How to Perform Qurbani

It is Mustahab (preferable) that the person to whom the Qurbani animal belongs slaughters it personally, provided he is able to slaughter (make Zabah) properly. If the owner is unable to slaughter, it is better to delegate the Zabah to another Muslim who is acquainted with the requirements of proper Islaamic Zabah.

The animal that is going to be sacrificed should be fed and given water. The knife that is going to be used should be sharpened beforehand, but not in front of the animal. The animal should be laid on it's left side with it's face pointing towards the Qibla and the person slaughtering the animal should put their right foot on the animal and quickly slaughter the animal using a sharp knife. Before slaughtering the animal, this Dua should be prayed; "Inni Wajjahto Waj'hiya Lillazi Fataras Samaawaat'e Wal'arda Hanifaw Wamaa Anaa Minal Mushrikeena, inna Salaati Wa Nusooki Wa Mah'Yaaya Wa Ma'maati Lillahi Rabbil Aalameen. Laa Shareeka Lahu Wa Bizaalika Umirtu Wa Anaa Minal Muslimeena Allahumma Laka Waminka Bismillahi Allahu Akbar" As soon as you finish praying the Dua, start cutting with the knife and say Bismillahi Allahu Akbar . If the Qurbani is from yourself then after slaughtering pray this Dua; "Allahumma Taqabbal Minni Kamaa Taqabbalta Min Khaleelika Ibraheema Alaihis Salaam Wa Habeebika Muhammadin Sallalaho Alaihi Wasallam" When slaughtering cut all four veins (in the throat) or at least three veins and so that the knife reaches the back of the throat and it should not be cut more than that as it would cause unnecessary pain for the animal. As soon as the animal goes cold then cut the feet and take off the skin. If you have slaughtered the animal on behalf of someone then at the point where you pray "Minni" pray "Min Falaa" (meaning their name). If the animal is bought jointly and there are more than one person involved in the partnership of the animal such as a cow, camel, buffalo etc. then all their names should be said in place of 'Falaa'. Those who are ignorant about the proper Islamic method that is carried out in the slaughtering of animals do not hesitate in criticising Muslims and in regarding this Islamic method of slaughter as primitive, barbaric and a cruelty to animals. The aim of presenting this article is to inform the public that the Islamic method of slaughtering an animal is most humane, painless and better than the current methods of mechanical and electrical stunning of animals that are normally done in abattoirs.( which is totally haram ) In order for large meat industries and commercial establishments to provide a much higher production, they all favour the method of mechanical and electrical stunning. They regard all other methods of slaughter as cruel and even manage to get the support of Animal Rights groups to oppose the Islamic method of slaughter. In the Islamic method of slaughtering an animal, the animal is slaughtered by a sharp object which is capable of making it bleed by severing blood vessels. The slaughtering is to be done by cutting the throat of the animal or by piercing the hollow of the throat, causing its death. The best way is to cut the windpipe, the gullet, and the two jugular veins. The wisdom of the Islamic rules of slaughtering is to take the animal's life in the quickest and least painful way; the requirements of using a sharp instrument and of cutting the throat relate to this end. No additional stunner is necessary. This method also allows for the most rapid and efficient bleeding of the animal. When the sharp knife enters the tissues of the neck, its cuts open four big blood vessels in the region. So much blood is lost so quickly that the animal becomes unconscious and feels no pain. When the animal convulses, one gets the impression that it is undergoing pain and suffering. However, this is not the case. In the Islamic manner of slaughtering, the spinal cord is not severed since the nervous connection between the brain and the body is maintained so that all the blood is squeezed out of the body. When convulsion takes place, the wringing actions of the muscles of the body on the blood vessels help to get rid of the maximum amount of blood from the meat tissue. In fact, the occurrence of convulsions confirms that the animal is unconscious. Thus, the animal also does not experience any pain. In view of the above considerations, attempts to discredit the Islamic method of slaughter are ill-conceived. Based on scientific evidence, it should not be too difficult for individuals and groups to give up their attempts to interfere with religious beliefs and religious laws in general. The Islamic method of slaughter has stood the test of time and of scientific enquiry and remains by far the best, the most efficient and the safest.