Qurbani is obligatory on all adults of able mind and financial means, according to the Hanafi School. It is considered Sunnah mu’akkadah (confirmed prophetic practice) in all other schools of Islam.

‘There is no action of the children of Adam on the ‘Day of Nahr’ [10th of Dhul Hijjah], which is dearer to Allah, than the spilling of blood [offering Qurbani].” – (at-Tirmidhi)

Animals offered as Qurbani must be beasts of cattle: cows, oxen, buffalo, sheep, goats and camels. Only animals that have reached adulthood are acceptable for sacrifice, and this varies between species. Sheep reach maturity between 6 months to a year and for goats it’s also a year. For cows etc. this is at two years of age. For camels, it’s five years.

‘A lamb [sheep of six months] is equal to a one-year-old goat.’ (Abu Dawud)

HHUGS offers you the chance to sacrifice the best of British sheep for Qurbani, through Euro Quality Lambs. Unfortunately, we cannot facilitate the sacrifice of cows or shares.

Animals intended for Qurbani should not have health defects or physical flaws like blindness and lameness. Neither should they be emaciated to a degree that people wouldn’t normally prefer to buy them. The Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) was to offer the very best animals for sacrifice, knowing that there will be a reward for ‘every hair’ and ‘every fibre of its wool’ (based on the hadith narrated by Ibn Majah).

‘The finest Qurbani is that which is expensive in price, and very fat.’ (Ahmad)

Performing your Qurbani with HHUGS means offering the highest quality sheep, raised in the best conditions on British pastures, and slaughtered by Euro Quality Lambs according to HMC Halal regulations.

For Qurbani to be accepted, the person performing it must be Muslim. The slaughter must be carried out in the name of Allah, according to Islamic methods and with the intention of offering it as Qurbani.

‘On the day of Qiyamah, that animal will come forth with its horns, hair and hooves [to be weighed with a person’s good deeds]. And even before the blood of the sacrifice falls onto the ground, it will be accepted. So perform Qurbani with a content heart.’ (at-Tirmidhi)

Qurbani must be performed after the Eid prayer, on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. It can be carried out anytime between then and before sunset on the third day of Eid/the 12th of Dhul Hijjah.

‘Whoever slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, he just slaughtered it for himself. And whoever slaughtered it after the prayer, he slaughtered it at the right time, and followed the tradition of the Muslims.’ (Bukhari)

Scholars from all four schools in the Islamic tradition encourage performing Qurbani in one’s country of residence, and giving to those closest to home. According to the Hanafi School, transferring Qurbani from one country to another is makruh –detested, unless one is transferring it to one’s relatives or to people who are in greater need of it than the needy in one’s own country.

According to the Maliki, Hanbali and Shafi’i Schools, it is not permissible to transfer Qurbani beyond the distance at which shortening prayers becomes permissible, unless the people in that place are in greater need of it than the people in the place where the Qurbani should be offered.

‘If there are poor people in one’s own country, then it is better to give it to them so as to meet their needs…it is preferable to slaughter it in the country where you are.’ (Ibn Jibrin)