What is qurbani and do I have to do it?

What qurbani is

Qurbani remembers Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah, and the ram Allah sent in his place. Each year at Eid al-Adha, Muslims who can afford it sacrifice a sheep, goat, cow or camel, and share the meat with family, friends and people in need. The Prophet ﷺ himself "offered as sacrifices, two horned rams, black and white in color" and slaughtered them with his own hands (Sahih al-Bukhari 5565). See Do I have to go to Hajj if I can't afford it?

The point isn't the meat. It's gratitude, generosity and giving something you value for Allah's sake.

Is it obligatory?

• Hanafi: wajib (obligatory) for every sane, adult, resident Muslim who owns surplus wealth at or above the nisab (the zakat threshold), even if it hasn't been held for a full year.
• Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali: a sunnah mu'akkadah, a strongly emphasized Sunnah. Leaving it without reason is disliked, but not a sin.

The Hanafis point to the hadith "Whoever can afford it, but does not offer a sacrifice, let him not come near our prayer place" (Sunan Ibn Majah 3123), while the majority read it as strong encouragement. Either way, if money is tight, there's no blame on you. If you're unsure whether you meet the threshold, see How much money do I need before I have to pay zakat?

The basics

• When: after the Eid al-Adha prayer, until the end of the days of Eid. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever slaughters before the prayer has only provided meat for his family, not a sacrifice (Sahih al-Bukhari 5545).
• Which animal: a sheep or goat counts for one share. A cow or camel can be shared by seven people (Sahih Muslim 1318).
• Condition: healthy and of the minimum age, without clear defects such as blindness, lameness or serious illness.
• The meat: many scholars recommend dividing it into thirds: for your home, for friends and relatives, and for the poor.

How converts in the West usually do it

In most of Europe and the USA, you can't slaughter an animal at home. Most people either order through a local mosque or halal butcher who works with a licensed slaughterhouse, or pay a charity to do it abroad. See Should I give zakat locally or abroad?