Qurbani for Gaza and Palestine: What to Know Before You Give
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A Qurbani for Gaza is only valid if the animal is actually slaughtered in the days of Eid (10 to 12 Dhul Hijjah) and the meat reaches people there. When crossings are closed or restricted, that can be very hard to do. Many donors ask the charity exactly how it will happen, or give their Qurbani where it can be done properly and send separate sadaqah to Gaza. Please note: Qurbani Charity works only in Bangladesh and does not deliver Qurbani in Gaza.
Many Muslims want their Qurbani to reach the people of Gaza and Palestine, and it’s easy to see why. Families there have faced long periods of hunger and displacement. But Qurbani is an act of worship with conditions, not only a food parcel.
We want to be clear from the start: we don’t operate in Gaza. We are writing this because donors often ask us about it, and we would rather give you an honest answer than a sales pitch.
What makes a Qurbani valid
When you give a Qurbani donation, you appoint the charity as your agent (wakil). It has to do exactly what you would have to do yourself:
- Right animal: a sheep, goat, cow, buffalo or camel of the minimum age, without clear blindness, illness, lameness or extreme thinness (Sunan Abu Dawud 2802).
- Right time: after the Eid prayer on 10 Dhul Hijjah and before sunset on the 12th (or the 13th in the Shafi’i school). An animal slaughtered outside these days is ordinary sadaqah, not Qurbani.
- Right method: alive at the cut, a sharp knife, Bismillahi Allahu Akbar.
- Your name: the animal is sacrificed on your behalf, with your intention.
The full detail is in the Qurbani rules.
Why a Qurbani for Gaza can be difficult
When the crossings into Gaza are closed or tightly restricted, getting live animals in, slaughtering them in the three days of Eid and handing out fresh meat can be close to impossible. Aid agencies have often reported trucks waiting for days or weeks. Some organisations respond by slaughtering elsewhere and sending canned or frozen meat later. That can be very good charity. But if the slaughter didn’t happen in the days of Eid on your behalf, it may not count as your Qurbani.
The situation changes from year to year, and some organisations do have teams and supply lines inside Gaza. So don’t assume one way or the other. Ask.
Questions to ask before you give a Qurbani for Palestine
- Where exactly will the animal be slaughtered, inside Gaza or elsewhere?
- Will it be slaughtered on 10 to 12 Dhul Hijjah, after the Eid prayer?
- Is the animal stunned?
- Is the meat handed out fresh, or canned or frozen for later?
- Will you get any confirmation that it was done?
A trustworthy charity will answer these plainly. If the answers aren’t clear, you can still give, but you may want to treat that gift as sadaqah and arrange your wajib Qurbani separately.
Ways to support Gaza and Palestine at Eid
- Sadaqah through organisations with verified access. Food aid, medical aid and cash help can often reach Gaza even when live animals can’t. See our guide to sadaqah donation.
- Dua. The Day of Arafah and the days of Dhul Hijjah are among the best times to make dua for the oppressed.
- A valid Qurbani elsewhere, plus sadaqah for Gaza. Many families make sure their own Qurbani is done properly where it can be, then give extra for Palestine.
Our approach
We chose to work in one country only so that we can supervise every animal ourselves. In rural Bangladesh we buy healthy animals of the right age, and our team slaughters them by hand after the local Eid prayer, with no stunning. The meat goes out fresh, mostly to Rohingya refugees in the camps around Cox’s Bazar. They are a Muslim community that has also been driven from its homes and lives largely on aid. You get photos and video of your animal.
This isn’t a substitute for helping Gaza. It’s one way to make sure your Qurbani itself is valid and feeds people who badly need it. A cow share is $170, a sheep $175 and a goat $200.
Quick questions
Does Qurbani Charity deliver Qurbani in Gaza? No. We only work in Bangladesh.
Is canned Qurbani meat valid? The canning doesn’t matter. What matters is that the animal was slaughtered on your behalf in the days of Eid. If it was, the Qurbani is valid even if the meat is given out later.
Can my Qurbani be given to non-Muslims? Most scholars allow Qurbani meat to be given to non-Muslims, especially neighbours and the poor.
Do I still owe Qurbani if I gave money to Gaza? If Qurbani is wajib for you (Hanafi) and your gift wasn’t an actual Qurbani, yes. See is Qurbani mandatory?
For more on what Qurbani is and why it matters, read what is Qurbani? If you would like to give with us, see how our Qurbani donation works.
Give your Qurbani with us
We buy healthy animals of the right age in rural Bangladesh and slaughter them by hand after the Eid prayer, with no stunning. The meat goes to Rohingya refugees and poor families, and you get photos and video of your animal.
Reserve from $170 How our Qurbani donation worksDates are estimates based on astronomical calculations and the Umm al-Qura calendar, and depend on the moon sighting. Hadith references include the collection and number so you can check them. Where a narration is graded weak, we say so. Scholars differ on some details, so ask a local scholar about your own situation.
