What Is Prophetic Qurbani? Meaning, Significance, and How to Give

Prophetic Qurbani — sometimes called Udhiyah on behalf of the Prophet ﷺ — is a voluntary sacrifice given in the name of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on Eid al-Adha. It sits alongside your own Qurbani as an additional act of love and connection to the Prophet ﷺ. Here is what Islamic scholarship says about it and how it works in practice.

What Is Prophetic Qurbani?

Prophetic Qurbani is the practice of offering an additional Qurbani sacrifice on Eid al-Adha with the intention that its reward is dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Just as Muslims give Qurbani on behalf of deceased family members — parents, grandparents, or spouses — the Prophetic Qurbani extends that same act of offering to the Prophet ﷺ himself.

It is a voluntary act, not an obligation. It does not replace your own Qurbani, which remains a separate obligation (or confirmed Sunnah, depending on your school of thought). Rather, it is given as an additional sacrifice, as an expression of love for the Prophet ﷺ and a desire to share in his intercession.

What Is Its Basis in Islamic Scholarship?

The basis for Prophetic Qurbani comes from the Prophet ﷺ himself. It is reported that when the Prophet ﷺ performed the Qurbani sacrifice, he would include his entire ummah (community) in the intention. Abu Talhah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ sacrificed a ram and said: "O Allah, this is on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and the ummah of Muhammad." (Sahih Muslim, hadith 1967)

Scholars have used this narration as the basis for the permission to give Qurbani on behalf of others, including on behalf of the Prophet ﷺ. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah and other classical scholars noted that the Prophet ﷺ would sacrifice with the intention of including all Muslims — living and deceased — within his offering.

Is There Scholarly Disagreement?

There is a minority scholarly view — associated with some later Hanbali scholars — that giving Qurbani specifically on behalf of the Prophet ﷺ as a named individual is not established as a distinct practice, and that the Prophet ﷺ has already included the entire ummah in his sacrifice. According to this view, a donor need not give a separate Prophetic Qurbani because the Prophet ﷺ has already given on their behalf.

The majority position among contemporary scholars, including many Hanafi and Shafi'i authorities, is that giving a Qurbani with the intention of sending the reward to the Prophet ﷺ is permitted and praiseworthy — in the same way that performing other righteous deeds and dedicating their reward to the Prophet ﷺ is permitted. If you are uncertain, follow the guidance of your local scholar or the school of thought you follow.

Give a Prophetic Qurbani this Eid al-Adha. Honour the Prophet ﷺ — your additional sacrifice reaches a family in genuine need on the Feast of Sacrifice.

Is Prophetic Qurbani Obligatory?

No. Prophetic Qurbani is entirely voluntary. It carries no obligation and is not required alongside your own Qurbani. It is an additional act of worship — one driven by love for the Prophet ﷺ and a desire to honour his legacy during the Feast of Sacrifice.

How Is It Different From Your Own Qurbani?

Your own Qurbani is for yourself and your household. It is given with the intention of fulfilling the Sunnah (or obligation, in the Hanafi view) of Eid al-Adha — the sacrifice that commemorates Ibrahim's (AS) willingness to submit to Allah, and through which fresh meat is distributed to families in need.

Prophetic Qurbani is a separate sacrifice made specifically with the intention of dedicating its reward to the Prophet ﷺ. It does not count toward your own Qurbani obligation. The meat from a Prophetic Qurbani goes through the same distribution process as all other Qurbanis — to families living in poverty in the countries where Human Appeal operates.

Who Can Give a Prophetic Qurbani?

Any Muslim who is able to give a standard Qurbani may also choose to give a Prophetic Qurbani as an additional voluntary sacrifice. There is no special eligibility requirement beyond the general conditions that apply to Qurbani — being a Muslim, being an adult of sound mind, and possessing the means to give.

Many Muslims choose to give both their own Qurbani and a Prophetic Qurbani, particularly those who feel a strong connection to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ or who wish to honour him specifically during the days of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice.

How to Give Prophetic Qurbani Through Human Appeal

Human Appeal accepts Prophetic Qurbani donations as part of its Eid al-Adha programme. The sacrifice is carried out by trained staff after the Eid prayer, in accordance with halal requirements, in one of the 41 countries where Human Appeal operates. The fresh meat is distributed to families who may have no other source during Eid al-Adha.

In 2025, Human Appeal reached over 1.15 million beneficiaries through its Qurbani programme. A Prophetic Qurbani given through Human Appeal is part of that same distribution — a sacrifice in the name of the Prophet ﷺ that reaches a family celebrating Eid al-Adha as it should be.

Give your own Qurbani — and if you choose, give a Prophetic Qurbani too. Both reach families in need on Eid al-Adha.

Sources

Sahih Muslim: Hadith 1967 — narration of Abu Talhah (RA): the Prophet ﷺ sacrificed on behalf of Muhammad, the family of Muhammad, and the ummah of Muhammad.

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah: Zad al-Ma'ad — on giving sacrifice on behalf of the Prophet ﷺ and dedicating the reward of righteous deeds to others.

Imam al-Nawawi: al-Majmu' — on the permissibility of Qurbani on behalf of deceased individuals and the extension of intention to others.

By Human Appeal

California, USA