The Council of Qadis of the Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO) has issued a fatwa regarding Eid al-Adha.
According to Modern.az, the fatwa states:
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful!
Ahead lies one of the sacred days of the Islamic world and our people, the blessed Eid al-Adha, a symbol of our Lord's grace and favor to humanity. This sacred day, cherished by all heavenly religions, associated with the covenant of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the name of Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him), has for centuries conveyed the message of universal unity and humanism to our world.
On the eve of the blessed Eid al-Adha, which is dear to the Muslim world, the Council of Qadis of the Caucasus Muslims Office traditionally deems it important to convey its recommendations regarding Eid al-Adha:
We state that, according to the rulings and Sharia rules regarding Eid al-Adha, sacrificing an animal is obligatory only for pilgrims performing the Hajj in Mecca. In other places, it is a Sunnah act for those who can afford it to sacrifice an animal, and distributing the meat of the sacrifice to poor families is considered a great reward. Almighty Allah emphasizes in the Holy Quran not the value of the sacrifice, but the importance of good and pure intention: "Their (sacrifices') meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is your piety..." (Hajj; 37). Everyone who believes in the divine wisdom in the blessed verse should refrain from distorting the essence of the Qurban worship and from innovative approaches.
Usually, sheep are preferred for sacrifice. However, goats, cows, and camels can also be chosen for sacrifice. Everyone is free in the distribution of that meat, but according to the recommendation of our beloved Prophet (PBUH), helping the needy is closer to the spirit of our religion. The ritual of sacrifice should be performed in clean and highly sanitary conditions, in suitable places. According to Sharia rules, the animal to be sacrificed must be healthy and suitable for slaughter. Sick, thin, and defective animals are not considered suitable for sacrifice. Usually, animals that have reached a certain age are slaughtered. The age of a goat and a sheep should be one year, an ox and a cow more than two years, and a camel should be five years old. According to Sharia, it is obligatory to lay the animal facing the Qibla and slaughter it by mentioning the name of Allah with the intention of sacrifice. The sacrifice is mainly divided into three parts: one part for the owner of the sacrifice, another part for needy families, and the third part is recommended to be distributed as a gift to relatives.
Based on the calculations of the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory of ANAS, in accordance with the visibility of the crescent in the Azerbaijani horizon, Eid al-Adha will coincide with the 10th of the month of Dhul-Hijjah – May 27 according to the Gregorian calendar. This year, with the unanimous fatwa adopted by the Council of Religious Leaders of the Organization of Turkic States on May 18, 2026, May 27 has been confirmed as the day of the holiday. In accordance with Sharia, the sacrifice can continue for 3 days starting from May 27. On May 27, Eid prayers will be performed in our mosques, InshaAllah.
In Azerbaijan, the days of Eid al-Adha have been declared non-working days by the state. We express our gratitude for the special attention of our state to religious people, congratulate His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, our head of state, the guardian of our national and spiritual values, and the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva on the occasion of the holiday, convey the blessings of our religious people to their families, and wish them success in their benevolent and effective activities for the high-level development of state-religion relations.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in one of his noble hadiths: "The son of Adam cannot do a more beautiful deed on the day of Eid al-Adha than sacrificing for Allah." The beauty of this worship is that it brings man closer to Allah, instills humility, obedience, and benevolence, and strengthens social unity and communication, love, and brotherhood among Muslims. On these sacred days of the holiday, which are a symbol of solidarity, mutual aid, and spiritual purification, we must pray for our homeland and our nation. Praise be to Allah that the Azerbaijani people, under the leadership of the wise state leader, the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, have fully restored historical justice, the territorial integrity, and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. May Allah have mercy on our children who sacrificed their lives for the homeland and rose to the high status of martyrdom, grant healing to our heroic veterans, and may the blessings we wish for all soldiers and officers of our glorious army be answered! May Almighty Allah always make the Azerbaijani state, its people, and its wise leader victorious!
On the occasion of this dear holiday, the Caucasus Muslims Office and its leadership congratulate the Azerbaijani people and all Muslims of the world, and sincerely pray to the Almighty Creator to always remain faithful to the spiritual values carried by Eid al-Adha. May Allah accept your prayers and worship, and may your Eid al-Adha be blessed! Amen!
And peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you!"
