Qurban - Important Considerations Before Sacrifice

Important Considerations Before Sacrifice

• The hair and milk of a living sacrificial animal may not be used before sacrifice
• The animal be treated humanely
• A spacious and clean enclosure be provided for the animal
• The animal must be given adequate feed
• The water to the animal be changed three times daily
• Live animals must be kept out of view of the slaughtering area
• The slaughter area has to be clean
• Dragging the animal is not allowed
• The knife for sacrifice has to be sharpened to the optimum, and the slaughter should be carried out quickly and effectively to minimise the suffering sustained by the animal. Sharpening is not allowed in front of the sacrificial animal. Muhammad saw a man who was sharpening his knife after laying down a sheep to be slaughtered. Muhammad rebuked him saying: Do you intend to make it die two deaths? Why did you not sharpen your knife before laying it down?
• The correct size knife has to be used to slaughter the animal swiftly
• It is preferable for those intending sacrifice not to cut hair of their bodies or clip their nails from the 1st of Zul Hijjah to after the sacrifice of their animal.