Short answer
In the Hanafi school it is per person: each family member who has the nisab owes their own qurbani, so a wife with her own gold or an earning adult child gives separately. One sheep or goat counts for one person. The other schools allow one sheep for a man and his whole household.
Qurbani is an individual obligation. Each adult, sane, resident Muslim who owns the nisab must give one sheep or goat, or a seventh share of a cow or camel. A husband's sacrifice does not cover a wife who has her own nisab unless he does a separate one for her with her permission.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Qurbani is a sunnah for the household: one sheep from the head of the family fulfils it for all of them, though each extra sacrifice is extra reward.
- Maliki
- One sheep may be sacrificed by a man for himself and the family members he supports.
- Hanbali
- One sheep suffices for a man and his household.
Explanation
The companion Abu Ayyub said that in the Prophet's time a man would sacrifice one sheep for himself and his household. The Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools take this literally. The Hanafis understand it as sharing the reward of a sacrifice with the family, while the duty itself falls on each person who has the wealth, because the conditions of the obligation are personal.
- Wife: if her jewellery, savings or other surplus property reach the nisab, she owes her own qurbani. Her husband may pay for it with her consent.
- Adult children: each with their own nisab owes their own.
- Young children: not owed in the relied-upon Hanafi view, even if they have money. A parent may do a voluntary one for them.
- Including the family in the reward: you may intend your sacrifice for yourself and share its reward with your family and the whole ummah, as the Prophet ﷺ did.
So a household of four eligible adults in the Hanafi school needs four sheep or goats, or four shares of a cow. Our qurbani share calculator helps work out the number, and the age rules for animals are at which animals.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Hajj 22:34
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍۢ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًۭا لِّيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ ۗ فَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ فَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلِمُوا۟ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُخْبِتِينَ ﴿٣٤﴾
And for all religion We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord]
Sacrifice over livestock is a rite appointed for the believers.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1505
Graded sahih... كان الرجل يضحي بالشاة عنه وعن أهل بيته ...
"A man would sacrifice one sheep for himself and the people of his house."
The basis of the other schools' view; the Hanafis read it as sharing the reward.
Sahih Muslim 1967
Sahih... اللهم تقبل من محمد وآل محمد ومن أمة محمد ...
"O Allah, accept this from Muhammad, the family of Muhammad and the ummah of Muhammad."
The reward of one sacrifice can be shared with others.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Udhiyah. Qurbani is due on each person for himself, not for his wife.
- al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Udhiyah, first chapter. A sheep counts for one person only.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Adahi. The Hanbali view that one sheep covers the household.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.