—Habib Nooh
Udhiyah:
Ud’hiyah (also called Qurbani) is the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal—such as a sheep, goat, cow, or camel—performed by Muslims during the days of Eid al-Adha, in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) willingness to sacrifice his son for the sake of Allah.
- Evidence from the Qur’an–
▫️Surah Al-Kawthar (108:2):
Allah says,
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَٱنْحَرْ
“So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].”
This verse is a direct command, understood by scholars to refer to the Eid prayer followed by the act of sacrifice.
▫️Surah As-Saffat (37:107):
Allah says,
وَفَدَيْنَـٰهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
“And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.”
This refers to how Allah replaced Isma’il (AS) with a ram, making sacrifice a symbolic and spiritual act for Muslims to follow.
▫️Surah Al-Hajj (22:37) –
Allah says,
لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا
وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ مِنكُمۡۚ
“It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but what reaches Him is your taqwa (piety, God-consciousness).”
This verse emphasises that the physical act of slaughtering an animal is not what matters most to Allah. Rather, it is the sincerity, obedience, and taqwa in the heart of the believer that gives the sacrifice its true value.
It teaches us that all acts of worship, including Udhiyah, must be done with the right intention and humility, not just ritualistically.
This verse also reminds Muslims that sacrifice is symbolic—it reflects our willingness to give up what we love for the sake of Allah, just as Prophet Ibrahim (AS) did.
- Evidence from the Sunnah—
▫️Hadith on the Timing of Udhiyah:
The Prophet (SAW) said:
مَنْ ضَحَّى قَبْلَ الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّمَا ذَبَحَ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ ذَبَحَ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ فَقَدْ تَمَّ نُسُكُهُ وَأَصَابَ سُنَّةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ” .
“Whoever offers the sacrifice before the prayer, it is just meat for his family, and it is not a sacrifice. But whoever offers it after the prayer, he has completed the ritual and followed the way of the Muslims.”
—(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5545; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1961)
This hadith clearly shows that the Udhiyah must be done after the Eid prayer, not before. And Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
Therefore offering Udhiyah before the prayer invalidates the sacrifice from a religious point of view—though the meat is still halal to eat, it doesn’t count as fulfilling the act of worship.
The Prophet (SAW) emphasised that timing is part of following the Sunnah and the unity of the Muslim community.
▫️Hadith on the Obligation for the One Who Can Afford Udhiyah:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ
صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ “ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ سَعَةٌ وَلَمْ يُضَحِّ فَلاَ يَقْرَبَنَّ مُصَلاَّنَا ” .
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Whoever can afford it, but does not offer a sacrifice, let him not come near our prayer place.”
—(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 3123; graded Hasan by scholars)
This hadith strongly warns against neglecting Udhiyah for those who are financially able.
It shows that the Prophet (SAW) viewed it as an important act of worship and community identity during Eid al-Adha.
Some scholars, especially from the Hanafi school, use this and other narrations to consider Udhiyah as wajib (obligatory) for those who can afford it.
However, scholars from other schools, like Shafi‘i and Maliki, consider it Sunnah mu’akkadah (a highly emphasized Sunnah) — not obligatory, but strongly recommended.
▫️The Prophet (SWS) was very dedicated to sacrifice:
عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ ضَحَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَبْشَيْنِ أَمْلَحَيْنِ أَقْرَنَيْنِ، ذَبَحَهُمَا بِيَدِهِ، وَسَمَّى وَكَبَّرَ وَوَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ عَلَى صِفَاحِهِمَا.
It was narrated by Anas bin Malik (RAD) that:
“The Messenger of Allah (SWS) offered as sacrifices two rams with big horns, black and white in color. He slaughtered them with his own hands, mentioned the Name of Allah, said Takbir, and placed his foot on their sides.”
—(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5558; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1966)
This hadith shows the Prophet’s (SWS) direct involvement in the sacrifice—not leaving it to others—highlighting the importance, humility, and spiritual significance of the act. His care in mentioning Allah’s Name and saying the Takbir also teaches us the proper etiquette and spirit of Udhiyah. Therefore sacrifice held a special place in the life of the Prophet (SWS), and he carried it out with heartfelt dedication.”
- Conditions and Rulings (Briefly)
▫️The sacrifice is waajib (obligatory) on every financially able adult Muslim according to some schools (like Hanafi).
▫️The animal must be healthy and meet minimum age requirements.
▫️The time of Qurbani begins after Eid Salah on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah and ends at the setting of the sun on the 12th of Dhul Hijjah.
However,Qurbani has many rules and principles, so we need to know these conditions before engaging in Qurbani.
According to the Quran and Hadith it’s essential that one should know things before saying or acting upon it. This is why Imam Bukhari (R) has included a chapter in the knowledge section of his book that knowledge must be acquired (obtained) before saying or doing good deeds.
Conclusion:
Udhiyah is not just a ritual; it’s an expression of submission to Allah and a symbol of compassion and generosity. It teaches us sacrifice, devotion, and care for the less fortunate.
