Order your Qurbani now! A Muslim sacrifice after Eid ul-Adha

Hi,

The other night, I went to Khan Indian BBQ on Devon with Josephine then trotted across the street to halal butcher Farm City Market. We were there to see what ingredients they may supply for Josephine's birthday haggis.

On the wall behind the counter was the reminder, "Order your Qurbani now!" Never having heard of Qurbani, I inquired what people typically ordered. Qurbani involves a ritual slaughter of an animal where your advance order includes people's names to be announced to the animal as part of the sacrificial ritual.

In the Qurbani link which explains the nature of the holiday as well as the rules, specifies this slaughtered meat is for Muslims only.

Question: DISTRIBUTION OF QURBANI MEAT TO NON-MUSLIMS

Distribution of Qurbani meat or any other charity (sadqa) to "Harbi Kafir" is not permissable at all. It is mentioned in Durr-e-Mukhtar: "Even though a Harbi Kafir is peace-wanting, charity is unanimously not permissable." In Behr-ur-Raiq: "According to Shar'ah, giving something to a Harbi Kafir is not permissable, for no Sawaab can be gained through this."

Prior to writing this post, I did find one other mention of Qurbani related to a dessert served at Hyderbad House approximately one year ago.

Farm City Market
Fresh Halal Meat
Mon-Sat 9-9
Sun 9-8
2255 W. Devon
Chicago, IL 60659
(773)274-2255

[Edited subject line to correct relationship of Qurbani to Eid)

C2,

That is a fascintating tradition. Good detective work!

David "I always say 'charity is unanimously not permissable'" Hammond

A few points of clarification: qurbani is not a holiday following Eid, but the sacrifice associated with Eid ul-Adha, which started earlier in the week.

Also, while your link states otherwise, I have never heard about restriction of qurbani (or charity, in general) to Muslims only. Your link makes reference to "Harbi Kafir" which is usually intended to refer to those groups or individuals who are at war with or fight against Islam. I suppose that phrase would be open to some interpretation, but I'd be willing to say that most Muslims do not define any non-Muslim as somebody actively working against the religion. But I'll leave it at that.

Zee

Zeeshan,

Frankly the restriction on who receives the meat of the sacrified animal does not particularly bother me. It is their belief, their lifestyle, one I would be respectful of and not challenge.

In the Catholic church, the Eucharist is restricted to Catholics only. Whereas if you go to a non-Catholic Christian church, if one is baptized, then you are welcome to communion.

Thanks for the explanation of the relationship of Qurbani to Eid. Yesterday I was donating clothing to the Salvation Army store in Evanston. The intake clerk had henna painted on her hands. I inquired if she had been to a wedding. She explained it was related to festivities related to Eid.

If you have a link to website that you feel provides an excellent explanation of Eid, Qurbani and the related rituals, then please do offer it.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote: If you have a link to website that you feel provides an excellent explanation of Eid, Qurbani and the related rituals, then please do offer it.

I'm much more lapsed Muslim than scholar, but here are a few sites that provide some basic information on Eid ul-Adha.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_ul-Adha (linked above)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/holydays/eid_ul_adha.shtml

http://www.religioustolerance.org/isl_feast.htm

Cathy, I didn't assume any malice on your part in your description of the distribution of qurbani meat, but wanted to offer more information. I was taught, and our family practiced, the tradition of distributing qurbani in thirds -- to family, friends, and to the poor.

Zee

actually I think that various muslim associations were working to last year and this current year to broaden the tradition and share the meat from the sacrifices to various folks in need of food, a great way of reaching out I thought

Animal Sacrifices Maim 1,400 in Turkey

Over a thousand Turks spent the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha in emergency wards on Sunday after stabbing themselves or suffering other injuries while sacrificing startled animals.

At least 1,413 people - referred to as "amateur butchers" by the Turkish media - were treated at hospitals across the country, most suffering cuts to their hands and legs, the Anatolia news agency reported.

...

Muslims sacrifice cows, sheep, goats and bulls during the four-day religious holiday, a ritual commemorating the biblical account of God's provision of a ram for Abraham to sacrifice as he was about to slay his son. They share the meat with friends, family and neighbors and give part of it to the poor.

Turkish authorities have introduced fines for those who slaughter animals outside facilities set up by local municipalities, but many Turks ignored the rules and sacrificed animals in their backyards or on roadsides.

Just yesterday a friend was relating a story of her Muslim son-in-law taking her grandson to Vermont to do a ritual killing of sheep for Eid. While ideally the animal is supposed to be calmed, then someone from behind inserts a knife between a vertebrae killing the animal instantly. My friend described what amounts to amateur butchering, cited in the article, with animals fleeing and people chasing them back. One sheep took off and never reappeared.

Regards,

I just recently read an article regarding the ritual Eid sacrifice in an Indian newspaper. Apparently an enterprising person has started a business in Pakistan where you can select your sacrificial animal/s online. Selected animals come with a certificate ensuring that they are from healthy stock etc. (like pedigreed dogs). Another service component offered is that the company will do the sacrificing for you and recite selected family members names. The meat will then be packaged and delievered to your home.

The artyicle indicated that the business is very successful!

Another service component offered is that the company will do the sacrificing for you and recite selected family members names. The meat will then be packaged and delievered to your home.

This appears to be the services a Halal butcher on Devon will do, though without the internet component.

Regards,