Q. Best time to perform Qurbani is? Can it done after Fajr for those of us going to work? What if the eid is on the wrong day, than can we slaughter on the correct day, and at what time? Does the time still matter?

Q. Does rule of villager apply to people living in a city?

Q.  Would the scholars be sinful if the people did the sacrifice on the wrong day?

Q. Isn’t it all on the intention?

–questions asked by a local doctor,a student, and concerned person

A: The best time to perform one’s qurbani is after the salah and khutba of the Eid. The days of slaughter begin from the 10th of Dhul Hijah to the sunset of the 12th of Dhul Hijjah. The quicker one fulfills their obligation within this time frame, the more reward one would attain.

For those Muslims residing in non-Muslim countries where a single governing body does not exist in deciding as to the correct day of Eid, and it can be correctly ascertained that the day of Eid is indeed the ‘wrong day’ or the chosen ‘Eid day’ exists primarily to appease a given party, due to issues pertaining to nationalism, funding and other monetary issues, cultural alliances and allegiances to fellow humanity, then accepting such a decision would  not be within the strictest adherence of the Shari’a. Thus, such a slaughter would also be wrong. Persons insisting on such a slaughter would be doing so for mere personal enjoyment and leisure. Such a slaughter would not be in resemblance of the sacrifice done by Sayyidinah Ibrahim (alayhis salaam) and his beloved son (peace upon them all). To intentionally sacrifice an animal on the wrong day with the intent of it being a qurban would be a mockery of Shari’a. And to intentionally mock religion and its sacred practices is tantamount to kufr.

Early sacrifice, yes? No? Why?

According to Fatwa Hindiyya, the exception of doing one’s sacrifice early applies to a person traveling from a remote and rural area to attend the salah and khutba in a city upon which Eid is imperative. If a person is not from the ‘rural areas’ and does his sacrifice prior to the stipulated time, then the qurban would need to be re-done. (Fatwa Hindiyya) Should the city-dwellers insist on doing it early, Shari’a has given leeway in that one can do it on the 11th of Dhul Hijjah at one’s preferred (early) time. Doing it in the latter manner as a result of time constrains, employment concerns for people in non-Muslim countries, etc  would fulfill the sacrificial requirement and also remove doubt as to whether a person is doing the correct thing or not.

A city dweller can have a villager do the sacrifice for them; however, it would still be preferred that a villager does it for the city dweller after the city dweller completes his khutba and salah. However, if the villager sacrificed the animal at the time of subhus-sadeq on the first day of slaughter on behalf of the city dweller, such an action would also be permissible. (Fatwa Hindiya and Shamia)

Do we hold scholars responsible?

In non-Muslim countries, scholars and masses are to be held accountable for wrongful options selected. The religious scholars and the masses have critical religious and scientific data that they can both utilize in evaluating the accuracy of their decisions. The masses refuse to make the correct decisions as a result of their personal whims and fancies. The ‘Uluma are allowing the masses to continue with their ill-founded decisions so as to appease them.

Noting the above, in non-Muslim countries where a choice can be made by individuals, and individuals are not bound by any religious body in particular, the excuse that ‘I don’t know what is correct’ would not apply. We are living in a democracy that does give us Muslims the necessary tools to choose between right and wrong. Your level of imaan can help you make the correct decision. After all, it is your imaan, your money, your sacrifice. If we are neglectful of following His commands as He chooses, then we have absolutely no one to blame for our current affairs. After all, we only get out of the system what we put into the system. If we put into the system neglect and non-caring, then that is what is going to be our output as well.

Wishing all Muslims a super Eid, Insha-Allah, Ameen

Allah certainly knows best.