation for all Muslims who possess the Zakat threshold. Despite its critical role within Islam, it is often missed resulting in its tremendous barakah being lost.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim (as). For every hair of the Qurbani, you receive a reward from Allah (SWT)."

No, this is not necessary as long as you have made the intention that you are giving this Qurbani on behalf of a certain person.

After fulfilling his obligation, the Prophet (saw) gave an additional Qurbani in the name of the Muslims who could not afford to do so. We encourage all of our donors to revive this forgotten Sunnah and help more needy people.

‘The Prophet (saw) sacrificed for the one who could not sacrifice from his Ummah, one who bore witness to the Oneness of Allah and [his] Prophethood’ [Tabarani and Ahmad].

This depends on the school of thought you follow. Please consult your local Imam/Sheikh for further information. According to the Hanafi school of thought, it is obligatory for:

• Every sane Muslim of mature age (who has reached puberty)
• Non-travelling persons
• Those who additionally own wealth, which is beyond their needs, equal to (or more than) the current level of nisab (87.48 grams of gold or 612.35 grams of silver)

Al Mustafa performs Qurbani as part of our overall seasonal programme. Therefore, we always focus on the most needed people in all countries.

We also have a list of the most needed people and will deliver Qurbani to them. They hardly get this one chance to eat the meat in the whole year.

It is recommended for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice, once the new moon of Dhul Hijjah appears (i.e. on the 1st of Dhul Hijjah), not to remove anything from his hair, nails or skin until he has offered the sacrifice.

All animals for Qurbani must be in good health and free from any problems with their eyes, bones, and limbs. All our Qurbani animals are well cared for and thoroughly checked to ensure they are suitable.

One Qurbani will provide approximately 60 meals. A Qurbani is 1/7 of a large cattle or camel, or a whole sheep or goat. A big cattle cow weighs is around 250-300 kg.

This is a very important question because not all animals are eligible for Qurbani, and even then, there are some restrictions as to whether a particular animal can be sacrificed for Qurbani. Animals that are eligible for Qurbani are:

• Goats (at least one-year-old)
• Sheep (at least one-year-old)
• Bulls, cows or buffalo (two years old minimum)
• Camels (five years old minimum)

The animals can be either male or female. However, there are some further restrictions. Any animal sacrificed for Qurbani should have no injuries, disabilities, or broken bones, including its horns. In addition, when the animal is sacrificed, the sacrifice must be Halal

There is flexibility when it comes to Qurbani. Qurbani animals have shares, and an individual needs only one share to fulfil their ritual obligation.

A goat or sheep counts as one share - meaning that a single person must buy a goat or sheep in its entirety on their own to perform their Qurbani ritual. All other animals have seven shares, which means that seven people can collectively contribute money, and in return, get their share of the meat.

The meat of the animal that is sacrificed is distributed among three separate groups:

• The person who provided the animal
• The friends and relatives of the person who provided the animal
• The poor and the needy

Providing an animal for Qurbani is an annual obligation on every Muslim who meets the following criteria:

• They are of sound mind
• They are past the age of puberty
• They have disposable income above and beyond their essential needs

Qurbani sacrifices happen every year between the morning of the 10th and the sunset of the 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This is also the time that the end of Hajj is celebrated. 

On the day itself, there are special prayers – Eid Salah – to be spoken before the animal is sacrificed.  

Al Mustafa eligibility criteria require beneficiaries of the Qurbani project to be selected based on need. When selecting beneficiaries for the distribution, priority is given to the following:

• Families/individual living below the poverty line
• Single-parent household
• Households with disabled and/or elderly persons
• Household with little or no access to the food markets
• Household with children
• Household with pregnant and/or nursing women

A thorough assessment is carried out by our teams to objectively identify and prioritise those in need and to ensure we reach the most vulnerable without bias.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) made multiple Qurbanis including a Qurbani on behalf of the Ummah. You too can give a Qurbani on behalf of Prophet Muhammad (saw), we call this the “Prophetic Qurbani”. You can also give Qurbani on behalf of a deceased family member so that they too are rewarded. These will all be in addition to your own Qurbani.

Al Mustafa works hard to ensure that the meat your Qurbani provides is distributed to those in need during the days of Eid al-Adha.

That is not permissible as Qurbani itself is a separate obligation.

We are not able to carry out Qurbani for specific orphans; the scale of the operation makes this exceptionally difficult. However, orphans are a high priority in our programmes

Yes, all the various expenses such as the cost of the animal, slaughter, butchering, transportation, storage, selection of the beneficiaries, and distribution are included in the price.

The availability of animals and local preferences determine which animals are slaughtered so it is not possible to specify.

Al Mustafa Canada makes it possible for disadvantaged Muslims around the world to participate in Qurbani, thanks to the Qurbani donations of their generous brothers and sisters. 

These are just a few facts on Qurbani. To find out more about the meaning of Qurbani or to donate with Al Mustafa , see here.

The Qurbani donation of giving meat to those in need serves to remind us that everything we have is ultimately a gift from Allah (SWT), and thus we must be prepared to sacrifice it to him upon his request. As part of that sacrifice, we may be asked to do things to further his broader will, and a central component of that will is provision for the poor and needy.