Qurbani in UAE

Qurbani in UAE

The UAE's local Muslim community traditionally prefers to sacrifice camel on Eid-ul-Adha, though this option is limited. With around 84% of the UAE's population originating from India, Pakistan, and other countries in the region, buying a goat locally during Eid can cost up to 2,000 Dirham due to increased transport costs. Animals must be purchased from a UAE livestock market and sacrificed there, since sacrifice at home or in other locations is prohibited in the UAE.

The UAE is among the wealthiest countries in the world, and its poor population is very limited - so distributing Qurbani meat locally to those in need is not always practical. After the sacrifice, donors can either take the meat themselves or have it given to a charitable trust in the UAE.

Livestock traders in the Dubai market import goats from India by air cargo, which costs significantly more than sea cargo, plus customs duties - which is part of why a Qurbani goat in the UAE can cost Dh2,000 and above. Prices also scale with weight, from roughly Dh600 for a small (15kg) goat up to Dh3,500 for an 80kg goat.

This cost gap is one reason more people are turning to online Qurbani platforms, which perform the sacrifice according to Islamic guidelines - often at a much lower cost - and in many cases provide video documentation so donors abroad can see their Qurbani was completed as intended. The purpose of Qurbani remains ibadah (worship), whether performed locally or through a trusted online platform.