Settling a Qurbani price after slaughter based on meat weight

Question

Can the Qurbani price be settled after the sacrifice is done, based on the weight of meat?

Mufti Sajid · Accepted Answer

*Wa alikumus salaam.* This has always been a troubling issue, where we are often faced with a lot of deception from cattle farmers regarding the weight of animals. However, for Qurbani to be valid:

1. **Ownership before slaughter.** In the Hanafi school, the person offering Qurbani must own the animal (or their share) before slaughter — whether directly or through an agent (wakeel), as when a masjid takes on the responsibility of purchasing the animals. If the masjid delays ownership until after slaughter (as happens when paying by weight), the Qurbani is not valid.
2. **Buying meat instead of an animal is not valid for Qurbani.** Buying meat by weight after slaughter is not the same as buying and owning a live animal; the sacrifice must be of an animal the person owns at the time of slaughter.

A wakeel (agent) can purchase and sacrifice an animal on behalf of someone else, but must own the animal before slaughter and have a clear agreement with each person beforehand.

*Allah knows best.*

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