Can a non-Muslim butcher slaughter my qurbani?
It depends on who the butcher is, but it's best to have a Muslim slaughter your qurbani. A butcher who is not Christian or Jewish can't make it valid, because the meat isn't halal at all. If the butcher is Christian or Jewish, scholars differ: most say it counts but is disliked, while the Maliki school says it doesn't count as qurbani.
Why it matters who holds the knife
Qurbani is an act of worship, not only a way of getting meat. The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed two rams with his own hand, saying "Bismillah" and "Allahu akbar" over them (Sahih al-Bukhari 5565). That's why scholars say the ideal is to slaughter it yourself, or have a practising Muslim do it on your behalf.
If the butcher is Christian or Jewish
The Quran allows Muslims to eat the food of the People of the Book, which scholars understand to include their properly slaughtered meat. See Can Muslims eat kosher food?
But qurbani is worship as well as food, so the schools differ:
- Hanafi, Shafi'i and Hanbali: a Christian or Jewish butcher's slaughter is valid as your qurbani, but it is disliked (makruh), because worship should be done by a Muslim.
- Maliki: the meat is halal, but it does not count as qurbani, so you would need to sacrifice again.
If the butcher is not from the People of the Book
If the person is an atheist, a Hindu, or simply not religious, the four schools agree that the meat isn't halal, so it can't be qurbani either. In a typical Western abattoir you often don't know the religion of the slaughterman, which is one reason to use a halal-certified slaughterhouse or a trusted charity. See Is supermarket meat halal?
A practical way to do it
Many converts in the UK, Europe and the USA don't slaughter themselves. That's fine: you can appoint a Muslim slaughterman at a halal abattoir, or pay a Muslim charity to do the qurbani for you here or abroad. You can still be the one who chooses the animal and makes the intention. See Can I pay for qurbani abroad instead of locally?
- The best is to slaughter your qurbani yourself or have a Muslim do it.
- A Christian or Jewish butcher: valid but disliked for most scholars, not valid for Malikis.
- Any other non-Muslim butcher: the meat isn't halal, so it isn't qurbani.
- A halal abattoir or a Muslim charity is the easiest safe option.
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