Importance of Qurbani in Islam & Its Financial Benefits

Sacred Devotion, Shared Prosperity. Eid-ul-Adha bridges spiritual obligation with impactful community welfare. Beyond the act of sacrifice lies a powerful economic ecosystem that stimulates local livelihoods, drives grassroots wealth distribution, and ensures high-quality nutrition reaches those who need it most.

Beyond the Ritual: Cultivating Personal Piety and Driving Grassroots Economic Growth

1. The Core Purpose: Piety, Not Meat or Blood

The most defining verse regarding the essence of Qurbani clarifies that God does not look at the physical material, but the intention of the heart:

“Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. Thus, have We subjected them to you that you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good.” — Surah Al-Hajj (22:37)

2. A Universal Rite of Devotion

The Quran establishes that sacrifice is not a new ritual, but a long-standing tradition ordained for all nations to recognize God’s provision:

“And for every nation We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [lawful] domestic animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord].” — Surah Al-Hajj (22:34)

3. The Divine Command and Gratitude

In the shortest chapter of the Quran, Allah directly commands the Prophet Muhammad (and by extension, the believers) to pray and sacrifice as a mark of distinct worship and gratitude for abundant blessings (Al-Kawthar):

“So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].” — Surah Al-Kawthar (108:2)

4. Feeding the Poor and Community Welfare

The Quran explicitly highlights the social component of the sacrifice. The meat is not meant to be hoarded; it is a means to sustain oneself, one’s family, and specifically those who are less fortunate:

• Sharing with the needy:

“…So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.” — Surah Al-Hajj (22:28)

• Feeding both those who don’t ask and those who do:

“…And when they are down on their sides [i.e., slaughtered], then eat from them and feed the needy who does not ask and the beggar who asks. Thus Have We subjected them to you that you may be grateful.” — Surah Al-Hajj (22:36)

5. The Historical Origin (Prophet Ibrahim’s Vision)

The historical precedent for the annual Eid-ul-Adha sacrifice is detailed in Surah As-Saffat. It narrates the ultimate test of faith where Prophet Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice his son, Ismail, in fulfillment of a divine vision, only for Allah to replace the child with a momentous sacrifice:

“And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, ‘O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.’ He said, ‘O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.’”

“And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him, ‘O Abraham, You have fulfilled the vision.’ Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.” — Surah As-Saffat (37:102–107)

Those who object to sacrifice should fear God, because sacrifice is a permanent obligation, an act of worship and a ritual of Islam. He (peace be upon him) sacrificed every year during the 10-year stay in Medina. The Companions, the followers, the followers, the Imams, the predecessors and the great ones, the entire community also inherited, continued and continuous practice of sacrificing. The Quran and Hadith have mentioned the immense virtues of sacrificing. The Quran has verse 34 of Surah Al-Hajj. Translation: “And We have prescribed for every nation the sacrifice that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them.” Similarly, verse 2 of Surah Al-Kawthar says: “So establish prayer for your Lord and sacrifice.” There have also been numerous hadiths on the virtues of sacrifice. “It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (RA) that she said: “The most beloved act of a servant to Allah on the Day of Sacrifice is to shed the blood of an animal, and the servant will appear on the Day of Judgment with the horns, hooves and hair of his sacrifice.

The blood of the sacrifice first gains acceptance in the presence of Allah before it falls on the ground, so you should sacrifice with a happy heart.” (Tirmidhi: 1/180) Now let’s come to the economic benefits of sacrifice! “John Maynard Keynes” is considered the world’s most prominent economist. If you want to read about the economic exploits of the British in the subcontinent, Keynes will prove to be something special. His economic theories are taught in every university in the world. The structure of the capitalist state is based on his theories. He presented a theory called the investment multiplier. He claimed that when the government or the common man takes a few rupees out of his pocket, the wheels of the economy start moving. This theory of Keynes was made the basis of the Western theory of the “welfare state”. According to this theory, Eid-ul-Adha is a huge investment multiplier. With its blessings, the world benefits. This is a cycle of slave circulation of investment in which the poor benefit the most. Let’s look at it from the perspective of pure business.

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, the farming industry grows rapidly. After this, the cattle industry gets a boost. Then the wheel of the leather industry gets started. These three industries are directly activated by it. Apart from this, numerous industries also benefit on this occasion. Industries have not yet received such a boost in Islamic countries. Otherwise, such businesses can come into existence from the wool, bones, fat and entrails of these animals, which can provide more employment to millions of people. If the government takes even a little interest, hundreds of more employment opportunities can be created from animal remains. Hundreds of thousands of products can be made from animal remains, from waterproofing, lighting fires, making candles, making soap and cosmetics to molding them into various components. The waste that municipalities across the country spend their energy on disposing of and dumping outside the city can be turned into a business worth billion.

A little government attention and a business approach can make this work a source of prosperity for the country. Then perhaps the time will come when companies themselves are collecting waste from all the houses and are creating mountains of business from the garbage heaps. You must have heard the famous saying: “We don’t need aid, we need trade.” The poor also don’t need aid, they need respectable employment. Who raises sacrificial animals? Who arranges the fodder for these animals? We believe that now big business groups have also entered this business, but put your hand on your heart and tell me, is there any greater source of income for the poor than this? There is no such global event in which the helpless, destitute and helpless people are getting employment on such a large scale. We can say with great confidence that if animals worth 30 billion are sold in Karachi, a large part of it goes into the pockets of the poor. Even if some big business groups have entered this business, millions of poor and backward people spread across the length and breadth of Pakistan take care of these animals. A sacrificial animal turns the wheel of the entire economy.

A grain of wheat grows with the sustenance of at least 150 people, while a goat or bull is born with the sustenance of hundreds of people. When a poor person raises a goat, he goes to the shop to buy its fodder. The shopkeeper buys that fodder from an agent. The agent obtains fodder from a farmer. The truck owners start making a profit by bringing the animal to the cattle market. Then a place is bought on rent. A camp is set up, decorations and fodder and water are arranged. There is a stir in the rope, nail, fork and wood industries. Visitors come from far and near. With their arrival, shops are filled, petrol pumps are in a rush, and food centers are overflowing. When the animal is sold, the blessed journey of this merciful circle of trade reaches its peak. A poor person becomes happy. The Suzuki or Mazda owner gets his share. When the goat comes home, happiness begins to bloom on many faces. Fodder, grain and kitchen supplies are available, sustenance continues to spread. Now the day of Eid comes. The butcher has arrived. The skin is peeled and sold. The entire leather industry is waiting for this day. In the three days of Eid alone, the leather industry gets 30 percent of its raw materials.