Short answer
To follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), who was ready to sacrifice his son for Allah and was given a ram in his place. The sacrifice, called qurbani or udhiyah, is an act of worship and gratitude, and its meat is shared with family and the poor. In the Hanafi school it is wajib on those who can afford it.
Qurbani is wajib on every adult, sane, resident Muslim who owns the nisab during the days of sacrifice, 10 to 12 Dhul Hijjah. It must be an eligible animal slaughtered with the name of Allah; giving its price in charity instead does not fulfil it while the days remain.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Qurbani is a stressed sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah), not wajib.
- Maliki
- A stressed sunnah for those who can afford it.
- Hanbali
- A stressed sunnah; leaving it while able is disliked.
Explanation
Qurbani (Urdu and Bengali, from the Arabic qurban, something that brings you near) and udhiyah (Arabic) both mean the animal slaughtered for Allah on the days of Eid al-Adha. The Quran tells the story of Ibrahim seeing in a dream that he was to sacrifice his son, the son's willing reply, and Allah ransoming him with a great sacrifice. Muslims sacrifice on these days in memory of that obedience. You can read the story in Abraham in Islam and the story of Ismail.
The point is not the meat or the blood. The Quran says plainly that neither reaches Allah: what reaches Him is your taqwa (God-consciousness). The sacrifice trains a believer to give up something valuable for Allah, to thank Him for the animals He made lawful, and to feed others on a day of celebration.
- Who: in the Hanafi school, each person with the nisab (see is qurbani wajib).
- What: a goat or sheep for one person, or a seventh share of a cow or camel (see which animals).
- When: after the Eid prayer on 10 Dhul Hijjah until sunset on the 12th.
- The meat: eat some, gift some and give some to the poor (see dividing the meat).
The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed two rams with his own hand, saying the name of Allah and the takbir. Sacrifice is also a rite of Hajj, but the Eid qurbani is done by Muslims everywhere, not only by pilgrims. Our qurbani guide has the full rules and a share calculator.
The evidence
Quran, Surah As-Saaffaat 37:107
وَفَدَيْنَٰهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍۢ ﴿١٠٧﴾
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,
Allah replaced Ibrahim's son with an animal, the origin of the Eid sacrifice.
Quran, Surah Al-Hajj 22:37
لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٣٧﴾
Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good.
The aim of the sacrifice is taqwa, not the animal itself.
Quran, Surah Al-Kawthar 108:2
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَٱنْحَرْ ﴿٢﴾
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
Prayer and sacrifice are joined as acts of worship for Allah alone.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5565
Sahih... ضحى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بكبشين أملحين أقرنين ذبحهما بيده وسمى وكبر ...
"The Prophet sacrificed two horned black-and-white rams. He slaughtered them with his own hand, said the name of Allah and said the takbir."
The Prophet ﷺ performed the Eid sacrifice himself.
Sahih al-Bukhari 968
Sahih... إن أول ما نبدأ به في يومنا هذا أن نصلي ثم نرجع فننحر ...
"The first thing we do on this day of ours is to pray, then we return and sacrifice."
The sacrifice is the main act of the day after the Eid prayer.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Udhiyah, opening section. Qurbani is wajib on the free, resident, well-off Muslim during the days of sacrifice.
- Bada'i al-Sana'i, Kitab al-Tadhiyah, on its ruling and conditions. Explains the evidence for wajib and the conditions of the obligation.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Adahi, on its ruling. The Hanbali and majority view that it is a stressed sunnah.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.