Warning: This is a highly sensitive and controversial topic and I'm well aware of it. I'm also aware of the hate I'll get, so I'm letting know in advance that I use my block button liberally. I want no negativity in the Opinions section!
Two months ago I posted two myTakes on Ramadan, and there I mentioned that after Ramadan ends, the first day of the next month is our first Eid festival, Eid-ul-Fitr (Feast of Charity). Well, we have Another Eid festival which is called Eid-ul-Azha (Feast of Sacrifice).
What is Eid-ul-Azha?
Christmas is to Christians what Eid is to Muslims, period. It's our biggest celebration days. We eat good food, wear new clothes, glam up and visit our relatives and friends, and have a lot of fun. Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated after Ramadan ends. Eid-ul-Azha takes place exactly two months and ten days later. This year, Eid-ul-Azha is on September 1 in most countries, and in other places like mine, it's on September 2.
What is its origin?
When Allah ordered prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Isma'il as an act of obedience, he did attempt to do so despite Satan tempting him to not do it. In the last moment, Allah was pleased with prophet Ibrahim's obedience and ordered angel Jibra'il (Gabriel) to replace Isma'il with a lamb instead. From then, Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated to remember this history.
For everything else I write next: although the general ideas are the same everywhere, the information I'm giving here is specific to my place. Of course, why should I talk about Eid in Indonesia or Middle East when I've never even been to those places?
What kind of animals are sacrificed?
Animals with four legs that are halal to eat, basically the ones you get red meat from. Cows/bulls, goats, sheep, camels etc.
The animal MUST be grown up, which is why there is a rough estimation of the minimum legal age of these animals. Sheep/goats, such as, must be at least six months old. Cows need to at least two years old, and camels need to be at least five years old. Again, the most important thing is to make sure it's not a young animal/calf.
How are the animals treated?
Contrary to what you may think, we take a lot of care of the animals we buy. We make sure the animals live in comfort and get everything they need. They are given a lot of food and so much care. It's cold outside? Bring them in a warm spot or cover them up. Mosquitoes? Keep them in control in any way possible. The animal is sick/injured? Call an animal doctor. But none of us ever keep an animal suffering. Hell no.
It does get very costly and physically demanding though. This is why most people in cities here buy the animals two-three days in advance. Some people buy the animals only the day before Eid. In villages where grass/leaves are literally free, people there can buy the animals four-five days in advance. Oh and of course, the animals are also kept clean.
How does the sacrifice take place?
Skip this part if you have a very weak mind. I'm warning you!
On Eid day, the animals are bathed in early morning and sacrificed after the Eid prayer in morning; some early, some late. Either the owner of an animal himself does it (this is the most ideal) or someone else is asked/hired to do it for him. In cities the animals are usually sacrificed in a field or by the streets if that's the only way. In villages they do it in the yard.
I won't go into details here because the process of slaughter is the same as how halal animals in any Muslim butcher's shop are slaughtered (Zabihah). The knife used is kept at its sharpest form so that neither the person nor the animal have to suffer with the lengthy process of trying to dig a dull knife through the animal's throat. The animal is turned in a way that its nose is pointing at Qibla (Direction of the Holy Kaaba in Mecca) before it is slaughtered.
If this triggers you, remember that all meat that you get from the supermarket or eat in KFC are also killed in a certain method. Here I just described a process that is no different from others because, in the end, it's all about killing animals for food. On Eid it is the same thing only done by non-butchers.
How is the meat distributed?
1/3 for the family owning it.
1/3 for relatives, friends and neighbors.
1/3 given away to the poor and needy.
The skin is sold to leather tanneries, the money earned from it is donated to orphanages, Islamic schools, for the construction of a mosque etc purposes. It's a lot of work and busyness.
Celebration of Eid
It has different names in different places. It's called Bakri-Eid or Bakra Eid in most of South Asia, we call it Qurbani Eid. Just like any other holiday, people shop for new clothes and shoes, wish each other and send cards, take selfies on Eid, eat yummy food, meet other people. Children get gifts and money. Except that adults remain super busy, nothing is different.
By late afternoon, no sign of an animal remains. The blood is washed off, other stuff are also removed, only the smell of meat remains for a bit longer. But otherwise, it feels awfully empty and calm and quiet. Even 24 hours ago there were animals everywhere! Eating, grazing, making noises.
It feels awfully empty, like a densely populated place that people left within a day. Yeah, we do feel bad. That neighbor's mad bull and how it tried to attack everyone nearby. Those two goats that always fought with each other. Remembering how many times that other silly goat tried to eat my skirt. All gone. Don't think that we don't end up getting attached to those animals. Sad truth is, not everything that we get attached to is meant to stay forever with us.
Can I get a like for this myTake cause 1) it took me a lot of courage to post 2) getting the right pictures-I know they are few- took longer than writing this and 3) that I actually bothered to write this? Lol, anyway hope you learned something from it! Eid Mubarak! :)
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