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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.
@ Nan Haleem,
I saw the videos from URL’s given by Animal Lover. The poster of one of videos, comments “the camel is being slaughtered in this video……..
enjoy!!!!!!!!!!”
When did ISLAM begin to ‘enjoy’ the agonies of helpless animals?
Some have called it awesome, some disgusting. But I’ll call it shameful. How can people be given so much authority to torture helpless animals in the name of Islam. Arey yaar, Islam ko aur badnaam mat karo!
Sirf animals ko is tarah maarna hi Islam nahin hai. Kya Quran se sirf yehi sabak aap ne seekha aur yaad kiya hai?
@ Naan Haleem:
Thanks for joining again.But,the following quotes contradict your interpretations. And many muslims across the world question this “invented” tradition, like me.
“There is not an animal that lives on the Earth,nor a being that flies on its wings,but forms part of communities like you.Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.”
– Al Quran 6:38
“Whoever is kind to the creatures of God, is kind to himself.”
– The Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), narrated by Abdallah bin ‘Amru, in Bukhari and Muslim Collections.
“The beautiful religion of Islam has always viewed animals as a special part of God’s creation. The Qur’an, the Hadith, and the history of Islamic civilization offer many examples of kindness, mercy, and compassion for animals.”
The above are quoted from http://www.islamveg.com.
Then comes the following important text which is sourced from http://www.submission.org/hajj/sacrifice.html :
“Any day could be a day of festivity for a submitter. Like the way you celebrated the first anniversary of being a submitter. (I must say you did a very good job with your celebration, Alhamdullilah.) Different people could have different days and different reasons for celebrations. The only thing we as submitters to God have to be careful here is not to attribute or fabricate any falsehood to God.
Some information on animal sacrifice:
Animal sacrifice done on the day called Eid Al Azha (Bakri Eid) that many so-called Muslims celebrate is like many others acts an innovation falsely attributed to God. Sacrifice is required to be done only by the pilgrims during Hajj or if someone made an intention to do hajj but could not do it for any reasons. There is no requirement on those not doing Hajj to sacrifice any animal, as is traditionally done. This is an innovation.
[2:196]* You shall observe the complete rites of Hajj and`Umrah for GOD. If you are prevented, you shall send an offering, and do not resume cutting your hair until your offering has reached its destination. If you are ill, or suffering a head injury (and you must cut your hair), you shall expiate by fasting, or giving to charity, or some other form of worship. During the normal Hajj, if you break the state of Ihraam (sanctity) between `Umrah and Hajj, you shall expiate by offering an animal sacrifice. If you cannot afford it, you shall fast three days during Hajj and seven when you return home – this completes ten – provided you do not live at the Sacred Masjid. You shall observe GOD, and know that GOD is strict in enforcing retribution.
*2:196 See the details of Hajj and `Umrah in Appendix 15.
The other reasons where animal sacrifice is in the order is when the state of Ihraam is violated between Umrah and Hajj and when a game animal is killed during pilgrimage.
[5:95] O you who believe, do not kill any game during pilgrimage. Anyone who kills any game on purpose, his fine shall be a number of livestock animals that is equivalent to the game animals he killed. The judgment shall be set by two equitable people among you. They shall make sure that the offerings reach the Ka`bah. Otherwise, he may expiate by feeding poor people, or by an equivalent fast to atone for his offense. GOD has pardoned past offenses. But if anyone returns to such an offense, GOD will avenge it. GOD is Almighty, Avenger.”
Next comes up an interesting debate “Animal Sacrifice or Blood Orgy?
–By Syed Rizvi” at http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamDebate_1.aspx?ArticleID=3706
I’m reproducing the text of original post by Syed Rizvi, with thanks and my due respect for him, but for full debate and comments, you may please go to above URL.
“Once again, Muslims around the world have “sacrificed” millions of animals in a three day period during the month of Eid-ul-Adha to please God.
Sacrifice inherently means that you part with something that is very close to your heart and experience a certain degree of pain during the process.
Abraham proceeded to sacrifice his son who was very close to his heart and with whom had great attachment.
This act of Abraham can be seen as a spirit of true sacrifice.
Today, if I say that I sacrificed an old sofa for a greater cause, I will be laughed at, since the sofa doesn’t mean much to me. However, this hypothetical act of mine is not much different from someone slitting the throat of a goat to please God and call it a sacrifice, since the person has had no attachment to the goat except a few bucks that he would soon forget.
I am just wondering if that is what God had in his mind when he asked us to follow a path in remembrance of Abraham’s devotion to God. Today what we do on the streets of Karachi during the Eid-ul Adha is a mockery of Abraham’s devotion to God.
It is beyond my comprehension that our God, whom we regard as compassionate and merciful finds pleasure watching a helpless camel with one of his front legs tied off the ground and two of his hind legs so closely tied together that he becomes incapable of using those legs independently. And apart from that, his jaws are tied with a rope that he cannot even brawl. And then, a pious looking person sticks a knife into the camel’s throat. The camel bleeds for tens of minutes and suffers excruciating pain until he dies.
Here are some examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oIbT6Plio8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3R6qhjplHM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws8ub3wo_hM&feature=related
I read somewhere that the Prophet stated “La taqtolu bil-la iza’a” if you must kill, kill without torture.
I don’t see any concerns among Muslims honoring Prophet’s words. We Muslims are very good in cherry picking things; we choose what suits us and disregard those that hinder our ways of doing things.
I often wonder what if God had asked us to sacrifice our children to make him happy. I doubt any commandment like that would have seen the light of the day.
The issue of animal sacrifice is often debated among Islamic scholars, and opinions are divided. Ironically it turned out to be a Buddhist Scholar Norm Phelps who had recently posted two of his well researched work on http://www.newageislam.com , and I would invite the readers to re-visit those articles.
Islam and Animal Rights by Norm Phelps: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=2230
Sacrifices in Islam by Norm Phelps
http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=3631
Other related article also appear on http://www.islamicconcern.com
The Sacrifice of ‘Eidal –Ahada” by ShahidAl Mutaqqi
http://www.islamicconcern.com/sacrifice01.asp
A Pakistani View of Baqar Eid by Abuzar Rayees
http://www.islamicconcern.com/sacrifice02.asp
And YES, I do maintain that the title of my article is quite appropriate in the light of the following verse.
“It is not their flesh, nor their blood, that reaches Allah; nor yet their blood, but your devotion will reach him (Quran 2:196 ; 2:28 . 35-37)
What happens on the streets of Karachi during these three days of the festival it does not take much to notice that the so called Qurbani has transformed into a blood orgy defied by all standards of human decency.”
Last, but not least, pls do read http://www.islamawareness.net/Hajj/sacrafice.html also.
And yes, I hope more and more muslims would agree, at least they’d not care as to what a selected few “order” or expect them to follow. Thanks.
@ Animal Lover
Nobody stripped you of your right to speak, at least I never did.
Its neither religious fanaticism nor mistaken belief. Its ISLAM my dear. I gave you replies from Quran but you avoided. Then you asked for proof from Hadith; I again complied with references from Sahih Bukhari. Now again you are avoiding it.
What now my dear??? Do you want me to produce a video of Imam Bukhari testifying in support of the Ahaadith? I am afraid that is not possible. Sorry!
@ Mohammad Asif
Thanks for the heads up.
Yes I know, the shackles of mistaken belief are hard to set free, especially if religious fanaticism is in the root of it.But I do have right to speak, even if it is against their version. Thanks.
Few comments back when Alam said that Allah’s order was for ancient time, I came across verses of Quran which really, really has discussed everything from beginning till end and has already mentioned how would people treat His orders.
Who deny the Day of Recompense.And none deny it except every sinful transgressor. When Our verses are recited to him, he says, “Legends of the former peoples.” No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning. (Quran 83:11-14)
I’m thankful of people like Alam,Animal Lover or others using multiple IDs here. People like them have always helped me to experience myself what Allah had mentioned long time back in His Holy Book.
@NaanH: As my friend Asif said,”Bhains kay agay kia been bajana?” Just read the above ayah and move on.
Dear Animal Lover,
Bhaijaan, beware!! Your comments would never be accepted by the mullah community, and traders of bakra skins. I have little doubts that they’d start abusing you and accusing you of blasphemy of their own judgement.
You are right that today, the ritual is a mere show-off of money power which can be witnessed a day or two before, at bakra mandies. Very true that the muslims are killing animals, but the sacrifice is only of money and not of animal as proclaimed. Why not use that money in a better, civic,humane and decent way, rather than killing animals?
But your arguments would make any difference to the fundamentalists, I can’t really imagine! Bhains ke aagey been bajane se kya hota hai?
Thanks Khurshid and Salman for your nice words. I hope more and more muslims understand that killing animals should be avoided.
Anyways, I have discovered a typo in one of my recent posts : gaze should be replaced with the word graze, please. Thanks.
Mr. Animal Lover
I had previously given you spiritual and economic reasons why sacrificing animals means total submission to Allah almighty. Then I left the discussion after giving you sound answers with references from Quran to your various illogical remarks and questions, i.e. animals are not meant for food, Allah never allowed to kill or slaughter animals as sacrifice etc.
You can go back and see that you always avoided my authentic replies and always raised a different question. It looks like you made it an issue of ego rather than accepting the reality.
Now you say that
>>>The fact is that nowhere in Quran, or Hadith, it has been Commanded to a muslim to kill animals throughtout his life, on a fixed day every year, such as Eid day>>>
YOU ARE WRONG…… TOTALLY WRONG
There is a complete chapter in Sahih Bukhari on Eidain (the two Eids) containing several Ahaadith relating the commands and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with respect to Nahr (slaughtering) on Eid ul Adha. I have reproduced the English translation of relevant Ahaadith from http://www.ahadith.co.uk while the original text and Urdu translations are found in hard copy of Sahih Bukhari published by numerous printers in India and Pakistan. Read the Ahaadith below and decide for yourself. I think you have no chance of denial now.
Narrated: Al-Bara bin Azib:
The Prophet (PBUH)went towards Al-Baqi (the grave-yard at Medina) on the day of Eid-ul-Adha and offered a two-Rakat prayer (of Eid-ul-Adha) and then faced us and said, “On this day of ours, our first act of worship is the offering of prayer and then we will return and slaughter the sacrifice, and whoever does this concords with our Sunna; and whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before that (i.e. before the prayer) then that was a thing which he prepared earlier for his family and it would not be considered as a Nusuk (sacrifice.)” A man stood up and said, “O, Allah’s Apostle! I slaughtered (the animal before the prayer) but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep.” The Prophet (PBUH) said to him, “Slaughter it. But a similar sacrifice will not be sufficient for anybody else after you.”
Sahih Bukhari Chapter 15, Hadith 71, 75, 82, 85 and 93 given on the website http://bit.ly/gwAs3s
Original Text of this Hadith and Urdu translation can be found in Sahih Bukhari Volume 2 Chapter 13 “Kitab ul Eidain” Ahaadith no. 951 (Page 122), no. 955 (page 125), no. 965 (page 129) no. 958 (page 131) no. 976 (page 137) no. 983 (page 142)
Here you can see that Al-Baqee (the graveyard at Madinah) is mentioned and everyone knows that Hajj is not performed in Madinah. Furthermore, everyone knows that one does not offer Eid prayers if one is performing Hajj. So all these Ahadith must relate to those Muslims who are not performing Hajj. And thus the command of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to slaughter animals on Eid ul Adha is as bright as sun.
Another hadith…
Narrated: Ibn Umar
The Prophet (p.b.u.h) used to Nahr or slaughter sacrifices at the Musalla (on Eid-ul-Adha).Sahih Bukhari Chapter 15, Hadith 98
Original Text of this Hadith and Urdu translation can be found in Sahih Bukhari Volume 2 Chapter 13 “Kitab ul Eidain” Ahaadith no. 982 (Page 142)
and another one….
Narrated: Sahl bin Bakkar
The narration of Anas abridged, saying, “The Prophet slaughtered seven Budn (camels) while standing, with his own hands. On the day of Eid-ul-Adha he slaughtered (sacrificed) two horned rams, black and white in color.Sahih Bukhari Chapter 26, Hadith 770
So my dear, let go of your illogical ego and embrace the commands of Allah and his Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lest you are considered ill-fated.