PERFORMING THE QURBÂN (III)

Qurbân means to sacrifice a sheep, a goat, an ox (or cow), or a camel with the intention of performing the qurbân on one of the first three days of the ’Iyd of Qurbân. Up to seven Muslims at the age of puberty may share a cow or a camel in their performance of the qurbân, buying it collectively. The qurbâns of vow and aqîqa may be joined to them. Although it is possible to later become a shareholder of the qurbân which a rich person has already bought, it would be makrûh. The share of any of the performers should not be less than one-seventh. It is not permissible for eight people to purchase seven cows or for two people to purchase two sheep as qurbân shareholders. For, each person would then own a share in each qurbân. To avoid interest earning, it is necessary to divide the meat by weighing it out in equal amounts. It is not permissible to divide the meat without weighing it even if the shareholders agree among themselves to waive their rights mutually. For waiving their rights mutually would mean giving presents. It is not permissible to make a gift of something which is sharable before the shares have been divided and distributed to the shareholders. If each of six of the shareholders is given a piece of the skin or a leg of the animal together with its meat, then it is permissible to share without weighing. It is written in the books Hindiyya and Majmuâ-i Zuhdiyya that the head is categorized as the skin of the animal.