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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 (AS)
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, 11th and 12th of the
month 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 day
time.
Who is required to perform
Qurbani?...
Every adult Muslim, male or female, who
owns 613.35 grama 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 is
obligatory on the husband only and vice-versa. If both of
them have the prescribed quantum of wealth, both should
perform Qurbani separately
If the adult children live with their
parents. Qurbani is incumbent on each one of them
possessing the prescribed quantum. The Qurbani offered by
the 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 some
money in charity.
However, if somebody, out of his ignorance
or negligence, could not offer Qurbani on the three
prescribed days 10th, 11th 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.
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