PERFORMING THE QURBÂN (I)

If a discreet, pubert, free male or female Muslim, settled in a village, in a desert or in a town, has the nisâb amount of property or money in addition to what he or she needs, it becomes wâjib for him or her to slaughter a certain animal with the intention of ’Iydal- ad’ha (the ’Iyd of Qurbân) within certain days. The need includes a house with household appliances and three sets of clothings. According to the Shaikhayn (Imâm a’zam and Imâm Abû Yûsuf), a father has to perform the qurbân on his rich child’s behalf (if he has a rich child), the expense being taken from the child’s property. The meat cannot be eaten by anyone but the child. The meat left over by the child is sold and the money is used to buy durable things, such as clothings for the child. But the fatwâ agrees with Imâm Muhammad’s ijtihâd. Accordingly, it is not wâjib for the father to perform the qurbân on his child’s behalf, neither at his expense nor the child’s. We have explained the nisâb for qurbân in our discourse on the sadaqa fitr in the previous chapter. While explaining about the people (and institutions) that are to be paid zakât, Ibni ’Âbidîn says that no matter how much produce a person gets from his field or year’s rental he gets for his field, house, shop, [workshop or lorry], according to Imâm Muhammad, he is poor if it does not meet his yearly needs or if his monthly income does not meet his monthly needs and his debts to others. The fatwâ agrees with this. However, according to the Shaikhayn, i.e. according to Imâm a’zam and Imâm Abû Yûsuf, he is rich. For, the value of the field, which is his property, or of the fixture, meets his needs, and what is left is (at least) the amount of nisâb. Setting apart a sum of each rental he takes, he must save money and give the fitra and perform the qurbân. That is, he must attain great thawâb. If he does not give the fitra and does not perform the qurbân, he is absolved from the sin according to Imâm Muhammad. As is seen, both of the ijtihâds are well put and are matters of compassion for Muslims. If a person in this situation does not give the fitra or perform the qurbân Imâm Muhammad’s ijtihâd will save him from torment.