Why bloodless eid is a must?
Decoding the negative impact of bakra eid.
Whenever eid is around the first thing that comes on my mind is blood. Since the childhood days, we have been witnessing millions of goats being slaughtered.
Imagine being a goat. You have been fed round the year so that you can be slaughtered and enjoyed by a tongue. How disgraceful isn't it? Imagine its impact on the child who has associated with the goat and suddenly realizes it is time to slaughter and eat it. For some of them, it is a disturbing experience.
Nowadays as climate change is taking a toll on the world, many people have been thinking about a nature-friendly lifestyle. Many activists raised questions on the celebration style of festivals, especially of Hindus. Waterless Holi, crackerless Diwali, eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi, leather-free Raksha Bandhan(Never heard of leather rakhis?)
And what about Islamic ‘Festival of Sacrifice’ Eid al-Adha where approx 100 million animals including goats, camels, and cows are slaughtered.
Let us discuss how a voiceless being is tortured in the name of offering to the god:-
- Tightly packed into ships where they suffer for weeks with little or no food or water, surrounded by their own piling excrement.
- Many die of dehydration or malnutrition, including infants born during the journey.
- Breaking their tails and beating them to keep them moving while marching them to the place of sacrifice.
- Finally handling them to untrained people who slit animals’ throats with dull knives further increases the pain.
Seeing the rituals the question comes on my mind is Allah compassionate? Why would he allow such brutality?
In the past, some of the activists have tried to raise voice on bloodless eid but they were often threatened or attacked. A few years back a women activist was almost lynched for holding a placard mentioning bloodless eid.
It is often seen the Islamic clerics having a strong opinion on Qurbani. If Allah has sanctioned it then it has to be true. But who will teach the real meaning of Qurbani?
The story of Qurbani
The tradition of Qurbani comes from the story of Ibraheem (as) and his son Ismaeel. Most of us have heard the story of Ibraheem (as) having a dream of slaughtering his son:
‘And when he reached with him (the age of) exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I (must) sacrifice you, so see what you think.”
He (Ismaeel) said, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.”’ (37:102)
When Abraham held the blade to his son’s neck on Mount Arafat, the angel Gabriel appeared to prevent him from going through with it, saying he had already demonstrated his love for god. A goat was slaughtered in the boy’s stead.
But what was the point of this? This dream was a test of Ibraheem (as)’s submission to Allah’s will. Ismaeel (as) was the most beloved thing to him in the world. This test was sent by Allah to see whether Ibraheem (as) was willing to sacrifice his most precious worldly possessions and desires for His sake.
The current scenario of Qurbani
As some Muslims are opting for veganism nowadays, the demand for a bloodless eid has been on the rise. And the majority of Islam is annoyed with them.
Here I would like to highlight will Allah be displeased because if someone decided to show compassion to the creatures and not kill them? If yes then he is not a compassionate god.
Let us see what the rule book of Islam has to say on this
Qurra ibn Iyas reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I was going to slaughter a sheep but I had mercy on it (or felt sorry for it).” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “If you had mercy on the sheep, then Allah will have mercy on you twice.” (al-Adab al-Mufrad 373 Book 20, Hadith 373), Graded as Sahih (authentic) by Sh. Al-Albani, rh).
Abu Umama that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who shows mercy, even to an animal meant for slaughtering, will be shown mercy by Allah on the Day of Rising.”-Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 380
Another thing to consider
The verses in Surah Al-Hajj outlining the sacrifice (verses 31–37) were revealed after the Prophet (pbuh) arrived in Medina. The Muslim population at that point in time was approximately 300–400.
The number of animals they would have sacrificed can be safely estimated at a few dozen or hundred. But today Islam is now fast approaching 2,000,000,000 (billion) Muslims around the world.
Imagine a billion population killing tens of millions on Eid alone.
Aren’t Islam’s objectives to maximize benefit and minimize harm to all?
So would Islam still sanction the mass killing of animals on Eid today given the fact our planet is in peril largely because of…the mass killing of animals?
People say “Islam’s rules don’t change!” “We have to sacrifice an animal on Eid no matter what!”
So how can you claim to be a compassionate, caring soul when your actions are directly contributing to the misery of others?
Where are the imams, the muftis, and community leaders of Islam? Do they not consider this planet as Allah’s creation?
It would be really nice to hear a Friday sermon dedicated to bloodless eid.
The activists, media, and politicians should courageously demand bloodless eid. There is no use to target those(Hindus) who are already in harmony with nature.
If the environment needs to be saved the reformation in Islam and its way of celebrating festivals needs to be challenged.
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