on the day of Eid it is not uncommon to see blood on roads and improperly disposed waste in Muslim dominated areas. For a religion which preaches that cleanliness is half of Imaan, these practices are strongly condemnable.
By Kousar Fathima,
Eid al Adha, popularly known as Bakreid in India, is around the corner, where many Muslims perform the annual pilgrimage of Haj in Mecca and all over the world sacrifice domesticated livestock to commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim years ago.
The sacrifice or Qurbani is wajib/compulsory to be followed by all Muslims who financially can afford (have Nisab). The sacrifice is done from the sunrise of 10th of Zil hijjah, the 12th month in the Islamic Hijri calendar, to sunset of 12 th Zil hijjah. The sacrificed meat is proportionately divided into three parts, one is kept for self use, one part distributed among relatives and friends and the third part distributed among the poor and needy. Most Muslims do it personally in their houses but many donate the fixed amount to voluntary organisations who after the sacrifice distribute the meat among the poor and needy.
Due to the changing financial conditions, many Muslims can now afford to follow the practice, some families offer as many as 3 to 4 qurbanis depending on the members in the family, and consequently meat is available in abundance for distribution. Many a times excessive meat is available due to improper planning and if not promptly distributed or properly stored may get spoilt.
The Qurbani in large families should be done in a way that there should be proper distribution especially among the needy. One option can be that a one livestock is slaughtered at home and the rest donated to a reliable organisation that will distribute it among the needy. There are many organisations who pack and store it and later send it to remote places which are generally neglected.
Besides, even before Eid, care should be taken to prevent any inconvenience to others, especially to non-Muslim friends. Particularly in India, it is a common sight to see days before the Eid, livestock on the roads and people flocking to buy them. Many don’t realise the road blocks and traffic jams caused by the livestock shopping. The livestock should be assembled in an open ground so as to prevent any inconvenience to others.
The cleanliness and hygiene factor should not be forgotten, the place should be regularly cleaned to prevent any foul smell. And most importantly sacrifice should not be done on roads or public places. Not only it causes inconvenience to others but can also cause health hazards.
The fear of outbreak of disease should not be forgotten. On the day of Eid it is not uncommon to see blood on roads and improperly disposed waste in Muslim dominated areas. For a religion which preaches that cleanliness is half of Imaan, these practices are strongly condemnable. Our religious ritual should not be a cause of discomfort to others.
Every effort should be made to make it as hygienic as possible. Mosques should act as community centres, should start educating the people much before the Eid. Committees formed in the local masjids should monitor the entire processes; youngsters should volunteer to oversee the arrangements. Although the Qurbani is done individually at homes, a collective responsibility lies on all to do it without causing inconvenience.
Slaughter houses should also come forward to help, and an alternative option can be that the livestock slaughtered in the slaughter houses and the meat packed and delivered to the individuals. This is the common practice in most gulf countries; in fact no slaughter in open is allowed, particularly in cities.
Due to various reasons strict laws may not be enforced in India but as citizens we should not forget our responsibilities. Our efforts to have a hygienic Eid will not only be beneficial to all but also will clear the many misunderstandings about the festival. The main aim of the festival is to remind about the sacrifice of prophet Ibrahim and also to help the poor and needy.
In the zest of doing things we forget the spirit of the rituals; if not done properly the very spirit is damaged. It is not about how many Qurbani a family can afford to give but also about how well you can do it, fulfilling the aim of distributing it among the actual people who need it.
May this Eid al Adha be the time to educate others about the true spirit of Qurbani . Following simple measures about safety and hygiene is all that needed. May all be blessed and the needy are helped.
(Dr Kouser Fathima, a dental practitioner, has special interests in issues concerning women)