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.
yes, Quran is crystal clear. now, i am giving u answer in ur way.
1. u said, animal must be donated to Ka abah. i don’t know where u got those translations from. the correct translation is the following:
(22:33)”In them ye have benefits for a term appointed: in the end their place of sacrifice is near the Ancient House.”
now, try to understand “in the end their place of sacrifice is NEAR the ancient house (or shrine)”
what does this “NEAR” tells u?? H.Ibrahim sacrificed the sheep at the place of Meena and that is Near to shrine. at Hajj, we do what was the Sunnah of H.Ibrahim. i hope u r clarified now abt this verse.
now, (22:32)Such (is his state): and whoever holds in honour the symbols of Allah, (in the sacrifice of animals), such (honour) should come truly from piety of heart.
this verse is asking us that our intentions when we are gonna sacrifice an animal should be clear and there should be one thing in our hearts and minds that we are doing what Allah has commanded us and what Prophet(pbuh) practiced. i hope u have understood.
2. i have not completely understood what’s ur view here abt this ayah, plz explain again or i think i have answered it in 1. isn’t it??
3. Only God’s name shall be mentioned. The meat shall be consumed by Hajji, poor and needy.
The sacrificial camels we have made for you as among the symbols from Allah. in them is (much) good for you: then pronounce the name of Allah over them as they line up (for sacrifice): when they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat ye thereof, and feed such as (beg not but) live in contentment, and such as beg with due humility: thus have We made animals subject to you, that ye may be grateful.
yes, that’s right. The animals are sacrificed with the name of God mentioned. note one thing here!!! These are one of those verses which say that animal sacrifice is totally allowed (HALAL), which u don’t think so. U think we kill animals rather than sacrifice. ok, back to the topic, here in this verse, Allah is not bounding Muslims to eat the meat of sacrificed animals. if u have performed the pilgrimage, u must know how the Hajjis strive. it is sometimes impossible for them to eat the meat at that time because they can’t pack them up and carry to their homes but they should eat I agree because it is the wish of Allah. There is not such thing said by Prophet (pbuh), companions and four Imams. And yes, there are some people who do not give much to needy but don’t deny the fact that those are in majority who donate a large part of their sacrificed animals to the destitute. Even if they do not, that does not mean that we should not sacrifice animal, if it happens, there will be a need for us to transform ourselves. But even in this ayah, there isn’t anything which says that we should not sacrifice.
4. Only righteousness is important to God.
(22:36)It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah. it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right.
yes, that’s right. We should not show off and our intentions should be clear while sacrificing an animal. But where it is saying that we should not sacrifice animal?? it is saying that our intentions should be clear and we should do that. That does not mean that we should not sacrifice the animal.
and ur new tradition is just bullshit. are u joking here??
We ‘Liberals’ are generally not prone to shoving policies down others throat but the conservatives and the fundamentalists are much more likely to force their ideas upon others.
@Meengla:
Ironically the point of whole post and then infinite baseless comments by its supporters is the classic example of imposing the personal view by seeking the shelter of the religion.No “Mullah” asked Adil et all to create a post to “promote” Sacrifice. Also, a non-Mullah “literally” kept repeating the ayah 2:37 again and again. When non-Mullahs can’t digest others point of view and start cursing others then what’s the point of complaining here? Or someone must redefine” fundos” here *grin*
p.s: Have a piece of Gola Kabab from my side. It’s yummilicious!
Agree. Good to have debate. But also good to know when to stop beacse you are no longer convincing anyone new.
Do the commenters – on both sides – realize that they are now constantly repeating themselves.
Guys, if others do not agree with you after your repeating your argument 10 times already, they will not do so on the 11th time.
Live with it!
Thanks Meengla and AHsn for your comments.
Meengla asks:
“Can they honestly say that the annual displays of so-called sacrifices of animals in Pakistani streets are done in the spirit of sacrifice?”
-I cited one example where the spirit of “watering the mouth” was present rather than anything else. :)