Qurbani 2026 is fast approaching for Muslims all over the world, and it’s time to prepare for this sacred act of worship during the blessed celebration of Eid al-Adha. This act aims to strengthen faith and show devotion and obedience to Allah (SWT), while commemorating the great sacrifice of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS). Due to this, it’s seen as a very important act of worship for able Muslims to carry out correctly and according to the Islamic regulations. To help you carry out this vital worship correctly, House of Giving has provided this guide to answer common questions and understand the regulations to make the act valid.
Many wonder, “What is Qurbani?”, because it’s one of the most important acts of worship that isn’t as well-known. Qurbani is basically an animal sacrifice made to Allah (SWT) to show Him devotion, loyalty and obedience. It also remembers the Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) test that began the tradition of the animal sacrifice. Ibrahim (AS) was commanded to sacrifice his only son, Ismail (AS), to show his obedience and love for Allah (SWT). Even though this pained him, Ibrahim (AS) knew that Allah comes first, and so did Ismail (AS). They both showed unwavering loyalty and began the sacrifice, but just as Ibrahim (AS) was about to do the sacrifice, a white-horned ram appeared in Ismail’s place to be sacrificed instead. This was a reward from Allah (SWT) for their devotion and commitment to Him, sparing Ismail’s life.
Another common question when it comes to the sacrifice is, “Is Qurbani farz?” When an act is farz, it means that it’s an obligation for Muslims to do with direct evidence from the Quran and hadith. Whether or not this act of worship is compulsory depends on the school of thought you follow, as each has varying opinions.
In the Hanafi school, Qurbani is seen as wajib, which means that it’s an obligation for all able Muslims, but with no direct evidence in the Quran or hadith. However, it’s still a duty for Muslims to do to please Allah (SWT) and earn reward from Him. As for the other schools, Maliki, Hanbali and Shafi’i, the sacrifice is determined as Sunnah Mu’akadah. This means that it’s a highly encouraged act of worship to do because it’s a confirmed sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). So, whichever school you follow, Qurbani is highly encouraged and should be done by all able Muslims.
So, who needs to pay for Qurbani? There are specific regulations that outline when a Muslim should pay Qurbani, which are similar to the Zakat rules, with only a slight difference. This means that the main criteria believers must meet is possessing wealth beyond their basic needs. They must meet or exceed the Nisab threshold, which is 87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver or the equivalent in other assets, such as cash or savings. The difference between the rules for Zakat and Qurbani is that believers don’t need to have held this wealth for a full lunar year. Instead, Muslims must give Qurbani if they meet or exceed the threshold during Eid al-Adha. As well as this, Muslims must be adults, of sound mind and not travelling during Eid.
Online Qurbani is allowed, even though it’s not the traditional way to offer the sacrifice. This works by donating your Qurbani share to a charity to help those in desperate need through the meat from the sacrifice. Fulfilling the worship in this way is permissible as it helps Muslims in all parts of the world to accurately carry out the sacrifice when they cannot do it themselves. Since the ummah is spread out across various countries, it has become difficult for most to do the sacrifice due to strict slaughter regulations, so giving Qurbani online through charity, like House of Giving, allows these believers to meet their obligations while helping the poor.
Online Qurbani can be more beneficial than the traditional way because the meat isn’t split into three equal parts, with only one part reaching the hungry during Eid. Instead, all of the meat goes to those facing devastating hunger, poverty and crisis, giving them nutritious food to help them survive and spreading joy and hope throughout the celebrations.
At House of Giving, we take your Qurbani donations to help struggling families in the most troubled, poverty-stricken areas and crisis zones in the world. Our team handle the whole sacrifice process, from selecting the healthiest animals to the sacrifice and distribution of meat, in line with Islamic regulations, so that you don’t need to worry about accurately fulfilling this obligation. With your sacrifice, we help to save countless vulnerable lives and bring joy, comfort, dignity and hope for a better future during Eid.
When it comes to how much Qurbani is, there isn’t a specific cost. It’s all dependent on certain factors, including the type of animal and share you choose and the region in which the sacrifice is done and distributed in. The animals you can choose to donate to are sheep, goat, camel, cow and buffalo, and each one represents a different number of shares. The smaller animals, sheep and goats, are equivalent to one share of Qurbani (one person’s) so they cost more. As for the larger animals, camels, cows and buffalo, these represent 7 shares of Qurbani (7 people’s), which means that you only need to donate one share to fulfil your sacrifice, making it more affordable.
On top of this, you can choose the region you want to give to, helping those in need have a nutritious meal during Eid al-Adha. You can give to areas that have resources nearby to help those who cannot afford meat finally get to enjoy a proper meal, which is more affordable, or you can give to areas most in need where resources are scarce or where distributing is difficult. Choosing areas where the need is greatest is more expensive, but you get to reach people facing devastation, hardship and conflict with vital food that helps them survive.
Give your Qurbani with House of Giving to help struggling families living in poverty, conflict and devastation survive. We provide multiple options to make the sacrifice work for you and your budget, allowing you to select a share in an animal of your choice and in a region of your choice. You can even give Qurbani to where it’s most needed in the world to make an even bigger impact on many lives, ensuring that everyone can be a part of the joyous occasion of Eid al-Adha.
Through us, your sacrifice has the power to save and transform lives, securing a brighter future for those in need. Donate now.