Qurbani Animals

  1. It is permissible to slaughter a goat, sheep, cow, bull, buffalo or camel, male or female for Qurbani. the minimum age of
  2. A goat, sheep, or ram, either male or female, is one full year
  3. A cow, bull or buffalo, either male or female, is two years old, and
  4. A camel, either male or female, is five years
  6. Animals that are younger than the prescribed age are not suitable for Qurbani. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)
  7. If a sheep is more than six months old but less than a year, and physically appears to be one year old it will suffice for Qurbani. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)
  8. A cow, bull, buffalo or camel will suffice for seven persons provided no one’s share is less than one seventh and the niyyat (intention) of all partners is to attain reward and not merely to obtain meat. (Fatawa Shaamiyyah)
  9. A goat, sheep or ram will suffice for the Qurbani of one person only. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)
  10. It is permissible and preferable to slaughter a castrated animal. (Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah)
  11. It is advisable to purchase the Qurbani animal a few days prior to slaughtering in order to build up some form of attachment with the animal by taking care of it. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)
  12. A Qurbani animal should be big and healthy and should not have any faults. If there is a small fault with the animal then the Qurbani will count but is Makrooh and if there is a big fault then the Qurbani will not count [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar. Alamgiri].
  13. If a bull has no horns from birth then it is allowed and if the horns have been broken upto the root then it is not allowed to use it for Qurbani and if they are a little broken then it is allowed [Alamgiri, etc.].

 

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. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)
  2. Animals that has more than lost a third of the ear. Similarly, animals which have no ears from birth. Animals with small ears are suitable. (Fataawa 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. (Fataawa Shaamiyyah)
  4. Animals which have one leg lame 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. (Fataawa Shamiyyah)
  5. Animals so lean and thin that their bones have no marrow. (Fataawa Shamiyyah)
  6. If an animal gets injured while slaughtering, e.g. breaks its leg, ear gets cut etc., the Qurbani will be valid. (Fataawa Shamiyyah)
  7. If an animal was bought in a healthy and perfect state and thereafter became unfit for Qurbani then,
  8. If the owner is not wealthy (possessor of nisaab) it will be permissible to offer this animal for Qurbani.
  9. If the owner is wealthy (possesses the Nisaab), then it is compulsory for him to obtain another animal. (Fataawa Shamiyyah)

Miscellaneous Issues

If there are various venues for Eid Salaah, slaughtering is permitted after any one venue has terminated with the Eid Salah (Fataawa Shamiyyah)

A man may purchase his wife’s animal from his wealth with her consent. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)

It is mustahab (preferable) for a person intending Qurbani not to cut/trim his hair and nails from the first of Zul Hijjah till after his animal slaughtered. (Ahsanul Fataawa)

Qurbani will be discharged if one appoints a proxy for this task and the proxy fulfils the task. The proxy may be an organisation or an individual. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)

If an animal purchsed for Qurbani gives birth before it’s slaughter,it is best to give the live new born in charity .Alternately, the new born animal should be slaughtered and the meat given in charity. (Fataawa Shamiyyah)

If the slaughtered animal aborts a live baby, the live baby will be in the same category as its mother ( ie. it will be treated as a Qurbani animal in terms of its meat, skin etc.) (Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah)

If a traveller returned home or a person acquired the required wealth on the 12th of Zul Hijjah before sunset, it will be Wajib upon him to perform Qurbani. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)