How Islam honours animals

Islam sees the entire world and all its inhabitants from human beings to animals and plants as sacred, as God created everything.

Animals hold a special place in Islam. 

They are our earthly companions and we have been placed as caretakers to look after them. 

The Prophet (ﷺ) is said to have had a favourite cat called Muezza who famously sat on his lap during a sermon. 

He (ﷺ) deeply respected animals and taught his followers to do the same. 

Animals are mentioned throughout the Quran. There are more than 200 verses in the Quran dealing with animals and six chapters of the Quran are named after animals or insects, i.e. Surah Baqarah, the second chapter in the Quran, called ‘The Cattle’. 

Our faith is also explicit that animals must not be harmed or killed unjustly. In fact, the harm of animals warrants punishment in the afterlife. 

The same respect is required in the Qurbani sacrifice, which Islam prescribes clear guidelines around. 

How to slaughter a Qurbani animal in Islam?

There are certain requirements for the animal Qurbani slaughter, these include: 

- An intention

- It is preferable to make the throat of the animal face the Qibla; (Mustahab)

- Using a sharp knife to swiftly cut the windpipe, the gullet and the two jugular veins, being careful not to sever the entire head

- The animal must not have any defects that would make them unfit for human consumption. These include: being weak, blind, physically disabled, or those who are young, have broken horns or no teeth

- The animals must be transported to the slaughterhouse in a way which doesn’t disturb or cause the animal stress and must be slaughtered with principles of Islamic excellence, Ihsan. 

- All the meat must be hygienically handled and packaged before arriving to the beneficiaries

- The meat and offal should also be kept separate and refrigerated as soon as possible, where neede

Knowing how to slaughter the Qurbani animals is of utmost importance and we take it with great pride and care.

The age for the Qurbani animals

The age of the Qurbani animal is also told to us by the Prophet (ﷺ). 

Sheep and goats must be over 1 years old, cattle over 2 years old and camel over 5 years old.

What is the dua for slaughtering the Qurbani animal?

The dua for slaughtering the Qurbani animal is quite simple. 

بِسْمِ اللهِ واللهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُمَّ مِنْكَ ولَكَ اللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي

Bismillaahi wallaahu 'Akbar [Allaahumma minka wa laka] Allaahumma taqabbal minnee

With the Name of Allah, Allah is the Most Great! [O Allah, from You and to You.] 

O Allah, accept it from me.

When is Eid al-Adha?

Eid al-Adha, or the big Eid is expected to start on July 30th July 2020. 

When is Qurbani performed?

One of the requirements for Qurbani, is that it’s to be done after the Eid al-Adha prayers. Our seasoned experts who know how to slaughter the Qurbani animal, the age of the Qurbani animal, the dua and other requirements will then go and undertake this sacred ritual. 

Why Penny Appeal?

Knowing how to slaughter a Qurbani animal, having the experience to ensure the animals are calm, having the correct equipment, knowing the age of the Qurbani animal, the dua and the requirements, we ensure this is all done with the highest of standards. 

Penny Appeal is your trusted charity when it comes to Qurbani. For over 10 years we’ve delivered this service to millions of Muslims globally with the ethics of Islam in mind. In fact, last year we provided Qurbani meat to an amazing 6 million people!

Quite simply, we take this duty seriously because the Prophet (pbuh) took it seriously and your donations are under our trust. 

This year we will be working across Asia and Africa to feed those most vulnerable at Eid time to ensure they get to feel some joy, just as we do. 

A single Qurbani donation can provide protein-filled, nutritious food for up to 57 people.