Abu Burdah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then said, ‘O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم !  I have but a six month old goat in my possession, but it is better than one a year old.’ The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ordered in reply, اِجْعَلْهَا مَكَانَهَا،وَلَنْ تَجْزِيَ عَنْ اَحَدٍ بَعْدَكَ - ‘Sacrifice it where it is. This is not allowed to be done by anyone after you.’^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers, for those who live in cities, they are bound to perform qurbani after offering Eid salah. In Bahar-i-Shari’at, a book of Hanafi jurisprudence, we find further explanation on this topic: ‘If qurbani is to be performed in a city, it must be done after (Eid) salah. Qurbani is not valid if done beforehand.’^[2]

Bahar-i-Shari’at also discusses the age an animal should be in order for qurbani to be valid. A camel must be at least five years old, and a goat one year. If they are aged less than this, they cannot be used for qurbani. If they are older, it is permissible and preferred. If a ram or sheep is six months old, but physically appears to be a year old, it is permissible to sacrifice.

In terms of the hadith we just discussed, Abu Burdah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ initially performed qurbani before Eid salah, which is why the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ordered for him to sacrifice another animal, as qurbani is to be done afterwards. The great Companion only had a six-month old goat left to do this with, and as you have just heard, a goat must be at least a year old.  In a display of the great authority granted to him by Allah, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم allowed him to sacrifice the six-month old goat for qurbani. He also went on to explain that nobody after Abu Burdah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ will be allowed to do this.

دوجہاں کے تاجدار، اَھلاًوّسَھلاً مرحبا

سرورِ با اِختیار اَھلاًوّسَھلاً مرحبا