Qurbani rules for a family

Qurbani is a beloved act of worship, and is compulsory for every sane adult Muslim who has wealth in excess of his/her needs, according to the Hanafi madhab (school of thought). In other madhabs, qurbani is highly recommended.  However, there are many rules and conditions that must be adhered to for the slaughter of the animal to be counted as a qurbani. 

Qurbanis must be performed in a timely manner over 3-4 days from the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, depending on the madhab you follow. 

Animals for qurbani must be healthy and free from disease, and must be slaughtered according to certain conditions. There are also rules around how to distribute qurbani meat. Find out more about qurbani rules here. 

According to the Hanafi madhab, qurbani becomes compulsory when one reaches a mature age – meaning they have reached the age of puberty. 

This means that for families, parents who are eligible to offer qurbani should provide a share for their children (who are of mature age), as well as for themselves. 

For those who want to offer a sacrifice, it is recommended according to the majority of the scholars that once the new moon of Dhul Hijjah appears (i.e. on the 1st of Dhul Hijjah), you do not remove anything from your hair, nails or skin until you have offered the sacrifice.

According to the Hanafi school of thought, anyone obligated to donate qurbani in a household must donate a minimum of 1 qurbani each. One qurbani is equivalent to 1 sheep or goat, while a large animal such as a cow/buffalo/camel is enough qurbani for 7 people.