Are receivables considered when calculating one’s eligibility for performing Qurbani?
The question, as received
When calculating your Zakaat, you consider the money that is owed to you. Will this apply on the days of qurbaani also when seeing if it incumbent upon one to slaughter or not?
The answer
Udhiyyah (animal sacrifice) is a demonstration of total submission to Allah and a proof of complete obedience to Allah’s will or command. When a Muslim offers an Udhiyyah this is exactly what he intends to prove. Thus, the Udhiyyah offered signifies that he is a slave of Allah at his best. And that he would not hesitate even for a moment once he receives an absolute command from his Creator to surrender before it, to obey it willingly, even if it be at the price of his life and possessions. Consider the following hadīth:
Condition: Qurbani is due if net assets including receivables reach nisab and one has funds for an animal.
Explanation
The Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) said,
“The son of Adam does not perform any action on the day of sacrifice which is more pleasing to Allah than the shedding of blood (performing the animal sacrifice). He will come on the day of resurrection with its hair, horns and hooves, and the blood certainly will fall in a place near Allah before it falls on the ground. So, purify yourselves there with. (Sunan Ibn Majah)i
In principle, the ritual slaughter is obligatory on every adult Muslim, male or female, who owns 612.36 grams of silver or its equivalent in money, personal ornaments, stock-in-trade or any other form of wealth which is in excess of one’s basic personal needs in the days of Udhīyyah (10,11,12 Zul Hijjah).ii
When gauging if performing Udhiyyah is compulsory or not, two factors are considered:
1) One’s net assets are equivalent to the nisāb (threshold) or more.
2) One possesses sufficient funds to pay for a sacrificial animal.
Like zakāt, when calculating one’s net assets, receivables are also taken into consideration. If one’s net assets are equivalent to the nisāb (threshold) or more, then one will be required to perform Udhīyyah. However, if one has the nisāb but does not currently possess sufficient funds to purchase a sacrificial animal, or he does not possess surplus assets which he can liquidate and purchase a sacrificial animal, then it will not be obligatory for him to perform Udhiyyah.iii
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Faraz Adam
References
iعَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَا عَمِلَ ابْنُ آدَمَ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ عَمَلًا أَحَبَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، مِنْ هِرَاقَةِ دَمٍ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، بِقُرُونِهَا، وَأَظْلَافِهَا، وَأَشْعَارِهَا، وَإِنَّ الدَّمَ، لَيَقَعُ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، بِمَكَانٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقَعَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَطِيبُوا بِهَا نَفْسًا» (سنن ابن ماجه رقم الحديث 3126
iiوفيالاختيارلتعليل المختار
وَهِيَ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ حُرٍّ مُقِيمٍ مُوسِرٍ (ج 5 ص 16
كتاب الفتاوى ج 4 ص 132 زمزم
iiiأحسن الفتاوى ج 7 ص 512 أيج ايم سعيد
وفي حاشية ابن عابدين على الدر المختار
لَهُ مَالٌ كَثِيرٌ غَائِبٌ فِي يَدِ مُضَارِبِهِ أَوْ شَرِيكِهِ وَمَعَهُ مِنْ الْحَجَرَيْنِ أَوْ مَتَاعِ الْبَيْتِ مَا يُضَحِّي بِهِ تَلْزَمُ (ج 6 ص 312 أيج ايم سعيد
وفيالفتاوى الهندية
له دَيْنٌ حَالٌّ أو مُؤَجَّلٌ على مُقِرٍّ مَلِيٍّ وَلَيْسَ في يَدِهِ ما يُمَكِّنُهُ شِرَاءَ الْأُضْحِيَّةِ لَا يَلْزَمُهُ أَنْ يَسْتَقْرِضَ فَيُضَحِّيَ وَلَا يَلْزَمُهُ قِيمَتُهَا إذَا وَصَلَ إلَيْهِ الدَّيْنُ لَكِنْ يَلْزَمُهُ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ منه ثَمَنَ الْأُضْحِيَّةِ إذَا غَلَبَ على ظَنِّهِ أَنَّهُ يَدْفَعُهُ له (ج 5 ص 307 مكتبة رشيدية
وفي الفتاوى البزازية
له ديون مؤجلة وليس عنده ما يشتريها به لا تلزم (ج 2 ص 406 دار الكتب العلمية
له دين حال على مقر مليء وليس عنده ما يشتريها به لا يلزمه الاستقراض ولا قيمة الأضحية إذا وصل الدين إليه (ج 2 ص 406 دار الكتب العلمية
وفي الفتاوى الهندية
له مَالٌ كَثِيرٌ غَائِبٌ في يَدِ شَرِيكِهِ أو مُضَارِبِهِ وَمَعَهُ ما يَشْتَرِي بِهِ الْأُضْحِيَّةَ من الْحَجَرَيْنِ أو مَتَاعِ الْبَيْتِ تَلْزَمُهُ الْأُضْحِيَّةُ كَذَا في الْقُنْيَةِ (الفتاوى الهندية ج 5 ص 307 مكتبة رشيدية
Based on the Hanafi school and on the question as it was asked. Another mufti may reach a different conclusion. Read the disclaimer.