Most Frequently Asked Questions

• What makes a Qurbani valid?

  For your Qurbani to be religiously valid, the animal must meet a few conditions:

  • Species: it must be a sheep, goat, cow, or camel
  • Age: at least 1 year for sheep and goats, 2 years for cattle, 5 years for camels
  • Ownership: it must belong to you, purchased with halal earnings
  • No outstanding claims on the animal: it can't be pledged as collateral or owed to someone else
  • Health: it must be free from obvious defects — clear blindness, illness, lameness, or severe emaciation
  • Timing: the slaughter must take place between the Eid al-Adha prayer (10 Dhul Hijjah) and sunset on the final day of Tashreeq (13 Dhul Hijjah)

• How is the Qurbani meat divided and distributed?

  **Allah (SWT) has not set a fixed proportion for what the donor keeps and what is shared with families in need. The Quran simply says:

  "…So eat from them, and feed the distressed, the poor." (Al-Hajj 22:28) "…So eat from them, and feed the contented and the needy." (Al-Hajj 22:36)

  The basic principle is to eat from your Qurbani and to share it with families in need. It is recommended to divide the meat into three equal parts: one third for yourself, one third for family and friends, and one third for families facing hardship.

  If you keep two thirds for your household and give one third away, that is fine. If you give more than one third — or all of it — to those in need, that is also fine. The Qurbani is flexible by design; you can choose what works best for you and your family. **

• Is it permissible to give my Qurbani online?

  Yes. The majority of Islamic jurists and scholars agree that giving Qurbani online is religiously valid — as long as the donor can be confident the animal meets the Islamic requirements (species, age, health) before slaughter.

• What am I actually buying when I give Qurbani online?

  When you donate online, you are entering into a wikalah — an authorised agreement — between you and the organisation. You pay the value of one (or more) Qurbani shares, and the organisation acts on your behalf: sourcing the animal, performing the Qurbani during the days of Eid al-Adha, and delivering the meat to families in need — all in line with the Islamic conditions of a valid Qurbani.

• Does giving Qurbani online count as my Qurbani for the year?

  Yes. If you give the funds with the intention that a Qurbani be performed on your behalf — and the animal is slaughtered within the days of Qurbani and the meat reaches families in need — then this is a valid Qurbani. You receive its full reward, by Allah's permission. It is not a separate Sadaqah; it is the Qurbani itself.

• Do I have to slaughter the animal myself?

  No. Islamic law permits wikalah — authorising someone else to perform the Qurbani on your behalf. If you cannot carry out the slaughter yourself, you can appoint a trusted person, a charity, or another representative to do it for you. Giving Qurbani online with Human Appeal USA is one way of doing this.

• Who receives my Qurbani?

  Local imams and community leaders know their neighbourhoods. They identify the families who need it most - widows, orphan-headed households, elderly couples, persons with disabilities, and families without a steady income. Your Qurbani reaches them because someone in their community vouched for them.

• How does my Qurbani reach Gaza?

  We source, slaughter, and preserve your Qurbani, then deliver when access allows.