by Hameed Ahmed Mohammed
Qurbani — the ritual slaughter performed during Eid al-Adha, commemorating the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son in submission to Allah — is one of the five most visible acts of Islamic worship. Yet it is frequently misunderstood even by practitioners, reduced to a legal obligation or a communal custom without attention to its inner meaning.
In this 1991 post to soc.religion.islam, Hameed Ahmed Mohammed of the University of Southwestern Louisiana draws directly on Surah al-Hajj (Chapter 22 of the Quran) to lay out the three objectives the sacrifice is meant to fulfill, the prophetic correction to pre-Islamic practice, and the full text of the supplications — in Arabic transliteration and English translation — to be recited at the moment of slaughter.
The emphasis throughout is on intention (niyyah) over form: the flesh and blood of the animal do not reach Allah. What reaches Him is the spirit of piety. The document belongs to the tradition of classical Islamic practical theology: clear, grounded in scripture, and directed at the formation of genuine understanding rather than mere compliance.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Spiritual Objectives of the Sacrifice
The Quran has referred to three objectives which must be borne in mind while offering a sacrifice:
1. Sacrificial Animals as Symbols of Allah's Worship
"And We have included the (sacrificial) camels among the signs of Allah for you." (22:36)
The sacrificial animals are the tangible signs and symbols which express the feelings of the one offering them in the way of Allah, thereby signifying that he intends to shed their blood in lieu of his own blood, and will be even prepared to lay down his own life in Allah's way as and when required.
2. An Expression of Gratitude
Offering of sacrifice is a practical expression of one's gratitude to Allah for His many blessings. The Quran says:
"Thus have We subjected these (animals) to you so that you may express your gratitude." (22:36)
3. A Declaration of Allah's Greatness
"Thus has Allah subjected the cattle to you so that you may extol His Greatness and Glory in accordance with His Guidance." (22:37)
The Spirit of Sacrifice
Before the advent of Islam, people used to bring and place the flesh of the slaughtered animals in front of the Ka'bah and would smear its walls with their blood. The Quran categorically stated that Allah does not stand in need of the flesh or blood of the slaughtered animal, but He sees the spirit, feeling and intent of the person offering the sacrifice. The offering means nothing but this — that whatever one possesses actually belongs to Allah. He does not merely slaughter the animal but indeed slaughters all his evil desires and intentions. A person who performs the sacrifice without this realisation performs a mere ritual, for it is devoid of the true spirit of the sacrifice:
"The flesh and the blood of the animals does not reach Allah, but what reaches Him is (the spirit of) your piety." (22:37)
The Procedure and Supplication
The sacrificial animal should be made to lie on the ground with its face towards the Qiblah, and should be slaughtered as far as possible by the person himself with a sharp knife; if he cannot do this himself, he should at least be present at the place. The following supplication should be made before slaughtering the animal:
Inni wajjahtu wajhiya lillazi fatar-as-samawati wal-arda 'ala millati Ibrahima hanif-an-wa ma ana min-al-mushrikin. Inna Salata wa nusuki wa mahyaya wamamati lillahi Rabbil-alamin. La sharika lahu wa bizalika umirtu wa ana minal-muslimin. Allahumma laka wa minka.
"I have turned my face sincerely towards the Being Who created the heavens and the earth, on the way of Abraham, and I am not from among the idolatrous people. My Salat and my rites of worship and my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the universe, Who has no partner with Him. This is what I have been enjoined and I am among those who surrender to Him. O Allah! This is for Thy sake, and granted by Thee."
Then he should slaughter it with Bismillahi-Allahu-Akbar, and after that he should pray:
Allahumma taqabbal minni kama taqabbalta min habibika Muhammed-in-wa khalilika Ibrahima — 'alaihima-as-salatu was-salam.
"O Allah! Accept this sacrifice from me as Thou didst accept the sacrifices offered by Thy favourite Muhammed and Thy friend Abraham (upon whom be peace and blessings)."
Note: If the sacrifice is being offered on behalf of somebody else, the names of those persons should be mentioned instead of minni (from me).
Colophon
Written by Hameed Ahmed Mohammed ([address removed]) of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and posted to soc.religion.islam on June 19, 1991. The post draws exclusively on Surah al-Hajj (Chapter 22) of the Quran for its scriptural grounding, and presents the full Arabic supplications (in Latin transliteration) alongside English translations — a practical guide to both the meaning and the method of Qurbani.
Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Original Message-ID: [email protected].
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