Qurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha and the second of the two main festivals in Islam, will begin on May 27.
During the holiday, Muslims sacrifice animals as a form of prayer, remembering Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to.
Here are some rules to keep in mind when picking the sacrificial animal: Only sheep, goats, cattle, water buffalo, and camels can be sacrificed; it is not permissible to sacrifice other animals.
Based on the lunar calendar, sacrificial animals must meet the following age requirements: camels must be at least 5 years old, cattle and water buffalo must be at least 2 years old, while sheep and goats must be at least 1 year old. Animals that do not meet these age requirements cannot be sacrificed.
However, there is an exception for sheep: one that has completed 6 months may be sacrificed if it is as large as a 1-year-old animal.
A sheep or goat may be sacrificed on behalf of only one person. A camel, cattle, or water buffalo may be jointly sacrificed by up to seven people. In such cases, each person’s share must not be less than one-seventh.
The animal must be healthy and must have all its body parts intact. Defects that significantly reduce the animal’s value or prevent it from fulfilling its intended purpose disqualify it from being used as a sacrifice.
Animals that are clearly sick, too weak or lame to walk, blind in one or both eyes, have one or both horns broken from the root, have half or more of their ears or udders cut off, or have lost most or all of their teeth cannot be sacrificed.
However, naturally hornless animals that have had their horns partially broken, have torn or pierced ears, or have mild lameness are still acceptable for sacrifice.
Castrated animals may also be sacrificed if they were castrated for their meat or service.
