The Spirit of Qurbani (Udhiya):
“It is neither their flesh nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is your Taqwa that reaches Him…” (Surah Hajj)
Hazrat Ebrahim Alayhi Salaam had two alternatives: either to follow the cry of his heart or to submit to the call of his Creator. He chose to submit. Qurbani therefore is not a monetary Ibadah or a duty that is discharged in distant poor countries. Qurbani is a personal experience, an intimate and emotional encounter, an intimate occurrence made real by the oozing of blood.
Qurbani is about:
Love for Allah in contrast to love of the self obedience over rebellion.
Loyalty to Allah in preference to loyalty to the family.
Faith versus emotion.
Struggle as opposed to pleasure.
Where is this spirit of Qurbani in our idle and aimless nights and days? Who is able to place the knife on his heart in order to slaughter the beasts of rebellion, hatred, jealousy, pride, and greed etc.? Qurbani is an annual reaffirmation of our pledge to Allah, a pledge that:
“Verily my prayer, my sacrifices, my life and my death are surrendered to Allah; the Rabb of the worlds.”
Eid-ul-Adha reverberates with the cries of surrender, submission, and sacrifice. It is a grim reminder that life is about action, struggle, and endurance.
Virtue of Qurbani:
Qurbani is a practice directly instructed by Allah Ta’ala: “So turn in prayer towards your Lord and sacrifice (animals).” (108.2)
Rasulullah Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam too has extolled its virtue in many Hadith. There is nothing dearer to Allah Ta’ala during the days of Qurbani than sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgment with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart. (Tirmizi, Ibn Majah)
Zayd lbn Arqam Radiyallaahu anhu relates that the Companions Radiyallaahu Anhum queried, “O Rasulullah Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam, what is Qurbani?” He replied, “It is the Sunnah of your father Hazrat Ebrahim Alayhi Salaam.” They again asked, “What benefit do we derive from it?” He answered, “A reward for every hair (of the sacrificed animal).” “And (what reward is there for animals with) wool, O’ Rasulullah Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam?” they asked. “A reward”, he said,
“for every fibre of the wool. (Ibn Majah)
When a person slaughters a Qurbani animal, he is forgiven at the fall of the first drop of blood, and verily, the animal shall be brought forward on the Day of Judgment with its blood, meat, limbs, etc. and shall be increased in weight seventy times, and then placed on the scale of deeds. (Kanzul Ummal)
On whom is Qurbani Wajib (obligatory)?:
Qurbani is Wajib (obligatory) on every Muslim who is
of sound mind – mature (has reached the age of puberty),
Muqeem (i.e. he is not a Shari traveller)
Possesses the amount of 612, 36 grams of silver or wealth equivalent to that value which is in excess of one’s basic needs and debts on any of the three days of Qurbani. It is not necessary that this amount be in one’s possession for a complete lunar year. (Fatawa Hindiyyah)
Note:
Qurbani is not incumbent on a child or an insane person whether they own wealth equivalent to the amount above or not, nor is it Wajib upon their guardians to perform it on their behalf. (Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah)
Similarly, it is not Wajib on a musafir (one considered a traveller in Shariah). A Shar’i traveller is he who proceeds on a journey with an intention of travelling 77 kms. He will be treated as a traveller as soon as soon as he departs his town. However if he intends residing at any place for 15 days or more then he will cease to be a traveller there. (Fataawa Hindiyyah)
A person upon whom Qurbani is not necessary should not incur debts beyond one’s capacity to offer the Qurbani.
If Qurbani is not compulsory on a person, for example, a musaafir then it is virtous to do so if it is within the person’s means.
Dua of Qurbani:
It is more virtuous to slaughter the animal with one’s own hands. If one is unable to slaughter, it is advisable that one witnesses the sacrifice. It is not necessary to make the niyyah (intention) of Qurbani verbally, however it is necessary to say Bismillahi Allahu Akbar when slaughtering.
The Qurbani animal should be placed on it’s left side facing the Qiblah and the following dua should be recited before slaughtering the animal:
“Inni Wajjahto Wajhiya Lillazi Fatarassamawati Wal’arda Hanifaw Wamaa Anaa Minal Mushrikeen , Inni Salaati Wa Nusooki Wa Mah’yaaya Wa Ma’maati Lillahi Rabbil Aalameen . Laa Shareeka Lahu Wa Bizaalika Umirtu Wa Anaa Minal Muslimeen Allahumma Laka Wa Minka Bismillahi Allahu Akbar ““For me I have set my face firmly and truly towards Him Who created the heavens end the earth. And never shall I give partners to Allah. Verily my worship and my sacrifice. my living and my dying are for Allah. Lord of the worlds. O Allah this sacrifice is from you and is for you.”When slaughtering the animal recite:
“In the name of Allah . Allah is the Greatest.”Du’aa to be read after Zabiha (sacrifice):
“Allahumma Taqabbal Minni Kamaa Taqabbalta Min Khaleelika Ibraheema Alaihis Salaam Wa Habeebika Muhammadin Sallalaho Alaihi Wasallam”“O Allah accept from me this sacrifice like you have accepted from your beloved Muhammad and your friend Hazrat Ebrahim. Peace be upon them.”
The Takbeeraat of Tashreeq
It is Wajib (incumbent) for every adult muslim to recite the Takbeeraat of Tashreeq after every Fardh Salaat-performed with Jamaat or individually from the Fajr of the 9th of Zul-Hijjah to the Asr of the 13th of Zul Hijjah. The Takbeeraat should be recited once only. The words are as follows:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar laa ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar. Allahu Akbar walillaahil hamd.
Translation: “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no deity besides Allah and Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest and all praises belong to Him Alone.”
NB. Men should recite this Takbeer audibly whilst females should do so silently.
May Allah grant us ability to practice. Aameen.