Q: 8 – Title: Can I substitute Qurbani with charity?

Question

I would like to ask, my husband and I have been doing Qurbani for many years now and this year we decided to contribute the money to an upcoming madrassah that my daughter goes to which only started in our area last year. There was never a madrassah in our area before and we thought that perhaps the money can be used for renovation, furniture, kitaabs etc.

I have had many comments from family members saying that I should have done Qurbani as there is more sawaab. I know that I have done the right thing but just wanted your opinion.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salamu ‘alaykumwa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh.

If Qurbani is wajib upon a person during the days of Qurbani, it cannot be substituted by any other act of worship such as charity. Just as Salah cannot be the substitute of fasting; they are two separate acts of worship.[1]

However, if the days of Qurbani have passed, and the Qurbani was not offered due to ignorance, negligence or for some other reason, then it becomes Wajib to give in Sadaqah the price of Qurbani animal.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Checked and Concurred by,
Abdul Azim bin AbdurRahman,

Ismail Desai.

[1] (وَمِنْهَا) أَنْلَايَقُومَغَيْرُهَامَقَامَهَاحَتَّىلَوْتَصَدَّقَبِعَيْنِالشَّاةِأَوْقِيمَتِهَافِيالْوَقْتِلَايَجْزِيهِعَنْالْأُضْحِيَّةَ؛لِأَنَّالْوُجُوبَتَعَلَّقَبِالْإِرَاقَةِوَالْأَصْلُأَنَّالْوُجُوبَإذَاتَعَلَّقَبِفِعْلٍمُعَيَّنٍأَنَّهُلَايَقُومُغَيْرُهُمَقَامَهُكَمَافِيالصَّلَاةِوَالصَّوْمِوَغَيْرِهِمَا

(بدائع الصنائع، ج6، ص291، دارالكتبالعلمية)

وَلَوْتُرِكَتْالتَّضْحِيَةُوَمَضَتْأَيَّامُهَاتَصَدَّقَبِهَا...

(رد المحتار، ج6، ص321، سعيد)

(فتاوىمحمودية، ج17، ص309، ادارةالفاروق)