Qurbani by Proxy: Is It Permissible and What Are the Conditions? (2027)

Qurbani by proxy means authorising a person or organisation to perform your Qurbani on your behalf when you cannot do it yourself.

For many Muslims living in Austria, this is the most practical way of fulfilling the act of worship of Qurbani. But is it religiously valid, and what are the conditions?

What is Qurbani by proxy?

Proxy (wakalah) means authorising someone else to carry out a task on your behalf.

In Qurbani by proxy, you are the principal (muwakkil), and the person or organisation that buys and sacrifices the animal on your behalf is the proxy (wakil).

You are the owner of the Qurbani; the reward and the fulfilment of the act of worship belong to you. The proxy simply acts on your behalf.

Why is Qurbani by proxy preferred?

For Muslims living in Europe, the proxy is often not a convenience but a necessity:

• In Austria, slaughter is subject to animal welfare and hygiene rules; slaughter at home or in the garden is practically impossible.
• The places where slaughter is possible during Eid are limited; the days of Eid are usually working days.
• The meat reaching someone who is truly in need is far more meaningful in poor regions.

That is why many families living in Vienna, Linz, Graz or Vorarlberg have their Qurbani performed in regions of need through a Qurbani donation from Austria.

Is Qurbani by proxy permissible? The Diyanet's view

The High Council of Religious Affairs of the Diyanet (Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs) addresses this issue explicitly.

According to the Council, acts of worship fall into three groups: physical (prayer, fasting), both physical and financial (Hajj) and financial (Zakat, Qurbani).

Physical acts of worship such as prayer and fasting cannot be performed by proxy. Financial acts of worship, however, can be fulfilled by proxy even if the person is able to perform them personally.

Accordingly, a person may perform the Qurbani themselves or have it performed by proxy.

The Diyanet's booklet of frequently asked questions on Qurbani also states that there is no objection to the Qurbani being performed in another province of the country or abroad.

What are the conditions for Qurbani by proxy?

The High Council of Religious Affairs sets out the following principles for Qurbani-by-proxy organisations (in summary):

• A proxy must be obtained: the organisation must obtain a proxy from the owner of the Qurbani for buying and sacrificing the animal.
• The animal must meet the Qurbani requirements: the age and health requirements must be fully met.
• The intention must be worship: everyone sharing in a large animal must have the intention of worship.
• Slaughter on behalf of the principal: the person slaughtering must do so with the intention of Qurbani and on behalf of the Qurbani owner.
• The right time: the animals must be sacrificed within the days of Qurbani.
• Slaughter fee: the cost of slaughter must not be covered from the meat, skin or offal of the animal.
• Shareholders must be determined in advance: for a large animal, each shareholder must be registered for at least a one-seventh share; no partner can be added after the slaughter.

The Council also stresses that a Qurbani performed by proxy must not be turned into an “aid campaign” and that the meat must be distributed first and foremost to those in need.

Requirements for the Qurbani animal

According to the Diyanet, by the lunar calendar the animals must have reached the following age: sheep and goats 1, cattle and water buffalo 2 and camels 5 years.

A sheep that has completed six months and looks as well-developed as a one-year-old may also be sacrificed.

The animal must be healthy and have all its organs intact. Blind, severely lame or sick, or very thin animals are not valid for Qurbani.

How is the proxy given? How is the intention made?

No special formula is required for the proxy. What matters is that you clearly ask for the Qurbani to be performed on your behalf and with the intention of worship.

With an online donation, this happens when you provide the following information in the form:

• Type of Qurbani: Wajib (Eid), Nadhr, Aqiqah, Sadaqah, healing (Şifa) or Shukr Qurbani.
• Quantity: how many animals you want sacrificed.
• On whose behalf: the name of the person for whom the Qurbani is performed. For several animals you can enter a separate name for each.

It is enough to make the intention in your heart: “For the sake of Allah, I give proxy for my Wajib Qurbani to be performed on my behalf.”

If you are donating on behalf of someone else (for example your spouse), it is appropriate for that person to know about it and give their consent.

Time difference: when is the Qurbani considered performed?

According to the Diyanet, in places where the Eid prayer is held, the time for sacrifice begins after the Eid prayer.

According to the Hanafi school it lasts until sunset on day 3 of Eid, and according to the Shafi'i school until sunset on day 4. Slaughter may also take place at night within this period.

When Qurbani is performed abroad by proxy, according to the view adopted in Hanafi legal sources, the timing is based on the place where the animal is sacrificed.

For example, if you live in Innsbruck and have your Qurbani performed in Afghanistan, the slaughter must take place after the Eid prayer in Afghanistan.

Since Afghanistan is ahead of Austria in time, the slaughter there may already have taken place before you go to the Eid prayer in Austria.

If you have any doubts about this, we recommend consulting an imam at your local mosque.

Eid al-Adha 2027 calendar

Slaughter with video: how do I know my Qurbani was performed?

This is the most frequently asked question about proxy: “Was my Qurbani really performed?”

At Austria Yetim Eli, the slaughter video is sent to the phone number you give in the donation form:

• Qurbani in Türkiye: the video is sent via WhatsApp.
• Africa, Yemen, Afghanistan, Asia, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine: the video is sent via SMS.

You will also receive a thank-you email after donating and, once the payment is confirmed, an email with your donation receipt.

According to the Diyanet, it is not compulsory to mention each shareholder's name individually during the slaughter; however, it is recommended in order to avoid any doubt.

What happens to the meat of a Qurbani performed by proxy?

It is Sunnah to divide the Qurbani meat into three: one part for the poor, one for relatives and neighbours, and one to be eaten at home (Abu Dawud, Dahaya, 10).

With a Qurbani performed abroad by proxy, the meat is distributed with your consent to those in need in the region where it is sacrificed.

The Diyanet states that organisations performing Qurbani by proxy must distribute the meat to those in need before offering it for sale.

With a Qurbani donation for Palestine, the meat is delivered canned or frozen due to conditions in the region.

Example scenario: proxy for two people from Salzburg

Example scenario: A married couple living in Salzburg, for both of whom Qurbani is wajib.

• Region: Yemen, small animal €150
• Quantity: 2 — in the form, “all for the same person?” → no
• Qurbani 1: spouse's name · Qurbani 2: own name
• Total: 2 × €150 = €300, one payment by card or EPS

During Eid the two animals are sacrificed separately, each on behalf of its owner; the videos are sent via SMS.

If you are not sure who is obliged to perform Qurbani, see our article Who is Qurbani wajib for.

Sharing a large animal in Qurbani by proxy: what to look out for

A large animal can be sacrificed jointly by up to seven people. For shared Qurbani by proxy, the Diyanet highlights the following points:

• Shareholders must be determined before the slaughter; no partner can be added to the animal after the slaughter.
• Without determining the shareholders, it is not permissible to slaughter the animals collectively.
• After the slaughter, the meat must be divided into equal parts for the shareholders.
• Different intentions (Wajib, Nadhr, Aqiqah) can be combined in the same animal; but joining with the intention of just getting meat invalidates the Qurbani of all partners according to the Hanafi school.

For large animal options, see the Africa large animal Qurbani page.

What to consider when giving a proxy

• Get to know the organisation: prefer organisations that clearly state who they are, where they were founded and how to reach them. See choosing a trustworthy charity.
• Complete type and name: Wajib or Nadhr, on whose behalf – state it clearly in the form.
• Donate early: do not leave your Wajib Qurbani until the last day; time is needed to source the animals and prepare the list of names.
• Money ≠ Qurbani: giving the Qurbani money as Sadaqah does not fulfil the Wajib Qurbani.

For information about Austria Yetim Eli, take a look at our Who we are page.

Proxy for Qurbani other than Wajib

Proxy is not only for the Eid Qurbani. Nadhr, Aqiqah, Shukr, healing and Sadaqah Qurbani can also be performed by proxy.

These Qurbani are not tied to Eid and can be donated all year round. Since all the meat of a Nadhr Qurbani must be given to the poor, performing it by proxy in regions of need is particularly suitable.

We compare the rulings of the different types in our article Aqiqah, Nadhr and Shukr Qurbani.

Sources: High Council of Religious Affairs — Qurbani Slaughter by Proxy · High Council of Religious Affairs — Principles for Qurbani-by-Proxy Organisations · Diyanet — Qurbani Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)