spare the poor goat or lamb or cows 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.
@Ahsn: if u r a Muslim, u must have credence in the veracity of ur own religion. i just wanna ask u a question. if slaughtering of animal were a brutal act, why our Holy Prophet(pbuh) and ancestors slaughtered an ate the meal of animals?? Sir, don’t think that our Religion Islam is an abysmal Religion. it does define the rights of all creatures of Allah. our first believe is that, if it were a brutal act, our Holy Prophet(pbuh) did not do it or enjoined us to do it.
now, have a look at some ahadis:
Remember, these traditions are quoted from Sahi Bhukari, Sahi Muslim and Sunan Abi Dawood, three authentic books of ahadis:
Sahi Muslim, Book 22, Number 4845:
‘A’isha reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded that a ram with black legs, black belly and black (circles) round the eyes should be brought to him, so that he should sacrifice it. He said to ‘A’isha: Give me the large knife, and then said: Sharpen it on a stone. She did that. He then took it (the knife) and then the ram; he placed it on the ground and then sacrificed it, saying: Bismillah, Allah-humma Taqabbal min Muhammadin wa Al-i-Muhammadin, wa min Ummati Muhammadin (In the name of Allah, “O Allah, accept [this sacrifice] on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and the Umma of Muhammad”).
Sahi Muslim, Book 22, Number 4841:
Anas reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) sacrificed with his own hands two horned rams which were white with black markings reciting the name of Allah and glorifying Him (saying Allah-o-Akbar). He placed his foot on their sides (while sacrificing).
Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 9, Number 2784:
Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib:
Hanash said: I saw Ali sacrificing two rams; so I asked him: What is this? He replied. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) enjoined upon me to sacrifice on his behalf, so that is what I am doing.
Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 9, Number 2805:
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) used to slaughter his sacrificial animal at the place of prayer. Ibn ‘Umar himself used to do so.
“Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” Thomas Gray
“I am sick of peole including the author of avioding to participate in religious festivals and encouraging others to interpret islam in a way to opt out of almost every religious festival.”
@Sara
It is not the matter of feasting, rejoicing and being happy. It is always a pleasure for all of us and and no Liberal Muslim is against it. The discord is only about the sacrifice (slaghtering and animal). The base of this particular festival is the sacrifice by a prophet (Abraham) of one of his two sons (Isac or Ismael) on demand of some mysterious source (God). God is said to have accepted the sacrifice (virtualy) without receiving any (actually (in sense of physically)).
Now the Muslims commemorate this event by sacrficing the animals of their choice and claim that it is a religious obligation. Before Islam the Pagan Arabs also used to sacrifice animals to the gods of their choice. The Muslim God (Allah) gave a nod to this practice and the Muslims continued this Pagan ritual in the name of unique God (Allah). How the same bad act of Pagans becomes a good act in Islam?
The slaughtring of animals and in some cases humans in the name of religion is pre-Islamic. The Incas (Indians) used to sacrifice human heart to their god. The Romans usqed to throw a gladiator to the loins for their (and public) pleasure. The Pagans usually used only animals to keep their gods happy. We (the present human beings) have always condemned these barbaric acts.
How can we condone the same in the name of Islam.
Now, I (and other liberals!) have no objection to use the meet as a part of normal meal. So, please go slaughtering the animals! You do not have to hide behind a religion or doing it for personal pleasure or show off!!
AHsn
My intention is not to make any comparison among religions, but here is an account of spirit of sacrifice from Hindu mythology narrated by one of my Hindu friends:
King Shivi was a very just ruler.One day as he was sitting in his court, a pigeon fell into his lap being followed by a hawk (baaj).King Shivi said the pigeon had come to his shelter, so he would rescue it at any cost.But the baaj argued that kabutar is its prey. Then to save the pigeon and at the same time not let hawk starve, the King cut flesh equal to the weight of pigeon from his own thigh and fed the hawk. Due to this sacrifice, life of pigeon could be saved.This is true sacrifice.
God loves such sacrifices, which are free from any selfishness.
In muslim mythology Prophet Ibrahim upon Allah’s Command, was ready to sacrifice His own son. That spirit is sacrifice, but killing animals definitely is NOT.
Animal sacrifice is barbaric, cruel and uncivilized way to “bribe” or please the God. Almighty who created the universe, and every living being therein, is in no way interested in boti or haddi that is brutally cut from innocent animals.As verse from the Holy Quran has been quoted multiple times, no drop of blood or mass of flesh is ever going to reach Allah.If just eating meat and getting food off cattles is the only aim of this ugly ritual, what the hell is religion doing here? Why is it being cited as some form of pious act or worship, or glorified and extolled unnecessarily? The “road-show” or street exhibition of so called pity and kindness is intolerable in today’s civilized world as almost all other cultures disapprove of this practice causing lot of embarrassment to muslims living alongwith other communities. Such cruelity is legally forbidden in many countries for obvious reasons.
Grow up and come outa ghetto of ignorance and shallow thinking and show courage to accept the facts.