May 21, 2026

In this page:

1. What Does Qurbani/Udhiyah Mean?

2. What Is Qurbani/Udhiyah in Islam?

3. When Is Qurbani/Udhiyah Eid 2026?

4. The Rules of Qurbani/Udhiyah

5. Performing Qurbani/Udhiyah Outside Muslim

6. The Spirit of Qurbani/Udhiyah

7. Qurbani/Udhiyah and SAMS

7. FAQs About Qurbani/Udhiyah 2026

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Qurbani/Udhiyah 2026: Meaning, Rules & How Your Eid Giving Can Save a Life 

Every year, on the morning of Eid al-Adha, something extraordinary happens across the Muslim world. In backyards and farmyards, in slaughterhouses and open fields, in cities and villages from Karachi to Casablanca to Chicago — a knife is raised in the name of God, and an animal is sacrificed.

But this is not slaughter for its own sake. It is Qurbani/Udhiyah — an act of worship over 4,000 years old, rooted in the story of Ibrahim and Ismail, and carrying within it one of Islam’s most powerful teachings: that what you love, you must be willing to offer.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Qurbani/Udhiyah: its meaning, its rules, when Qurbani/Udhiyah Eid 2026 falls, and how Muslims around the world — including those who cannot perform the sacrifice themselves — can honour the spirit of generosity and sacrifice through charitable giving. 

SAMS does not perform Qurbani/Udhiyah sacrifices. However, during the blessed days of Dhul Hijjah, giving charity remains one of the most meaningful acts of worship. Through your donations to SAMS, you can still make a lasting impact by supporting hospitals, medical care, and lifesaving aid for vulnerable families and patients in need.

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1. Qurbani/Udhiyah Meaning: What Does Qurbani/Udhiyah Mean?

The word Qurbani/Udhiyah (قُرْبَانِي) derives from the Arabic root qurb — meaning nearness or closeness. It is cognate with the Hebrew korban, used in the Old Testament to denote an offering brought before God. At its core, the Qurbani/Udhiyah meaning is not about the act of killing an animal. It is about the act of drawing near to God through sacrifice.

The Quran is explicit on this: “It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God, but it is your piety that reaches Him.” (Quran 22:37). Qurbani/Udhiyah is, above all else, a test of the heart — of gratitude, surrender, and the willingness to give what you value for the sake of God and others.

In South Asian Muslim communities (particularly in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India), the practice is most commonly known as Qurbani/Udhiyah. In Arab communities it is called Udhiyah (أضحية). Both refer to the same obligatory act of sacrifice performed during Eid al-Adha.

2. What Is Qurbani/Udhiyah in Islam?

Qurbani/Udhiyah is the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal — a sheep, goat, cow, bull, buffalo, or camel — performed during the days of Eid al-Adha (10th–13th of Dhul Hijjah) as an act of worship. It commemorates the defining moment in the story of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him): his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail at God’s command, and God’s mercy in replacing Ismail with a ram.

Qurbani/Udhiyah is considered Wajib (obligatory) according to the Hanafi school of Islamic law — the school followed by the majority of Muslims in South Asia, Turkey, and Central Asia — for every adult Muslim of sound mind who possesses the nisab (the minimum threshold of wealth above basic needs). In the Shafi’i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools, it is considered a strong Sunnah — highly recommended but not strictly obligatory.

One sheep or goat constitutes a Qurbani/Udhiyah for one person or one household. One cow, bull, or camel can be shared between up to seven people — each person’s share counting as their individual Qurbani/Udhiyah.

3. When Is Qurbani/Udhiyah Eid 2026? Key Dates

Qurbani/Udhiyah Eid — Eid al-Adha — is expected to begin on the evening of Tuesday, May 26, 2026, with the first day falling on Wednesday, May 26, 2026. The Qurbani/Udhiyah sacrifice may be performed from after the Eid prayer on the first day through sunset of the third day (12th Dhul Hijjah) — a window of approximately three days.

Note: Exact dates subject to official moon sighting confirmation. Qurbani/Udhiyah must be completed before sunset on the 12th of Dhul Hijjah (28 May 2026).

4. The Rules of Qurbani/Udhiyah: Who, What & How

4.1 Who Is Required to Give Qurbani/Udhiyah?

Qurbani/Udhiyah is required of any Muslim who meets all three of the following conditions:

• · Adult (past the age of puberty)
• · Of sound mind
• · In possession of nisab — wealth above basic needs equivalent to approximately 85g of gold or 595g of silver in value (approximately $5,000–$6,000 USD at current rates, though this varies by scholarly opinion and exchange rates)

4.2 Which Animals Are Acceptable for Qurbani/Udhiyah?

4.3 How Must the Meat Be Distributed?

Islamic law prescribes a specific distribution of the Qurbani/Udhiyah meat:

• · One third for the family performing the Qurbani/Udhiyah
• · One third for friends, relatives, and neighbours
• · One third for the poor and those in need — this share is obligatory and cannot be omitted

This distribution is not merely a recommendation — it is the architecture of Qurbani/Udhiyah’s social purpose. The act of sacrifice is incomplete if those who have nothing do not eat. This is why Qurbani/Udhiyah, at its heart, is not a personal spiritual exercise. It is a communal obligation, built around solidarity with the hungry.

Give Your Donation Third Where It’s Needed Most — Syria

For millions of Syrians, Eid al-Adha arrives without food, without safety, and without medical care. SAMS physicians and nurses are on the ground — delivering emergency surgery, maternal care, and life-saving treatment to families who have lost everything to war.

Your Eid donation to SAMS helps vulnerable families receive lifesaving medical care during one of the most sacred times of the year.

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5. Performing Qurbani/Udhiyah Outside Muslim-Majority Countries

For millions of Muslims living in the West — the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and across Europe — performing Qurbani/Udhiyah locally can be logistically complex. Slaughterhouses must be halal-certified, local regulations must be followed, and costs are often significantly higher than in Muslim-majority countries.

The majority of Islamic scholars permit — and many encourage — donating Qurbani/Udhiyah abroad through a trusted Islamic charity, on the condition that:

• · The sacrifice is performed during the correct window (10th–12th Dhul Hijjah)
• · The animal meets the required conditions (age, health, species)
• · The meat is distributed to those in genuine need
• · The charity handling the Qurbani/Udhiyah is transparent and trustworthy

Donating Qurbani/Udhiyah to a charity that operates in a country like Syria — where poverty is severe, meat is unaffordable for most families, and the Eid meal is a luxury — is widely regarded as one of the most impactful forms of Qurbani/Udhiyah a Muslim in the West can perform. The sacrifice reaches those for whom the third portion was always intended.

While SAMS does not perform Qurbani/Udhiyah sacrifices, supporters may still choose to give charitable donations during Eid al-Adha to support lifesaving medical care.

6. The Spirit of Qurbani/Udhiyah: Beyond the Sacrifice

It is easy to focus on the mechanics of Qurbani/Udhiyah — the animal, the dates, the distribution rules — and miss what the act is actually about. The Quran’s statement is worth sitting with: “It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God.” What reaches God is taqwa — God-consciousness, piety, the orientation of the heart.

The story of Ibrahim is not really a story about a sacrifice. It is a story about what you do when God asks everything of you. Ibrahim did not haggle, delay, or look for an easier path. He trusted absolutely — and in that trust, demonstrated what a truly surrendered life looks like.

Every Qurbani/Udhiyah carries an echo of that story. What are you offering? What are you releasing? What are you willing to give for the sake of God and for the sake of others?

For many Muslims in comfortable circumstances — safe, housed, fed — the Qurbani/Udhiyah is an annual reminder that everything they have is on loan. That gratitude is not just felt; it is expressed. And the truest expression is not keeping the third portion for yourself. It is sending it to the one who has nothing.

7. Qurbani/Udhiyah and SAMS: Honouring the Spirit of Eid Through Compassion 

SAMS — the Syrian American Medical Society — was founded by physicians who watched Syria’s healthcare system collapse under the weight of war. Today, our teams operate in some of the most dangerous and underserved areas in the world, delivering care that saves lives every single day.

When you support SAMS during Eid al-Adha 2026, your gift funds:

• · Emergency trauma surgery for patients wounded by airstrikes and shelling
• · Safe deliveries for mothers giving birth in areas without functioning hospitals
• · Paediatric care and vaccination programmes for children in displacement camps
• · Mental health support for survivors of war, torture, and displacement
• · Training of local Syrian doctors and nurses who will continue serving their communities long after emergency aid ends

The families SAMS serves are not statistics. They are people — people who have survived things that should not happen to anyone, who are trying to rebuild lives in the middle of ruins. Your support reaches them not as meat, but as something they may need even more urgently: the doctor who arrives in time, the surgery that saves a limb, the midwife who ensures a mother and child survive.

8. Frequently Asked Questions About Qurbani/Udhiyah 2026

8.1 Can I give money instead of performing Qurbani/Udhiyah?

According to the majority of scholars, Qurbani/Udhiyah must be performed as a sacrifice — not replaced by an equivalent cash donation. However, many Muslims who are unable to perform Qurbani themselves (due to location, cost, or circumstances) donate to a charity that performs the Qurbani/Udhiyah on their behalf in a country where the need is greatest. This is widely accepted. A separate charitable donation to SAMS — given in the spirit of Qurbani/Udhiyah — carries its own reward as Sadaqah, independent of the Qurbani/Udhiyah obligation. SAMS does not conduct Qurbani/Udhiyah sacrifices, but supporters often choose to donate separately during Eid to support medical relief 

8.2 What is the difference between Qurbani/Udhiyah and Udhiyah?

They refer to the same act. Udhiyah (أضحية) is the classical Arabic term used in scholarly texts and Arab-speaking communities. Qurbani/Udhiyah is the term derived from Arabic but used predominantly in South Asian Muslim communities (Urdu, Bengali, Turkish). Both describe the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal during Eid al-Adha.

8.3 Is Qurbani/Udhiyah obligatory for children?

No. Qurbani/Udhiyah is only obligatory (in the Hanafi school) for adults who meet the nisab threshold. It is not required of children. However, many families choose to perform an additional Qurbani on behalf of each child in the household as a voluntary act of worship and blessing.

8.4 Can a Qurbani/Udhiyah be performed on behalf of a deceased person?

Yes. It is permissible and considered an act of sadaqah jariyah (ongoing charity) to perform Qurbani/Udhiyah on behalf of a deceased parent, relative, or anyone you wish. The reward is intended for the deceased, and many Muslims make this a regular practice in memory of loved ones who have passed.

8.5 When is the last day to give Qurbani/Udhiyah in 2026?

The window for Qurbani/Udhiyah is the 10th, 11th, and 12th of Dhul Hijjah. In 2026, this corresponds approximately to May 26, 27, and 28. The sacrifice must be completed before sunset on May 28, 2026. If donating through a charity to perform Qurbani/Udhiyah on your behalf, most organisations require donations before Eid morning — check deadlines with your chosen charity in advance.

8.6 Does Qurbani/Udhiyah count as Zakat?

No. Qurbani/Udhiyah and Zakat are entirely separate obligations. Zakat is the annual obligatory almsgiving (2.5% of qualifying wealth above nisab). Qurbani/Udhiyah is the specific sacrifice performed during Eid al-Adha. Both are distinct acts of worship with different conditions, purposes, and timings. Paying Zakat does not fulfil the Qurbani/Udhiyah obligation, and vice versa.

9. Qurbani/Udhiyah 2026: Make Your Sacrifice Count for Those Who Have Nothing

Ibrahim did not know what was on the other side of his obedience. He walked toward the hardest thing he had ever been asked to do, holding only his trust in God. And in that walk, he became a model not just for Muslims — but for all of humanity — of what it means to truly give.

Qurbani/Udhiyah Eid 2026 arrives on May 26. The window is three days. The opportunity is enormous.

Whether you perform your Qurbani/Udhiyah locally or choose to support families in need through charitable giving during Eid al-Adha, what matters is the orientation of the heart. The willingness to offer something real. The choice to see another person’s hunger, their pain, their need — and to answer it.

The Quran reminds us: it is not the meat that reaches God. It is the piety. The intention. The love. Let yours reach someone in Syria who has been waiting — perhaps without knowing it — for exactly the sacrifice you are able to make.

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