Last updated: 2027
Qurbani is straightforward, but a few mistakes can make it invalid, or reduce its reward. This guide covers the common ones and how to avoid each — whether you carry out the sacrifice yourself or book it online in India.
1. Choosing an animal that does not qualify
In India the animals used for Qurbani are the goat, the sheep and the buffalo. A goat or sheep counts as one share; a buffalo can be shared by up to seven people. For the animal to be valid:
- Age: a goat or sheep at least one year old (a healthy, well-grown sheep of six months is also accepted by many scholars); a buffalo at least two years old.
- Health: not blind or one-eyed, not clearly lame, not obviously ill, not extremely thin and weak, and not missing a large part of the ear or tail. Minor blemishes do not disqualify it.
When you book online, check that the platform states the age, weight and condition of each animal so you can confirm it qualifies before you pay.
2. Sacrificing at the wrong time
Qurbani is valid only on the days of Eid ul Adha — the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, after the Eid prayer, through to sunset on the 12th. Sacrificing before the Eid prayer does not count as Qurbani, and neither does sacrificing after the 12th. If you book online, confirm the platform schedules the sacrifice within these days. The exact dates for 2027 depend on the sighting of the moon for Dhul Hijjah.
3. An incorrect slaughter
The sacrifice must follow the Islamic method: the name of Allah said over the animal (“Bismillah, Allahu Akbar”), a swift cut through the windpipe, the gullet and the two blood vessels of the neck, the blade sharp, and no unnecessary suffering caused to the animal. The spinal cord should not be severed and the animal should not be skinned until all movement has stopped. If you are performing it yourself, follow our step-by-step guide to the Sunnah method; if a platform does it for you, confirm the sacrifice is carried out under proper supervision.
4. Not making the intention
Qurbani is an act of worship, so the intention (niyyah) must be for Qurbani, made sincerely for the sake of Allah — not out of habit or social pressure. If you share a buffalo, every participant needs their own separate intention; a single share cannot be split between Qurbani and another purpose. When you appoint a platform to sacrifice on your behalf, your intention still stands behind it.
5. Distributing the meat wrongly
The sunnah is to divide the meat into three parts — one for your household, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor. Keeping all of it for yourself is disliked but does not invalidate the Qurbani. What is not allowed is selling the meat, the skin, or any part of the animal for profit; the hide may be given away or put to use, not sold. If you book online, the whole share normally goes to poor families rather than back to you.
6. Skipping Qurbani when it is due
On whether Qurbani is obligatory, the schools of law differ, and it is worth being clear about it rather than treating one view as universal:
- Hanafi school: Qurbani is wajib (obligatory) on every adult, sane, resident Muslim who owns wealth above the nisab — the same threshold as Zakat — surplus to their needs, on the days of Eid. Leaving it is sinful, and one who misses all the days owes the price of the animal as sadaqah to the poor.
- Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools: Qurbani is sunnah mu’akkadah — a strongly confirmed Sunnah — for anyone who can afford it. It should not be left without reason, but omitting it is not treated as sinful in the way a missed obligation is.
If you follow a particular school or mosque, follow their guidance on which applies to you. Either way, being able to afford Qurbani and not offering it, without a reason, is a mistake. If you already pay Zakat every year, note that Zakat and Qurbani are separate obligations — our guide on using Zakat money for Qurbani explains why one does not cover the other.
7. Offering it for someone without their wish
You may offer Qurbani for yourself, for your household, or on behalf of someone who has passed away. Offering it on behalf of another living adult should be done with their knowledge and wish — they may want to make their own intention and offer their own. If you are booking for family members, make sure it is genuinely on their behalf and that they know.
8. Not checking the platform (if booking online)
Appointing someone to carry out the sacrifice for you (wakalah) is valid, but the platform has to get the essentials right. Before you book, confirm that it:
- uses healthy animals that meet the age and condition rules;
- performs the sacrifice by the Islamic method, under supervision;
- carries it out within the valid days of Eid;
- sends you confirmation afterwards, and genuinely distributes the meat to people in need.
9. Neglecting the sunnahs of Qurbani
From the start of Dhul Hijjah, a person who intends to offer Qurbani refrains from cutting their hair and trimming their nails until the sacrifice is done, and it is good to make dua and, if possible, to be present at or oversee the sacrifice. Neglecting these does not invalidate the Qurbani — it only reduces the reward. Our guide on avoiding hair and nail trimming before Qurbani covers this in detail.
Booking online does not change the rules
An online Qurbani is the same act carried out on your behalf. The animal must still qualify, the sacrifice must still fall within the days of Eid, your intention still stands behind it, and the meat must still reach those entitled to it — the platform simply handles the steps for you. For how the online route works, see our guide on how to buy Qurbani online in India.
Conclusion
Most invalid Qurbanis come down to a handful of avoidable errors: the wrong animal, the wrong days, a rushed or incorrect slaughter, no clear intention, or the meat mishandled. Get those right — yourself or through a trustworthy platform — and your Qurbani in 2027 is sound.
Sources
- Legal status of Qurbani (point 6): Hanafi position (wajib on those who meet the nisab) — IslamQA (Hanafi). Majority position (sunnah mu’akkadah) — IslamQA, citing the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas.
- This guide quotes no Quran or Hadith text directly; the animal, timing, slaughter, intention and distribution rules stated here are standard, agreed points of Qurbani fiqh.