Reflections and commands regarding the rites of sacrifice.
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ﴿١﴾ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ﴿٢﴾
"Indeed, We have granted you Al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]."
— Surah Al-Kawthar (108), Verses 1–2 —
Reward: This is the most direct Quranic command for sacrifice. Allah directly commands: pray AND sacrifice. The two go together — one without the other is incomplete.
وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَافَّ...
"And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good. So mention the name of Allah upon them..."
— Surah Al-Hajj (22), Verse 36 —
Reward: Three commands in one verse: (1) Sacrifice with Allah's name, (2) Eat from the meat, (3) Feed the poor and those who ask. This is the complete template of Qurbani.
لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ...
"Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety (taqwa) from you."
— Surah Al-Hajj (22), Verse 37 —
Reward: Qurbani is not about the animal, it is about TAQWA (God-consciousness). Your sincerity, your intention, and your act of obedience are what ascend to Allah.
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿١٦٢﴾
"Say [O Muhammad]: Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds."
— Surah Al-An'am (6), Verse 162 —
Reward: The Arabic word 'nusuk' here refers to sacrifice. The Prophet (PBUH) declared his sacrifice belongs entirely to Allah. Every Muslim echoes this when offering Qurbani.
Narrated by: Abu Hurairah (RA)
"Whoever has the means [to offer a sacrifice] but does not do so, let him not come near our prayer place."
Sunan Ibn Majah (3123) | Musnad Ahmad.Warning: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) distanced those who skip Qurbani despite having the means from the very place of Eid prayer. If you can afford it, there is no valid Islamic excuse to leave it.
Narrated by: Zaid ibn Arqam (RA)
"The Companions asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, what are these sacrifices?' He said: 'The Sunnah of your father Ibrahim (AS).' They asked: 'What reward do we get from it?' He said: 'For every hair (of the animal), one good deed.' They asked: 'What about the wool?' He said: 'For every strand of wool, one good deed.'"
Sunan Ibn Majah (3127) | Musnad AhmadReward: A single Qurbani can earn more rewards than most acts performed in an entire year combined.
Narrated by: Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA)
"The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) ordered me to take charge of his sacrificial camels and to give away their meat, hides, and covering cloths in charity, and not to give anything from them to the butcher as wages. He said: 'We will pay the butcher from our own money.'"
Sahih Bukhari (1717) | Sahih Muslim (1317)There is a prophetic precedent for performing Qurbani on behalf of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his Ummah. Scholars unanimously agree: you may offer a separate Qurbani animal in the name of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) as an act of love and sadaqah (charity) and this is a noble, rewarded act.
Narrated by: Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA)
"Ali (RA) used to sacrifice two rams on Eid al-Adha, one on behalf of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and one on behalf of himself. When he was asked about this, he said: 'The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) commanded me to do so, and I will never abandon it.'"
Sunan Abu Dawud (2790) | Jami' al-Tirmidhi (1495)Reward: The noble companion Ali (RA) continued sacrificing on behalf of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) his whole life, even after the Prophet's passing. This confirms that Qurbani for deceased loved ones (parents, grandparents, relatives) is not only valid but is a deeply rewarding act of devotion.
Narrated by: Abdullah ibn Umar (RA)
"The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stayed in Madinah for ten years and offered the sacrifice every year."
Jami' al-Tirmidhi (1507)The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) never missed a single Qurbani in 10 years. If the Messenger of Allah never abandoned it, how can a believer who has the means justify leaving it?
Reflections and commands regarding the rites of sacrifice.
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ﴿١﴾ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ﴿٢﴾
"Indeed, We have granted you Al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]."
— Surah Al-Kawthar (108), Verses 1–2 —
Reward: This is the most direct Quranic command for sacrifice. Allah directly commands: pray AND sacrifice. The two go together — one without the other is incomplete.
وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَافَّ...
"And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good. So mention the name of Allah upon them..."
— Surah Al-Hajj (22), Verse 36 —
Reward: Three commands in one verse: (1) Sacrifice with Allah's name, (2) Eat from the meat, (3) Feed the poor and those who ask. This is the complete template of Qurbani.
لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ...
"Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety (taqwa) from you."
— Surah Al-Hajj (22), Verse 37 —
Reward: Qurbani is not about the animal, it is about TAQWA (God-consciousness). Your sincerity, your intention, and your act of obedience are what ascend to Allah.
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿١٦٢﴾
"Say [O Muhammad]: Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds."
— Surah Al-An'am (6), Verse 162 —
Reward: The Arabic word 'nusuk' here refers to sacrifice. The Prophet (PBUH) declared his sacrifice belongs entirely to Allah. Every Muslim echoes this when offering Qurbani.