Asking about qurbani
Assalamu alaykum. I'm new and still learning about Eid al-Adha. Does qurbani apply to me this year, and is there a local or online option you'd trust?
Sacred season
Pilgrimage season (Hajj and Dhul Hijjah)
Awaiting scholar review
Dhul Hijjah holds the days of Hajj and Eid al-Adha. Most new Muslims are not going to Hajj this year, and you can still get a lot out of the season through prayer, fasting if you are able, charity, remembrance, and learning how the whole thing fits together.
Start here
The first ten days are a time for extra worship and good deeds.
Fasting on the Day of Arafah is recommended for anyone not on Hajj who is able to fast.
Hajj becomes an obligation once a Muslim is physically and financially able to go.
Umrah is a separate pilgrimage you can make outside the Hajj season, though the travel rules still need checking against official sources.
What to focus on now
- Learn what Dhul Hijjah is and mark the first ten days in your calendar.
- Pick one or two extra acts: dhikr, charity, Quran, fasting, or being better to your family.
- Ask your masjid how Eid al-Adha prayer and qurbani or udhiyah work locally.
- If you are planning Hajj or Umrah, check the current Government of Canada travel advisory and the official platforms before you pay anyone.
What can wait
- The detailed rulings on Hajj rites, if you are not traveling soon.
- Comparing every qurbani organization.
- Buying a travel package before you have checked the official requirements.
- Feeling guilty about not fasting every one of the ten days.
The first ten days
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are treated as a season for worship. A beginner can keep it practical: more dhikr, a little Quran, some charity, one relationship repaired, and a few days of fasting if your health and schedule allow.
A note on fasting Arafah
For Muslims who are not on Hajj, fasting the Day of Arafah is strongly encouraged in hadith. If fasting is medically risky, unsafe for you, or unclear because of your circumstances, ask someone qualified and do a different good deed instead.
Eid al-Adha basics
Eid al-Adha falls during the Hajj season and goes back to the story of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him. Communities hold an Eid prayer, and many Muslims arrange qurbani or udhiyah through organizations they trust.
Qurbani and udhiyah in brief
Qurbani, also called udhiyah, is the sacrifice offered around Eid al-Adha by those it applies to. The details shift depending on school of law, income, what is available locally, and which charity you use. Ask your local imam or a trusted organization instead of treating a checkout page as a ruling.
Hajj as something ahead of you
Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam for those who are able to go. New Muslims usually need time first: steady prayer, money, travel documents, family responsibilities, health. Understanding the shape of it is enough for now unless you are actively booking travel.
Umrah basics
Umrah is a pilgrimage to Makkah outside the Hajj season. It is worship, and it is also visas, health, money, safety, and careful travel planning. Use the official platforms and current government guidance before you book.
Getting ready in body and paperwork
- The Government of Canada travel page expects the next Hajj around 14 to 19 May 2027. It warns that heat in Saudi Arabia goes well above 40 degrees Celsius, that dehydration and heatstroke can be fatal, and that the crowds bring a risk of crushes.
- Start walking regularly months before you go. Hajj and Umrah involve a lot of walking, often in heat.
- Book a travel clinic visit well ahead. The official Hajj health rules are on Nusuk, and the clinic can check which vaccines apply to you. The travel.gc.ca page says proof of yellow fever vaccination is needed only if you arrive from, or pass through, a country with yellow fever.
- Ask your masjid for a certificate of your conversion early. It can be needed for Hajj or Umrah applications, and it takes time to arrange.
- Read the travel advisory again before you pay anyone. If a package looks like a scam, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, whose vacation fraud page describes fake cheap trips and requests for deposits.
Checking the official route
- Check the current Government of Canada travel advisory for Saudi Arabia before you plan. When we checked in September 2026 it said to avoid non-essential travel, with stricter advisories for some regions. Advisories change, so read the live page on travel.gc.ca.
- Nusuk Hajj is the Saudi platform for Hajj packages sold by authorised service providers in the countries it serves. Canada was on its list for the 2026 Hajj season. The list for 2027 had not been published when we checked on 23 September 2026. Nusuk says that registering does not mean you will be accepted for Hajj.
- For Umrah, the Government of Canada page says any visa type can be used. Check the official Nusuk Umrah platform before you pay for travel.
- Confirm the vaccine, visa, permit, and booking rules close to your departure date.
- Ask a qualified teacher what you need to learn before you go.
Useful scripts
Planning Hajj for later
I'm not ready for Hajj yet, but I want to know what I should be getting in order over the next few years. What should I learn first?
Checking a travel offer
Before I pay for this, could you help me check whether this Hajj or Umrah package goes through the official process, and whether anything about it looks off?
Ask someone qualified if
Your question involves illness, medication, pregnancy, menstruation, hardship, travel, visas, qurbani, missed fasts, fidyah, zakat calculations, debt, business assets, or family pressure. This guide is general education, not a ruling for your situation.
Sources used
These sources back the beginner framing on this page. Where English appears, Quran links are translations of meaning, hadith links keep their collection references, and personal rulings still need qualified review.
- Sahih Muslim 1162b - Fasting on ArafahHadith reference
Sunnah.com - Hadith reference
Cited in the Dhul Hijjah guide for fasting on the Day of Arafah if you are not performing Hajj.
- Yaqeen Institute Dhul Hijjah ResourcesResearch education
Yaqeen Institute - Dhul Hijjah education collection
Cited in the Dhul Hijjah guide and in the curated resource list.
- New Muslim Guide - Your PilgrimageBeginner guide
New Muslim Guide - Pilgrimage beginner guide
Cited for beginner orientation to Hajj, Umrah, and visiting Madinah, stopping short of advanced ritual rulings.
- Nusuk Hajj Official PlatformOfficial travel source
Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah - Official Hajj platform
The Saudi platform for Hajj packages from authorised service providers, for pilgrims from the countries it serves. Canada is listed on its Serviced Countries page for the 1447 H (2026) season; the 1448 H (2027) list was not yet published on 23 September 2026. The homepage says 'Registering on the platform does not mean that you will be accepted for Hajj'.
- Travel advice and advisories for Saudi ArabiaOfficial travel source
Government of Canada - Official public travel guidance
Government of Canada travel advice for Saudi Arabia, checked in September 2026 and again on 25 September 2026 (page last updated 24 September 2026). The page expects the next Hajj around 14 to 19 May 2027 and Ramadan 2027 around 7 February, warns that heat goes well above 40 degrees Celsius and that dehydration and heatstroke can be fatal, and warns of overcrowding and crush risks. Its yellow fever section says proof of vaccination is required only for travellers arriving from or passing through a country with yellow fever. On that date the risk level was 'Avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories)', with 'avoid all travel' to Asir, Jazan, Najran and within 30 km of the Yemen border. It covers the Hajj visa and booking platform, Umrah on any visa type, vaccination rules and passport validity. Advisories change, so the guide links the page rather than copying the level.
- Sahih Muslim 886a - No adhan or iqama for EidHadith reference
Sunnah.com - Hadith reference
Sahih Muslim 886a (Ibn Abbas and Jabir): there was no adhan on Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, and Jabir said there is no adhan, no iqama and no call of any kind for the Eid prayer. Sahih.
- The Fiqh of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (Hanafi)Scholar answer
SeekersGuidance - Scholar answer
Ustadha Naielah Ackbarali, 12 May 2021. Ghusl and best clothes among the Eid sunnahs; eat before the Eid al-Fitr prayer and delay eating on Eid al-Adha; three extra takbirs with raised hands in each rak'ah (in the second after the recitation); two short sermons after the prayer; wajib on sane, adult, resident, healthy men.
- Conversion Certificate (Ummah Masjid and Community Centre)Official masjid source
Ummah Masjid and Community Center, Halifax - Masjid page
Supports: Example of a Canadian masjid issuing signed certificates for Umrah and marriage.
- Vacation fraudPublic safety source
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre - Official fraud prevention page
Modified 16 January 2026. Supports: scammers offer free or discounted trips, ask for personal details and deposits, and deliver a poor trip or none. General travel fraud, not specific to pilgrimage.