Which animals can be sacrificed?

The animals which are eligible should meet minimum requirements, such as the age of the animal for Qurbani and their condition, including:

Sheep/Goats

should be at least one year in age (this is equivalent to one person’s Qurbani)

Cows/Buffalo

should be at least two years in age (this is equivalent to seven people’s Qurbani)

Camels

should be of at least five years in age (enough for seven people’s Qurbani)

In addition, all animals must be healthy and free of disease, including the following conditions:

• They cannot be excessively thin or lean
• They must be able to walk themselves to the site of the slaughter
• They cannot be toothless, or missing over half their teeth
• They must not be blind or one-eyed
• They must not have a lame leg that is sufficiently weak that they are unable to walk on it

The slaughtering of a Qurbani animal

For the slaughter of an animal to be counted as Qurbani, it is essential that the slaughter is carried out humanely following Qurbani rules, including:

• A sharp knife must be used to carry out the Qurbani – dull knives may inflict unnecessary pain and suffering
• Knives must not be sharpened in front of the sacrificial animal
• No animal can be slaughtered in front of another animal
• When the sacrifice is being made, the words “Bismillahi Allahu Akbar” must be recited
• The animal cannot be skinned until the body is entirely cold