The Story of Ibrahim’s Sacrifice
The Quranic account (37:100-113): Ibrahim prayed for righteous offspring; Allah gave him Ishmael. When Ishmael was old enough to work alongside him, Ibrahim told him: “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.” Ishmael replied: “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.”
Ibrahim laid Ishmael down to sacrifice him. Allah called out: “O Ibrahim, you have fulfilled the vision.” And substituted a great sacrifice (fidya ‘azim) — a ram. Allah declared: “Thus do We reward the doers of good.”
The Quran does not name the son explicitly (using the word ghulam — young man). Islamic tradition — Sunni majority and Ismaili both — holds it was Ishmael (Isma’il). This is also the basis for the Ismaili connection: the Imamate line runs through Ishmael, not Isaac, in the Ismaili cosmological understanding.
Who Must Perform Qurbani
Hanafi school (the majority Bohra practice): Qurbani is wajib on every free Muslim of sound mind who has possessed the nisab (minimum wealth threshold — the same as for zakat) for the required time AND who is not a Hajji (Hajjis perform their sacrifice in Mina as part of Hajj).
Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali schools: Qurbani is Sunnah mu’akkada — strongly recommended Sunnah, not strictly obligatory.
Timing: From after the Eid al-Adha prayer on 10th Dhu al-Hijja until sunset of 13th Dhu al-Hijja (four days total). The Prophet: “Whoever slaughters before the prayer, let him slaughter again; whoever has not slaughtered, let him slaughter in the name of Allah.”
The Animals and the Shares
Valid animals: Sheep and goats (one animal per person), camels and cattle (one animal shared among seven people). The animal must be above minimum age and free of defects that would reduce its meat value (blind in one eye, lame, extremely thin, or missing an ear/tail are disqualifying).
The three shares: It is recommended (mustahabb) to divide the meat into three portions:
- For the family
- For gifts to friends and relatives
- For the poor and needy
At minimum, some portion must go to the poor — this is the Quranic point of “piety reaches Allah.”
The Ismaili Practice
In the Dawoodi Bohra tradition, Qurbani is an important communal event organized through the Jamaat structure. The Da’i al-Mutlaq’s guidance on Qurbani — timing, standards for animals, distribution — provides the practical framework. The sacrifice is understood not merely as a commemoration of Ibrahim but as a direct expression of qurb — nearness to Allah — through the willing surrender of valued possessions for His sake.
See also: Eid Al Adha, Ibrahim Alayhis Salam, Mina, Halal Slaughter, Zakat And Khums, Maqasid Al Shariah