Muslims worldwide will celebrate Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, on Monday. This major Islamic holiday falls 10 days after the sighting of the crescent moon. It commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's (also known as Abraham) unwavering faith. As the story goes, God commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismail. Ibrahim's willingness to obey is remembered through this Eid al-Adha celebration. The holiday is also sometimes called Bakri Eid because of the tradition of sacrificing an animal, often a goat, to mark the occasion.
Mumbai's Deonar abattoir, run by the city municipality, is the biggest marketplace for sacrificial animals during Eid al-Adha. Here, goats with unique markings are especially sought-after. One such goat, brought from Udaipur by dealer Dilip Tel, had an asking price of a whopping 51 lakh rupees! The reason? Markings that supposedly resembled the words 'Allah' and 'Prophet Mohammad'. While it's unclear if the goat sold for that price, it highlights the value placed on such markings.
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Meanwhile, religious scholar Maulana Mohammad Arif clarifies that the sacrificial tradition predates Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, for hundreds of years.
"The first sacrifice took place during the time of Adam, the first Prophet who lived around 2500 years before Prophet Mohammad. Prophet Adam had two sons, Qabil and Habil (The Biblical Cain and Abel). Both wanted to marry the same woman. Allah told Prophet Adam that his sons should offer a sacrifice to marry the woman," said Mohammad Arif.
The narrative takes a tragic turn. Habil, a pastoralist, presents a prime ram as his sacrificial offering. In contrast, Qabil, a cultivator, offers produce from his fields. Qabil's sacrifice is not accepted, and overcome by envy, he commits fratricide against his brother.
Eid al-Adha observances include sacrificing an animal, typically a goat, on the first day of the holiday or the following two days. Meanwhile, Saturday marked a significant day for Hajj pilgrims gathered in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.**
"The Quran says 'Neither the flesh nor the blood of your sacrifices reaches God, but it is the righteous motive underlying them that reaches him'. Can sacrificing personal benefits amplify measures for a healthier, safer world? Can the sacrifice of personal resources augment a sound education for all, or reinforce a scientific temper?" Ali asked
