On whom is Qurbaani Waajib?

Question: On whom is Qurbaani Waajib?

Answer: Qurbaani is Waajib on a Muslim who is mature, sane and who has the means to do it and is not on a journey.

Question: What does it mean to have the means?

Answer: In regards to Qurbaani, a person who has the means is the one who has 200 Dirham in his possession in addition to his basic necessities and his debts. These 200 Dirham are evaluated to approximately 612 grams of silver.

Whoever does not have 200 Dirham in his possession but he has the value of 200 Dirham in liquidity, he is also considered as a person who has the means.

Likewise, a person who has this value in the form of commercial goods also, is regarded as a person who has the means.

In the same way, a person who has some silver, some money and some goods that amount to 200 Dirham when calculated all together, is also considered among those who has the means.

Question: What are the things that need to be evaluated to determine if a person must perform Qurbaani?

Answer: Regarding Qurbaani, all things, objects and belongings that a person possesses besides his basic necessities, must be calculated to know whether he has the means or not. For example, a person may have furniture or utensils that he does not use and keeps them merely as decoration. Thus, although these are not evaluated for the purpose of Zakaat, they must be evaluated for that of Qurbaani.

Therefore, everything that a person possesses in addition to his necessities must be taken into consideration when calculating the Nisaab of Qurbaani.

Question: Does an indebted person have to perform Qurbaani?

Answer: If a person has a debt that exceeds whatever he possesses or a quantity that does not leave the value of 612 grams of silver in his possession, then such a person is not obliged to perform Qurbaani.

For example, a person possesses Rs. 50,000 and has a debt of Rs. 20,000. Thus, he must do Qurbaani because after repaying his debt, he will still possess Rs. 30,000 and this sum will exceed the value of 612 grams of silver. On the other hand, if he has a debt of Rs. 40,000 then he will not be obliged to do Qurbaani because after repaying the debt, he will have less than 612 grams of silver.

Question: A person is a tenant. He does not have money, neither at hand nor in the bank. But he possesses a piece of land that he bought a long time ago or he got it as inheritance. Must he perform Qurbaani?

Answer: If this portion of land is equal to 612 grams of silver or more, then he must perform Qurbaani because this is in excess to his basic necessities.

Question: What does "basic necessities" mean?

Answer: Basic necessities mean things that a person needs to use such as his house, the items that he has in the house that he uses, his means of transport, the clothes that he wears and his working tools. That is, these things will not be evaluated. The taxi, van or truck that a person uses to work is considered a tool that will not be evaluated. That is, a person does not have to do Qurbaani merely because he possesses a taxi, a van or a truck because this is his working tools. Likewise, a person who has a house or a place that he rents to fulfil his needs is not obliged to do Qurbaani. But if he does not depend on this for his needs, then this will be evaluated. Thus, he will have to do Qurbaani. For example, a person has a site that he rents for Rs. 5000 and he needs that money for his needs, then that site or that house will not be evaluated for Qurbaani. But if he has other means that suffice to meet his needs, then this site will be something extra. Thus, he will have to do Qurbaani.

[English version of "Lors ki sanla qourbaani waajib ?" – Al Jamiat – Vol.6 No.4]