An Islamic Relief staf member hands a bag of qurbani meat to a beneficiary

Who is Qurbani compulsory on?

Is Qurbani fard?

Yes, Qurbani is fard (an obligation) according to the Hanafi madhab for every sane adult Muslim male/female who has wealth in excess of his/her needs, and who is not a traveller.

Normally, if you’re eligible to pay Zakat, then you’re also obliged in the Hanafi madhab to give Qurbani.

For other schools of thought (madhab), Qurbani is highly recommended. If you are unsure of whether it is compulsory for you to give Qurbani, please consult your local Imam.

For all Muslims, Qurbani is a highly rewarded and beloved act of worship to Allah, and can help provide joy to some of the world’s most vulnerable members.

And complete the Hajj and ‘umrah for Allah. But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice. And when you are secure, then whoever performs ‘umrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] – then a fast of three days during Hajj and of seven when you have returned [home].

Qur'an | 2:196

Who is Qurbani compulsory on?

The Hanafi school of thought states that giving Qurbani 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

This is equal to (or more than) the current level of Nisab (87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver).

You are allowed to offer more than one sacrifice. For example, you may wish to undertake one Qurbani in the UK with Islamic Relief and another abroad or you can donate a Prophet Qurbani.

Who is eligible for Qurbani?

Islamic Relief’s policy is that the selected rightsholders of the Qurbani project are made eligible based on a scoring system, which ranks families according to need.

The scoring system is based on the following objective criteria:

Families who live on less than the minimum income for that particular country.
Female-headed households.
Families with disabled and/or elderly persons.
Children under five years old.
Pregnant women.
Breastfeeding mothers.
Families with little or no access to the market.

A thorough needs assessment will be conducted to objectively identify the weighting and priority of each of the above criteria. These are then applied when selecting rightsholders to ensure we reach those most in need without bias or subjectivity in selection.

It is the policy of Islamic Relief to distribute only one Qurbani meat pack to each family regardless of family size.

Give Qurbani today

Qurbani is categorised as:

1 sheep or goat = 1 Qurbani
1 cow = 7 Qurbanis (1 Qurbani – 1/7th of the share)

By giving Qurbani, you can help vulnerable people in need, ensuring that they have a vital source of protein for the blessed days of Eid al-Adha.

Reap the rewards of the blessed days of Dhul Hijjah and give Qurbani today.

We ensure our content is reviewed and verified by qualified scholars to provide you with the most accurate information. This webpage was last reviewed by Sheikh Saalim Al-Azhari.

Page last reviewed: 30th May 2023

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