Principles of Qurbani:
Importance:
We all know how important and auspicious is Qurbani in Islam. Rasoolullah (SAAW) said that when an animal is sacrificed no sooner than a drop of blood falls on the ground, the person offering Qurbani becomes free from his sins, calamity, and misfortune.
Qurbani is wajib (compulsory) on an individual who reaches the age of maturity, able to fulfill his or her essential requirements, and those who possess 425 & 285 gms of silver and 60 & 755 gms of gold or amount equal to its value.
Period of Qurbani: 10th ZilHajj, after offering the prayers of Eid Al Adha till 12th ZilHajj (Asar). However supreme time to offer the Qurbani is the 10th of ZillHajj.
Age of the Animal:
Camel: 5 years old
Cow: 2 years old
Goat / Lamb / Sheep: 1-year-old (male or female)
Note:
- If the age of the animal is less, then the Qurbani is impermissible. If the age exceeds the minimum age requirement, then the Qurbani is even better.
- If lamb/Goat is very healthy at the age of 6months and say by looking at it from distance feels it is 1 year old then Qurbani is permissible on this.
- An individual must offer at least 1 Goat/Sheep/Lamb for 1 Qurbani.
- A single cow, buffalo, bull, camel is sufficient for 7 members.
Healthy Animal:
It is important that the Qurbani Animal must be free of defects like it should not be blind or if it does not have ear since birth or as only one ear then its Qurbani is not permissible.
A sick or lame animal or an animal with its ear or tail cut more than 1/3rd or has lesser teeth or has cut teeth or dry teeth or has cut nose, then also the animal is not fit for the Qurbani.
It is preferable for a Muslim offering Qurbani slaughter on own, however, if for any reason he is not able to then the slaughtering can be carried out by other individual noting that he should be present at the time of Qurbani (if possible).
It is compulsory to cut the 3 structures of the animal ie. windpipe (Narghara), Alimentary canal (Mari), and Blood veins (Shal Regg).
