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Eid ul Adha is on or around the corner. I wish you all a safe, happy and fulfilling celebration with your family and friends.
All I ask is, please spare the poor goat or lamb or cow’s life. The purpose of sacrifice is to understand the spirit of parting with what you hold dear (your wealth), it is not some muqabla against four-legged animals.
Please pause and think … That, after all, is what religion should make us do rather than blindly following ritual.
According to the many organizations that will perform the sacrifice for you if you live abroad, the cost of one goat/sheep is US$ 160 in the US (that is more than one month’s salary for a college educated Pakistani professional). The price in Pakistan is cheaper, but not by much. Only the well wheeled can afford it. The Poor cannot even budget for a kilo of meat a month.
Is there a better way to ‘sacrifice’ the 150-200 dollars or the Rs. 10,000 or more in the name of Allah that is useful to His bandas? A way that captures the spirit of sacrifice that qurbani entails and helps us meet our religious obligation as well as the social welfare and redistribution that is its deeper purpose?
The Qur’an reminds us that Allah looks at intent not the blood. Maybe we too should pay heed to the intent of qurbani? For those who want to sacrifice this writer instead, please read Chapter 22, Verse 37 from the Holy Qur’an (I have looked at translations by Marmaduke, Yusufali, Asad and Usmani) and they all talk about your own devotion, piety, God-consciousness and taqwa that reaches Him.
The meat from the sacrificial animal is intended to be divided into three parts: 1/3rd each for your self, family and friends, and for the needy and the poor. I would suggest we fore go our share, and give the whole amount to the poor including poor relations. Charity and alms should be given throughout the year, and many people do. But with this added emphasis around Eid ul Adha I would suggest we consider giving more to the poor including poor relations.
Allah looks at intent not the blood. What better way to celebrate this Eid?
On my last visit I saw a lot of people drive up to a certain "hotel" (Pinglish for restaurant) and pay the owner X rupees to feed X number of hungry folks lined up outside. That is a noble idea. But would it not be better better to teach them to fish?
A manual sewing machine for a widow or unemployed poor woman? Tuition Fees or books for a poor student? Some money to ease the days for the unemployed people? A small monthly stipend to the poor that may bring a ray of hope in their lives and may perhaps deter them from abandoning their children to the fogs of terrorist factories?
We can think of many ways to make Him happy and spare the lamb. May Allah bless you and your family.
Note: This is based on an earlier post published on temporal’s blog Baithak.
I totally agree that a more efficient, hygienic and modern alternate to the current method of Qurbani should be found where the meaning of Qurbani is expressed which truly benefits the poor all the year round rather than 3 days. I performed Hajj in 1990 and Qurbani voucher system was in operation. Process worked like this; You obtain a voucher after paying equivalent cost of a goat and identify the Hajji or one in whose name Hajj is being performed. Govt. slaughter house ensures that Qurbani takes place and Hajji’s name is mentioned when the animal is being scarified. This operation is performed by professionals and under hygienic conditions. You don’t get to see the Qurbani as it is done per a schedule suitable for proper freezing and packing of the meat which is then forwarded to poor Muslim countries. Why can’t we do this in other Muslim countries? In England, I saw a protest against such barbaric slaughter of animals on Baqr-Eid. Some videos were shown, secretly made, of Muslims making serious mistakes during the slaughter process and animals suffering beyond belief
@Illusion’s post is powerful. Thank you!
@Ahmer,
I think you have completely missed the ‘brutalizing’ part of this debate. No one in America is out slaughtering their turkeys and encouraging their kids to watch that. @Illusion is absolutely correct in relating the lack of tolerance in Pakistani society with such brutal displays of ‘faith’. Also, from what I understand, even in the ‘bastion of Islam’ Saudi Arabia animals are slaughtered and skinned in front of houses while a bunch of kids watching it on.
Don’t be an absolutist. For doing so would mean you may not even walk on this Earth lest you set you for upon an insect. But don’t take relativism to an absolute degree either.
I am a little perplexed, should we all become vegetarians? if thats not what you are saying then i am sorry i am missing the point. I appreciate the message that there should less indulgence but then this sermon should also be given to fashion show organizers, concert organizers, any and all extra curricular activities should be put on hold and resources should be diverted in elevating poverty and ill be all for that.
We should also stop spending monies on building, maintaining mosques, temples, churches, synagogues and invest that money on public welfare as well.
We should also ask americans to stop ‘killing’ turkeys on thanksgiving and while we are at it, if the world estab. can stop killing human beings by thousands every year and immediately put a ban on ALL manufacturers of ALL ammunition right awat.
Putting ban on animal slaughter is a very slippery slope. again i am all for donating money so poor can enjoy meat but in essence you are questioning a very fundamental ritual of islam. Allah knows best
Having a piece of chicken tikka in mouth and making a post about “sparing an Animal”? Amazing my friend.
I wonder where do all such “animal friendly” lectures blow away when people attend some fashion show or some music concert? Why does not people think of poors who don’t have a roti while having a dinner in some expensive restaurant?
You need to clarify whether you are a person who never likes meat or it’s just another attempt to show off your irritation about a religion’s ritual.
Oh by the way , should I say you,”Happy Thanks giving” and offer a turkey? ;)
Great Article …
On Eid, when anyone ll kill an animal by first trapping his/her feet with ropes, do look at the face of that animal, do have a look at the tongue on that poor soul which he or she is biting with his teeth to avoid the pain, do check the eyes of that animal, do see his/her tears. You, no matter how big ur heart is never be able to witness such act again, believe me u wont say Allah O Akbar at such barbaric act. And u know what once u start caring about these animals the value of human life, the value of human feelings, their emotions and tears become much more for u, and u ll start caring for them much more than u do before.
Many argue that we eat meat, and these animals are going to get slaughtered in slater houses anyways, but that is different, at that point its not a religious ritual, its not a lesson for someone, there aren’t any young kids standing around looking at blood and barbaric-ism of human beings killing an innocent helpless animal. I feel so sad and concerned when i see on every eid when People are KILLING innocent animals openly on roads, many kids are standing around, looking and learning, this is the reason we have intolerance in our society. May sense prevail.
Once again congrats for writing a wonderful article.
Yes, please, no more sacrificing of these animals!!
A very personal note here. Pardon for my over-emotionalism.
During the last ‘Bakra Eid’ in 2008, I discussed the lack of spirituality with my father during the slaughter-time. I begged him to re-consider that and, silently, pledged to sever all ties should 2009 would the same as far as meaninglessly slaughtering goats, cows, camels, sheep…
I expressed to him that it was brutalizing for me as a young boy to be encouraged to witness the slitting of the throat of a goat–who I had pempered only the night before–and to see the blood gushing out while the poor goat….He cried. I cried too. I stopped watching that soon.
I hated that!!!!
My father understood and agreed to my pleas but expressed his being powerless infront of the entrenched dogmas but promised to do something for 2009 if he could.
My father passed away a few weeks ago. And the family in Karachi want to do that cruel thing at least this year despite my appeals. They say that at least one sacrificial goat is for my father’s salvation or memory. I disagree.
Give the money to the poor, the needy. I know, there is whole set of counter-arguments about eating any kind of meat. But the senselessness, the lack of spirituality, the brutality during the Bakra Eid of sacrificing animals far outweighs –even- those arguments.
PLEASE….can we stop this?!
Good point. I have always felt the same and I know many others do. More of us need to act on this principle. Given money and support to the poor that will really change their lives. That is better sacrifice.
Wow,finally from the Pakistani side of the world, someone making a whole lot of sense.