As Everyone know the meaning of Qurbani, So I would not
add my own definitions, that is why I chose two best articles
regarding Qurbani in Islam.
This first one is from http://islam.ru/
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
‘Udhiya’ is an Arabic term which means “sacrificing an animal”, 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. It is technically used for the sacrifice of an animal slaughtered for the sake of Allah.
Virtues of Udhiya (qurbani)
Allah Most High Says:
“So turn in prayer towards your Lord and sacrifice (animals).” (Qur’an 108:2)
There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Udhiya than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgment 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. (Sunan Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah)
Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What is Udhiya?” He replied, “It is the Sunna of your father Ibrahim (peace be upon him).” They asked again, “What benefit do we get from it?” He answered, “A reward for every hair (of the sacrificed animal).” “And [what reward is there for animals with] wool, O Messenger of Allah?” they asked. “A reward”, he said, “for every fiber of the wool.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
When a person slaughters an Udhiya animal, he is forgiven at the fall of the first drop of blood, and verily, the animal shall be brought forward on the Day Of Judgment with its blood, meat etc., and shall be increased in weight seventy times more than its own weight, and thereafter it will be placed on the scale of deeds. (See: Kanz al-Ummal)
Who is required to Perform Udhiya?
Every adult Muslim, male or female, who owns 612.36 grams of silver or its equivalent in money, personal ornaments, stock-in-trade or any other form of wealth which is in excess of one’s basic personal needs, is under an obligation to offer the ritual slaughter (Udhiya).
Each adult member of a family who owns the above-mentioned amount must carry out his or her own Udhiya separately. If the husband owns the required amount but his wife does not, then slaughtering will be obligatory on the husband only, and vice-versa. If both of them have the prescribed amount of wealth, then two separate Udhiyas will need to be performed.
If the adult children live with their parents, Udhiya is obligatory on each one of them possessing the prescribed amount. The ritual slaughter offered by a husband for himself does not fulfil the obligation of his wife, nor can the Udhiya offered by a father discharge his son or daughter from their obligation; rather, separate sacrifices will have to be carried out for each individual possessing the required amount. A husband or father, apart from offering his own ritual slaughter, may offer another on behalf of his wife or son, with their permission.
The Time of Udhiya
1) Udhiya is only valid during the three days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, namely the 10th, 11th and 12th, and cannot be performed in any other day of the year.
2) Although Udhiya is permissible on each of the above three days, the first day (i.e. the 10th of Dhu’l-Hijjah) is the most preferable and desired day.
3) Generally, Udhiya is not allowed before Eid Salat. If Udhiya is being done at a place where Eid Salat is not performed, the slaughter should commence after the completion of Eid Salat in the nearby town/city. However, according to the Hanafi School, in small villages where Eid prayer is not to be performed, Udhiya can be offered any time after the break of dawn on the 10th of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
4) Udhiya can be performed during night time. However, it is preferable to perform it during the daytime.
Conditions for the Slaughtered Animal
1) The animals eligible for Udhiya are goats, sheep, cattle and camels, male or female. No other type of animal is allowed for Udhiya.
2) Castrated animals may be used for Udhiya.
3) Barren animals may be used for Udhiya.
4) 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.
5) Cattle (cow, ox and buffalo) must be at least two years old.
6) Camels must be at least five years old.
Rulings on Defects in the Udhiya Animal
1) An animal that was born without horns or the horn is broken off from the middle is eligible for Udhiya. However, if the horn is broken off from the root, or the horn has been uprooted, then it will not be eligible for Udhiya.
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 ear is cut, or one-third or more of its tail is cut, is not eligible for Udhiya.
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 eligible for Udhiya. However, if it is unable to walk on it, but can still take support from it, then it is eligible for Udhiya, even though it is limping.
4) Animals having no teeth at all are not eligible for Udhiya. If an animal has lost some teeth only, and has most of its teeth, it is eligible for Udhiya. If most of the teeth are lost, it is not eligible for Udhiya.
5) An animal born without ears is not eligible for Udhiya. An animal with very small ears is eligible for Udhiya.
6) Thin and extremely weak animals, unable to walk to the place of slaughter, are not eligible for Udhiya.
7) If an animal sustains an injury whilst being slaughtered, the Udhiya 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 Udhiya, then 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 Udhiya. 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 Udhiya gives birth (before being slaughtered), then the newly born animal should also be slaughtered.
Specification of Animals for Individuals Performing Udhiya
In most Western countries such as the UK, rather than one slaughtering the animal himself, Udhiya is carried out at the slaughterhouse on one’s behalf. In such a case, it is imperative that animals are specified prior to slaughter and that the specified carcass finally reaches the one performing Udhiya. To ensure this, whilst recognising the technicalities at abattoirs, the following steps should be adhered to:
1) It is important that the animal is purchased before the Udhiya is performed, or at least, specified for purchase and Udhiya on behalf of the one wishing to perform Udhiya. This should be done by tagging a label on the animal which displays the individual’s name or an assigned number.
2) If multiple Udhiya orders are placed through an agent (such as the butcher), the agent should list all the names with exclusive numbers and keep them securely. The agent should also at this stage provide the customer with his assigned number for his information. Thereafter, the complete list should be forwarded to the abattoir before Udhiya commences.
3) It is then the responsibility of the slaughterer at the abattoir to specify animals for each agent or butcher according to the number given. Furthermore, a particular animal must be specified for each name or assigned number provided by the agent and labelled accordingly, as outlined in the example below:
a) Label or tag the animal with the name of the agent/butcher and his customer: e.g. (butcher/agent) XYZ & (customer) XYZ.
or for the purpose of simplicity:
b) Label or tag the animal with the name of the butcher/agent and specified Udhiya number: e.g. Butcher XYZ Customer No 1, Butcher XYZ Customer No 2, Butcher XYZ Customer No 3, and so on and so forth. As such, each animal must at least be numbered and this must be done before slaughter or at the latest when brought into the slaughter bay. Mere slaughter without specification is not sufficient even if the intention is to specify and number the carcasses at a later stage e.g. whilst loading.
4) Finally, care should be taken that each individual receives his specified and numbered carcass after slaughter and after implementation of the subsequent processess.
Case Scenario
‘Abdullah Butchers’ has an order of 50 Udhiyas. He makes a list of the names of customers who have placed an order with him and assigns a specific number for each individual customer, e.g. Muhammad – 1, Ismail – 2, etc. A copy of this list is then given to the slaughterhouse and one copy retained by the butcher. When each animal is about to be slaughtered, the slaughterers specify that this particular animal is for order number x of ‘Abdullah Butchers’. The slaughterer then labels the animal accordingly to distinguish it as that particular Udhiya, so that when the order is collected or delivered, the butcher clearly identifies which customer’s Udhiya it is, according to the list he had drawn up.
Dhabh (Slaughter) of the Udhiya Animal
1) It is recommended (mustahabb) that the owner of the Udhiya animal slaughters it personally, provided he is able to slaughter properly. If the owner is unable to slaughter, it is better to delegate the task to another Muslim who is acquainted with the requirements of a valid Islamic slaughter. If the slaughter has been delegated, it is desirable that the owner of the Udhiya animal is present at the time of slaughter.
2) The Islamic slaughter requires that the throat, the external jugular veins and the wind-pipe of the animal is swiftly and clearly severed with a sharp tool, together with invoking the name of Allah Most High. If only two of the passages and veins are cut, the slaughter will be deemed incorrect. If any three of the four are severed, the slaughter will be valid.
3) It is Mustahabb to face the Qibla while slaughtering.
4) It is preferable to sharpen the knife before slaughter to ease the suffering of the animal.
5) After slaughter, the animal should not be skinned or cut up into pieces before it turns completely cold.
6) It is disliked to slaughter an animal in the presence of another animal, although the slaughter is valid.
7) It is preferable to read the following whilst laying the throat of the animal towards the Qibla:
“For me, 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. Verily, my worship and my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah; Lord of the worlds. O Allah this sacrifice is from you and is for you”
Whilst slaughtering the animal read, “Bismillah Allahu Akbar” (In the name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest).
If the above are not memorized, then make intention of Udhiya and merely recite “Bismillah” and the Udhiya will be valid.
The Meat and Skin of the Udhiya Animal
1) It is allowed for the one performing Udhiya to either eat off the meat or give it to whomsoever he pleases, rich or poor, Muslim or non-Muslim. It is preferable, however, that the meat is divided into three parts: One part for the home, one part for relatives and friends, and one part for the poor and needy.
2) The meat or skin of the animal cannot be sold, or given to an employee or butcher in payment of his labour. It may be given as a gift. The skin of the Udhiya animal can be kept for personal use or given to anyone else for their personal use. If the skin is sold, it is necessary to give the money accrued in charity as Sadaqah.
3) It is not permissible to eat the meat of the following types of sacrifices:
a) Sacrifice that is carried out as expiation (kaffara) for a mistake committed during Hajj.
b) Sacrifice carried out for a deceased person due to his bequest (wasiyya).
c) Sacrifice carried out due to a vow (nazr).
The meat of the above-mentioned 3 types of sacrifices must be distributed to the poor and needy only.
Distribution of the Meat
If an animal is sacrificed on behalf of more than one person, like a cow or camel, its meat should be divided equally among its owners based on weight, and not randomly or by mere conjecture. Even if all the partners agree on its distribution without weighing, it is still not permissible according to Shariah.
However, if the actual weighing is not practicable due to some reason, and all the partners agree to divide the meat without weighing, distribution by guess can be done with the condition that each share necessarily contains either a leg of the animal or some quantity of its liver.
No Alternative for Udhiya
Some people think that instead of offering a ritual slaughter (Udhiya), they can give its amount to the poor as charity. This attitude is totally wrong. In fact, there are different forms of worship obligatory on Muslims. Each one of them has its own importance and none of them can stand for the other. It is not permissible for a Muslim to perform Salat instead of fasting in Ramadhan, nor is it permissible to give some charity instead of observing the obligatory Salat. Similarly, Udhiya is an independent form of worship and cannot be discharged by spending money in charity.
However, if an individual, out of ignorance or negligence, could not offer it on the three prescribed days (10th, 11th and 12th of Dhu’l-Hijjah) then, in that case only, he can give the price of a ritual slaughter (Udhiya) as Sadaqah to those entitled to receive Zakat. But during the days of Udhiya, no Sadaqa can discharge this obligation.
Cutting and Clipping the Hair and Nails
It is Mustahabb (and not necessary) for the one intending to perform Udhiya to refrain from cutting hair or clipping nails from 1st of Dhu’l-Hijjah to the 10th of Dhu’l-Hijjah, (i.e. until the days of Udhiya have passed).
And Allah Knows Best
One head of goat or sheep is enough only for one person's Qurbani. But as for all other animals like cow, buffalo or camel, one head of each is equal to seven offerings thus allowing seven persons to offer Qurbani jointly in one such animal.
HERE IS SECOND ONE.
The Urdu and persian word Qurbani (Sacrificial slaughter) is derived from the Arabic word Qurban. Lexically, it means an act performed to seek Allah's pleasure. Originally, the word Qurban included all acts of charity because the purpose of charity is nothing but to seek Allah's pleasure. But, in precise religious terminology, the word was later confined to the sacrifice of an animal slaughtered for the sake of Allah.
The sacrifice of an animal has always been treated as a recognized form of worship in all religious orders originating from a divine book. Even in pagan societies, the sacrifice of an animal is recognized as a form of worship, but it is done in the name of some idols and not in the name of Allah, a practice totally rejected by Islam.
In the Shari'ah of our beloved Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, the sacrifice of an animal has been recognized as a form of worship only during three days of Zulhijjah, namely, the 10th, 1lth and 12th of the month. This is to commemorate the unparalleled sacrifice offered by the Prophet Sayyidna Ibrahim, Alayhi Salam, when he, in pursuance to a command of Allah conveyed to him in a dream, prepared himself to slaughter his beloved son, Sayyidna Isma'il, Alayhi Salam, and actually did so but, Allah Almighty, after testing his submission, sent down a sheep and saved his son from the logical fate of slaughter. It is from that time onwards that the sacrifice of an animal became an obligatory duty to be performed by every well to do Muslim.
Qurbani is a demonstration of total submission to Allah and a proof of complete obedience to Allah's will or command. When a Muslim offers a Qurbani, this is exactly what he intends to prove. Thus, the Qurbani offered by a Muslim signifies that he is a slave of Allah at his best and that he would not hesitate even for a moment, once he receives an absolute command from his Creator, to surrender before it, to obey it willingly, even if it be at the price of his life and possessions. When a true and perfect Muslim receives a command from Allah, he does not make his obedience dependent upon the command's reasonability' as perceived through his limited understanding. He knows that Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise and that his own reason cannot encompass the knowledge and wisdom underlying the divine command. He, therefore, submits to the divine command, even if he cannot grasp the reason or wisdom behind it.
This is exactly what the Prophet Ibrahim, Alayhi Salam, did. Apparently, there was no reason why a father should slaughter his innocent son. But, when came the command from Allah, he never asked about the reason for that command, nor did he hesitate to follow it. Even his minor son when asked by his father about the dream he had seen, never questioned the legitimacy of the command, nor did he pine or whine about it, nor did he ask for one good reason why he was being slaughtered. The one and only response he made was:
'Father, do what you have been ordered to do. You shall find me, God willing, among the patient".
The present-day Qurbani is offered in memory of this great model of submission set before us by the great father and the great son. So Qurbani must be offered in our time emulating the same ideal and attitude of submission.
This, then, is the true philosophy of Qurbani. With this in mind, one can easily unveil the fallacy of those who raise objections against Qurbani on the basis of economic calculations and depict it to be a wastage of money, resources and livestock. Unable to see beyond mundane benefits, they cannot understand the spirit Islam wants to plant and nourish among its followers, the spirit of total submission to Allah's will which equips man with most superior qualities so necessary to keep humanity in a state of lasting peace and welfare.
Qurbani is nothing but a powerful symbol of the required human conduct vis-a-vis the divine commands, however "irrational" or "uneconomic" they may seem to be in their appearance. Thus, the distrustful quest for mundane economic benefits behind Qurbani is, in fact, the negation of its real philosophy and the very spirit underlying it.
No doubt, there are in every form of worship ordained by Allah, certain worldly benefits too, but they are not the main purpose of these prescribed duties, nor should they be treated as a pre-condition to submission and obedience. All acts of worship, including Qurbani, must be carried out with a spirit of total submission to Allah, irrespective of their economic, social or political benefits. This is what Ibrahim, Alayhi Salam, did, and this is what every true Muslim is required to do,
Keeping this in view, we are giving here some rules governing the worship of Qurbani in our Shari'ah according to the Hanafi School.
The Time of Qurbani
Qurbani can only be performed during the three days of Eid, namely the 10th, Ilth and 12th of Zulhijjah. It is only in these days that slaughtering of an animal is recognized as an act of worship. No Qurbani can be performed in any other days of the year.
Although Qurbani is permissible on each of the three aforesaid days, yet it is preferable to perform it on the first day i.e. the 10th of Zulhijjah.
No Qurbani is allowed before the Eid prayer is over. However, in small villages where the Eid prayer is not to be performed, Qurbani can be offered' any time after the break of dawn on the 10th of Zulhijjah.
Qurbani can also be performed in the two nights following the Eid day, but it is more advisable to perform it during daytime.
Who is Required to Perform Qurbani?
Every adult Muslim, male or female, who owns 613.35 grams of silver or its equivalent in money, personal ornaments, stock-in-trade or any other form of wealth which is surplus to his basic needs, is under an obligation to offer a Qurbani. Each adult member of a family who owns the above mentioned amount must perform his own Qurbani separately. If the husband owns the required quantity, but the wife does not, the Qurbani obligatory on the husband only and vice-versa. If both of them have the prescribed amount of wealth, both should perform Qurbani separately.
If the adult children live with their parents, Qurbani is obligatory on each one of them possessing the prescribed amount. The Qurbani offered by a husband for himself does not fulfil the obligation of his wife, nor can the Qurbani offered by a father discharge his son or daughter from their obligation. Each one of them should care for his own.
However, if a husband or a father, apart from offering his own Qurbani, gives another Qurbani on behalf of his wife or his son, he can do so with their permission.
No Alternate for Qurbani
Some people think that instead of offering a Qurbani they should give its amount to some poor people as charity. This attitude is totally wrong. Actually, there are different forms of worship obligatory on Muslims. Each one of them has its own importance and none of them can stand for the other. It is not permissible for a Muslim to perform salah instead of fasting in Ramadan, nor is it permissible for him to give some charity instead of observing the obligatory Salah. Similarly, Qurbani is an independent form of worship and this obligation cannot be discharged by spending money in charity.
However, if somebody, out of his ignorance or negligence, could not offer Qurbani on the three prescribed days (10th, 1lth and 12th Zulhijjah) then, in that case only, he can give the price of a Qurbani as sadaqah to those entitled to receive Zakah. But during the days of Qurbani no Sadaqah can discharge the obligation.
The Animals of Qurbani
The following animals can be slaughtered to offer a Qurbani:
1. Goat, either male or female, of at least one year of age.
2. Sheep, either male or female, of at least six months of age.
3. Cow, ox buffalo of at least two years of age.
4. Camel, male or female, of at least five years of age.
Here is video to perform join qurbani of bull. In this video 10 bulls are sacrificed.
One head of goat or sheep is enough only for one person's Qurbani. But as for all other animals like cow, buffalo or camel, one head of each is equal to seven offerings thus allowing seven persons to offer Qurbani jointly in one such animal.
If the seller of animal claims that the animal is of the recognized age and there is no apparent evidence to the contrary; one can trust his statement and the sacrifice of such an animal is lawful.
Rules about Defective Animals
The following defective animals are not acceptable in Qurbani:
1. Blind, one eyed or lame animal.
2. An animal so emaciated that it cannot walk to its slaughtering place.
3. An animal with one-third part of the ear or the nose or the tail missing.
4. An animal that has no teeth at all, or the major number of its teeth are missing.
5. An animal born without ears.
The following animals are acceptable in Qurbani:
1. A castrated he - goat. (Rather, its Qurbani is more preferable).
2. An animal that has no horns, or its horns are broken. However, if the horns of an animal are uprooted totally so as to create a defect in the brain, its Qurbani is not lawful.
3. An animal the missing part of whose ear, nose or tail is less than one third.
4. A sick or injured animal, unless it has some above mentioned defects rendering its Qurbani unlawful.
The Sunnah Method of Qurbani
It is more preferable for a Muslim to slaughter the animal of his Qurbani with his own hands. However, if he is unable to slaughter the animal himself, or does not want to do so for some reason, he can request another person to slaughter it on his behalf. In this case also, it is more preferable that he, at least, be present at the time of slaughter. However, his absence at the time of slaughter does not render the Qurbani invalid, if he has authorized the person who slaughtered the animal on his behalf. It is a Sunnah to lay the animal with its face towards the Qiblah, and to recite the following verse of the Holy Quran:
I, being upright, turn my face towards the One who has created the heavens and the earth, and I am not among those who associate partners with Allah. ( Al-An'am, 6:79)
But the most essential recitation when slaughtering an animal is: Bismillah, Allahu Akbar. (In the name of Allah, Allah is the greatest). If somebody intentionally avoids to recite it when slaughtering an animal, it does not only make his Qurbani unlawful, but also renders the animal haram, and it is not permissible to eat the meat of that animal. However, if a person did not avoid this recitation intentionally, but he forgot to recite it when slaughtering the animal, this mistake is forgiven and both the Qurbani and the slaughter are lawful.
If somebody is unable to recite "Bismillah Allahu Akbar" in the Arabic language, he can recite the name of Allah in his own language by saying, "In the name of Allah".
Distribution of the Meat
If an animal is sacrificed by more than one person, like cow or camel, its meat should be distributed equally among its owners by weighing the meat strictly and not at random or by mere guess. Even if all the partners agree on its distribution without weighing, it is still not permissible according to shari'ah.
However, if the actual weighing is not practicable due to some reason, and all the partners agree to distribute the meat without weighing, distribution by guess can be done with the condition that each share necessarily contains either a leg of the animal or some quantity of its liver.
Although the person offering a Qurbani can keep all its meat for his own use, yet, it is preferable to distribute one-third among the poor, another one-third among his relatives and then, keep the rest for his personal consumption.
All parts of the sacrificed animal can be used for personal benefit, but none can be sold, nor can be given to the butcher as a part of his wages. If somebody has sold the meat of the Qurbani or its skin, he must give the accrued price as sadaqah to a poor man who can receive Zakah.
By Mufti Taqi Usmani Courtesy: www.everymuslim.net
