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We explore the specific guidelines to follow to ensure Qurbani on behalf of the deceased is done correctly and sincerely.
Qurbani is a sacred act of sacrifice which takes place during Dhul Hijjah. Many people wonder how to give Qurbani on behalf of a loved one who has passed away.
Here, we explore the specific guidelines to follow to ensure Qurbani on behalf of the deceased is done correctly and sincerely.
Yes, it is permissible to give Qurbani on behalf of a loved one who has passed away.
Many Muslims choose to offer extra Qurbani shares during Dhul Hijjah for deceased parents or relatives.
However, there are some options:
Combined intention: It is recommended that when performing Qurbani for the deceased, you also intend it for yourself or your family – including both the living and those who have passed away.
Voluntary sacrifice: You may perform an additional Qurbani purely for a deceased loved one.
Fulfilling a will: If the deceased left a will (wasiyah) requesting that a Qurbani be performed on their behalf, this becomes a duty that should be fulfilled by those who are able to do so.
Giving Qurbani on behalf of the deceased is a voluntary and noble act that is considered a form of Sadaqah (charity) on their behalf.
Giving Qurbani for parents who have passed away is a deeply meaningful and spiritual act. This is a beautiful way to honour them and increase their reward in the Hereafter.
It can be combined with a Family Qurbani, as long as your intention to perform it on behalf of the deceased is also present.
A number of scholars say this voluntary act of sacrifice can be rewarded by Allah and benefit the deceased, especially when done with sincere intention.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him. [Hadith | Sahih Muslim]
Offering a voluntary sacrifice and making Du’a for your deceased parents is one of the righteous deeds that may benefit them in the next life insh’Allah.
Similarly, Qurbani can be performed for other family members who have passed away, including grandparents, siblings or children.
The conditions are the same; you can combine the intention with your own Family Qurbani, or perform an additional Qurbani solely for them if you wish.
Offering Qurbani on behalf of deceased family members is a way to extend mercy and blessings to them, praying that Allah accepts the sacrifice and grants them ease and forgiveness.
This Dhul Hijjah, give Qurbani with Islamic Relief Ireland and bring hope and joy to families in need across the world.
Honour your loved ones by performing this sacred act in their name, and earn ongoing rewards for yourself and them, insh’Allah.
Donate your Qurbani on behalf of yourself or a loved one who has passed away.
It is the policy of Islamic Relief that the selected beneficiaries of the Qurbani 2023 project are made eligible based on a scoring system, which ranks families according to need.
A thorough needs assessment will be conducted to objectively identify the weighting and priority of each of the above criteria. These are then applied when selecting beneficiaries to ensure we reach the most needy without bias or subjectivity in selection.
It is the policy of Islamic Relief to distribute only one Qurbani meat pack to each family regardless of family size.
This depends on the school of thought you follow. Please consult your local Imam/Sheikh for further information. According to the Hanafi school of thought it is obligatory for:
No, this is not necessary as long as you have made the intention that you are giving this Qurbani on behalf of a certain person.
Islamic Relief primarily distributes:
The volume of Qurbani is representative by the allocations committed for each country.
For donors, the following information can help you calculate your donation:
Islamic Relief has been performing Qurbani since 1986. As with our other projects, Islamic Relief’s work is constantly monitored and audited. Reports are also produced each year showing what activities have taken place in each country.
Islamic Relief primarily distributes: Fresh Qurbani – in most countries animals are purchased and slaughtered locally. Chilled Qurbani – in countries such as Jordan where fresh Qurbani is significantly more expensive, animals are slaughtered in Europe and shipped ready for distribution from the third day of Eid onwards. This enables us to offer a much more cost-effective alternative, without compromising on quality
No, as Islamic Relief is conducting hundreds of thousands of Qurbanis around the world, therefore this is practically not possible. It is also not necessary to pronounce the name of the person, even if you are making a Qurbani on behalf of someone else. Simply making the intention that you are giving this Qurbani on behalf of a certain person is sufficient.
The time for sacrifice ends when the sun sets on the fourth day. Therefore, you can make payments right up until the end of the third day after Eid (13th of Dhul-Hijjah) before Maghreb salah. Islamic Relief has already purchased the animals to be slaughtered.
It is advisable to give as early as possible. Islamic Relief implements our Qurbani over 4 days (10th to 13th Dhul Hijjah). We purchase the animals to be slaughtered in advance based on forecasted quotas. Hence if you give a Qurbani on any of these days, it will be carried out in time.
Admin charges are necessary in order to perform the Qurbani as they cover the cost of transportation, slaughtering, cutting, packing, distribution and hire of staff as well as organisational support costs.
Yes, all the various expenses such as the cost of the animal, slaughter, butchering, transportation, storage, selection of the beneficiaries, and distribution are included in the price.
Qurbanis are performed through Islamic Relief field offices who purchase and slaughter animals locally. If there are problems with livestock supply in a particular country (due to limited local supply, natural disaster etc.) then animals are sourced and slaughtered abroad, and then shipped to the affected countries. All animals are sacrificed according to Islamic guidelines.
Animals chosen in a country are dependent upon:
Islamic Relief performs Qurbani as part of our overall seasonal programme. Therefore, the people who benefit in Ramadan and from our general projects, Insha’Allah, would also benefit from Qurbani. This allows us to focus our efforts and help the same people to improve their lives, rather than providing small amounts of help occasionally but not achieving great successes.
We are not able to carry out Qurbani for specific orphans; the scale of the operation makes this exceptionally difficult. However, orphans are a high priority in our programmes; therefore they not only benefit from donors’ sponsorship, but also benefit from receiving other support in Ramadan and Qurbani.
It is recommended for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice, once the new moon of Dhul Hijjah appears (i.e. on the 1st of Dhul Hijjah), not to remove anything from his hair, nails or skin, until he has offered the sacrifice.
It would be better if people did not visit, as on the day our teams on the ground are extremely busy with slaughtering the animals, dividing them, packing the meat, transporting it to villages and distributing the Qurbani packages. Therefore, our teams will not have the capacity or time to host individuals. However, if you are at the locations where the Qurbani is being distributed then you are welcome to observe. To demonstrate our distributions to donors, we will share photographs of some of our distributions around the world on our website and social media channels.