Q & A – Qurbani Masaa’il – Part 1
The Animals used for Qurbani
The animals which can used to offer qurbani are sheep, goat, cow, buffalo, and camel (male or female).
قال اللہ تعالیٰ: ﴿ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ مِنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ وَمِنَ الْإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ الایۃ﴾ [سورۃ الانعام: 143، 144]
Eight pairs; of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female). Say: “Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.” And of the camels two (male and female), and of oxen two (male and female). Say: “Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose?” [Surah al-An’aam]
Eight animals are mentioned – two from sheep, two from goats, two from cows, and two from camels.
Buffaloes are also included within the animals permissible for qurbani because it is a type of cow.
The minimum age of the animals:
(a) A goat, sheep, or ram is one full year,
(b) A cow, bull or buffalo is two years old, and
(c) A camel five years.
Animals with Defects
The following animals are not suitable for Qurbani:
1) An animal that is blind, one-eyed or has lost more than one-third of its eyesight. (Fatawa Hindiyyah)2) Animals that have lost more than a third of the ear. Similarly, animals which have no ears from birth. Animals with small ears are suitable. (Fatawa Hindiyyah)
3) Animals whose horn/s has been broken off from the root. However, an animal born without horns or if the horns are broken off but not from the root is suitable for Qurbani. (Fatawa Shaamiyah)
4) Animals which have one lame leg to the extent that it walks on three legs only and is unable to use the fourth leg. However if the animal can walk to the place of slaughter on the fourth leg with a limp it will be allowed. (Fatawa Shamiyah)
5) Animals so lean and thin that their bones have no marrow. (Fatawa Shamiyah)
6) If an animal gets injured whilst being slaughtered, e.g. it’s leg breaks, ear gets cut etc., the Qurbani will be valid. (Fatawa Shamiyah)
7) If an animal was bought in a healthy and perfect state and thereafter became unfit for Qurbani then,
a. If the owner is not wealthy (does not possess of nisaab) it will be permissible to offer this animal for Qurbani.
b. If the owner is wealthy (possesses the Nisaab), then it is compulsory for him to obtain another animal. (Fatawa Shamiyah)
The scholars of this Ummah all agree that buffaloes will have the same rulings as cows.
Question:Is it necessary for Udhiyyah (Qurbani) sheep to have tails (tailless)?
In general the animal of Udhiyyah (Qurbani) must have at least two thirds of the tail for the sacrifice to be valid. If more than one third of the tail is cut, then the sacrifice is not valid.
This does not apply to animals that have been docked (cut off or trimmed), rather it has been intentionally docked at an early stage of its life due to the intensive farming system.
Answer: It is not permissible to make qur’baani of such animals without tails.
*Sacrificing an animal for Qurbani is a great act of worship. We should exercise precaution in fulfilling our obligations in Shariah and strive for the highest standard
Question: I have treated the skin of the cattle and sheep I have slaughtered last year. They were about 75 skins. I decided to sell them all. Can I make a buck on them?
Answer: Yes you may sell it, BUT you have to give each cent of it to charity. It cannot go into your pocket.
Question:. Besides the obligatory thabah on the mutamatti’ out of shukr for the ni’mat of discharging Umrah and Haj, is the qurbaani of Eidul Adha also obligatory on him?
A. If the mutamatti’ has become a Shar’i muqeem then provided that he is considered wealthy in the Shariah the qurbaani of Eidul Adha is a separate obligation upon him. If, however, he is a musaafir in the Shariah—making qasr of Salaah—then it (qurbaani) is not obligatory on him.
Question: May I do my qurbani before Eid Salaat, since i live in a farm where there is no Jumu’ah salaat?
Answer: Yes it is permissible for the one who lives in a farm area wher there is no Jumu’ah to slaughter from the commencement of Fajr time.
Reference: Baheshti Zewar
Question: Besides the obligatory thabah on the mutamatti’ out of shukr for the ni’mat of discharging Umrah and Haj, is the qurbaani of Eidul Adha also obligatory on him?
Answer: If the mutamatti’ has become a Shar’i muqeem then provided that he is considered wealthy in the Shariah the qurbaani of Eidul Adha is a separate obligation upon him. If, however, he is a musaafir in the Shariah—making qasr of Salaah—then it (qurbaani) is not obligatory on him.
Question: What happens if 8 people shared one bull for Qurbani?
Answer: If 8 people share one bull, no one’s qurbani will be valid.
Reference: Baheshti Zewar
