Last updated: 2027
Short answer: no. Zakat and Qurbani are two separate obligations. You cannot pay for your Qurbani with Zakat money, and giving away Qurbani meat does not count towards your Zakat. All four Sunni schools of law agree on this. This guide explains why, and answers the questions that usually come with it — including whether Qurbani is still due once you already pay Zakat every year.
Why Zakat and Qurbani are separate
They are different acts of worship with different rules.
Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is a fixed portion — ordinarily 2.5% — of qualifying wealth that has been held for a lunar year, and it must be handed over, as a transfer of ownership, to people in the categories the Qur’an names:
“Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy…” (Qur’an 9:60)
The verse lists eight categories in all — chiefly the poor and the needy, then Zakat collectors, reconciling hearts, freeing captives, those in debt, the cause of Allah, and the stranded traveller — and closes by calling it “an obligation [imposed] by Allah”. Zakat has to reach one of those categories, as Zakat.
Qurbani (Udhiyah) is a sacrifice offered on the days of Eid ul Adha — the 10th to the 12th of Dhul Hijjah — following the command in the Qur’an:
“So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].” (Qur’an 108:2)
It is funded from your own surplus wealth, not from your Zakat.
Can Zakat money buy the Qurbani animal?
No. This is agreed across the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools. Zakat is the right of the poor and the other named recipients; it cannot be redirected to a different act of worship, even a virtuous one. If your Zakat is due, pay it to eligible people as Zakat, and buy your Qurbani separately from your own funds.
Can Qurbani meat count as Zakat?
No. Sharing the meat with poor families is part of Qurbani and carries great reward, but it does not discharge your Zakat. Zakat is a payment of wealth, transferred in ownership to an eligible recipient; distributing meat is a separate charity. Your Zakat still has to be calculated and paid on its own.
Is Qurbani still due if you pay Zakat every year?
Paying Zakat does not remove Qurbani. On its exact legal status, the schools differ, and it is worth stating the difference plainly:
- Hanafi school: Qurbani is wajib (obligatory) on every adult, sane, resident Muslim who owns wealth above the nisab — the same threshold used for Zakat — surplus to their needs, on the days of Eid. It is separate from, and additional to, Zakat.
- Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools: Qurbani is sunnah mu’akkadah — a strongly confirmed Sunnah — for anyone who can afford it. It is strongly encouraged and should not be left without reason, but omitting it is not treated as sinful in the way a missed obligation is.
Either way, Qurbani stands on its own alongside Zakat. If you follow a particular school or mosque, follow their guidance on which ruling applies to you. For how the sacrifice itself is carried out, see our guide on how to perform Qurbani the Sunnah way.
What you can do
- Give Zakat to a poor person who then does their own Qurbani. Once you have validly given your Zakat to an eligible recipient, they own it and may spend it as they wish — including on their own Qurbani. That is fine, because the Zakat was properly transferred; you did not spend your Zakat on your Qurbani.
- Missed the days of Eid (Hanafi). If Qurbani was obligatory on you and the three days passed without it, you give the price of the animal as sadaqah to people who are eligible to receive Zakat. This is compensation for the missed obligation — charity flowing towards the poor, not Zakat being used for Qurbani. Skipping Qurbani when it is due is one of the common mistakes that invalidate a Qurbani.
- Budget for both separately. Work out your Zakat on its own annual cycle, and set aside for Qurbani from your surplus wealth as Eid approaches.
Planning for 2027
Calculate your Zakat when your own Zakat year completes, and keep it entirely separate from your Qurbani. Set money aside for the Qurbani from your surplus wealth as Eid ul Adha 2027 approaches; the exact dates depend on the sighting of the moon for Dhul Hijjah, so confirm them with your local moon-sighting authority. For who must offer Qurbani and how it is carried out, see our complete guide to Qurbani in India for 2027, and to arrange it online, our guide on how to buy Qurbani online in India.
Conclusion
Zakat and Qurbani are two separate duties. Zakat money cannot pay for your Qurbani, and Qurbani meat does not count towards your Zakat. Whether your school treats Qurbani as obligatory or as a confirmed Sunnah, it is due in its own right — so plan for both, and give each its due.
Sources
- Qur’an 9:60 and 108:2, wording per the Sahih International translation (verified against corpus.quran.com).
- “Using the zakat money for Adha (sacrificial ram)” — IslamOnline fiqh service: Zakat cannot be used for Qurbani; all four schools require Zakat to be given to an eligible recipient.
- IslamQA (Hanafi) — “Is Qurbani Wajib if a person pays zakat each year?” and “Some Important Fiqh Concerning Udhiya/Qurbani”: in the Hanafi school Qurbani is wajib on those who meet the nisab, separate from Zakat.
- IslamQA (islamqa.info), citing the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas: for the majority, Qurbani is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah) for the one who is able.