24/04/2026
*RULINGS RELATING TO QURBĀNĪ ACCORDING TO THE HANAFĪ MADHHAB*
*WHAT IS QURBĀNĪ?*
Qurbānī is the sacrifice made during the Days of Sacrifice (Ayyām-un-Nahr) from Fajr of 'Eid-ul-Adhā, 10th Dhul Hijjah until the sunset on 12th Dhul Hijjah. It is Mustahabb (recommended) to give Qurbānī on the first day.
*WHO MUST GIVE QURBĀNĪ?*
Qurbānī is Wājib (compulsory) upon every:
(1) sane,
(2) mature,
(3) Muslim,
(4) who is not a traveller,
(5) who owns wealth which reaches the Nisāb which is currently approximately £1167 in the UK,
(6) and who has reached the first Day of 'Eid-ul-Adhā.
A wife who fulfills the above conditions must pay for herself but children do not have to. If a man gives Qurbānī on behalf of his wife or his mature children then for it to count he must give it with their permission. Their Qurbānī will not be valid if he gives it without their permission.
*WHAT IS THE AGE OF RESPONSIBILITY?*
Girls and boys must give Qurbānī if they fulfill the above conditions and if they show signs of maturity. Every person aged 15 must give Qurbani if the above conditions are met regardless of showing signs of maturity or not because at 15 they are classed as mature Islāmically for commands and prohibitions of the Sharī'ah.
The age for maturity is calculated in Islāmic years. Bear in mind that Islāmic lunar years are approximately 10 days shorter than Christian solar years and this must be taken into account.
Hence if for example Zayd turned 15 on 10th July then Islamically he would have been 15 approximately 150 days before this on 10th February. This is a rough estimation. We should instead make make a note of our Islāmic birthday and work out our age in Islāmic years by this.
*WHAT MUST BE GIVEN FOR QURBANĪ?*
For Qurbānī it is Wājib (compulsory) to sacrifice one goat or sheep, or a seventh of a camel or cow. One goat or sheep counts for one person's obligation and one camel or cow counts for seven peoples' obligation.
*WHEN DOES ONE AVOID CLIPPING NAILS AND CUTTING HAIR?*
The Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said,
"Whoever intends doing Qurbānī should avoid clipping his nails or cutting his hair for the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah." [Sunan an-Nasā'ī 4362]
This is Mustahabb (recommended) and not Wājib (compulsory) for the one who will be giving Qurbānī so if someone does clip nails or cut hair there will not be any wrongdoing and the Qurbānī will still be valid. After the Qurbānī has been given one may clip nails and cut hair.
*WHO IS QURBĀNĪ MEAT GIVEN TO?*
It is Mustahabb (recommended) though not Wājib (compulsory) to split one's Qurbānī into three parts and give one third to the poor as Sadaqah (charity), one third to one's relatives and one third for oneself and to eat the meat oneself and give some to one's wife and children. If one has a lot of children and a large family then all the meat can be kept for oneself and if one wishes it can give all be given as Sadaqah (charity). It is better to keep one part of it for oneself.
*WHEN IS DHUL HIJJAH?*
12TH MONTH OF ISLĀMIC CALENDAR
Allāh تعالى knows best.
