In a bid to respect the sentiments of vegetarians, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has asked the Muslim community to refrain from sharing photographs of the animals sacrificed on the occasion of Id-ul-Azha which falls this Thursday. The Jamiat has also asked the faithful to follow government guidelines while offering sacrifice. “Do not sacrifice forbidden animals and avoid sharing pictures of slaughtered animals on social media,” said Arshad Madani, president of the organisation.
He also reminded the community that there is no alternative to animal sacrifice, but “it should be done according to official guidelines issued by various State governments”. His statement follows a social media campaign by some animal rights activists asking the community to desist from animal sacrifice on the festival and instead give money to the poor.
Without naming the buffalo, Mr. Madani said, “If mischievous elements prevent the sacrifice of a black animal also, people should take the administration into confidence and then the sacrifice should be offered.” He underlined the need to differentiate between the sacrifice of a buffalo and cow slaughter which should not be done under any circumstances in States where cow slaughter is prohibited. Incidentally, tens of thousands of Muslims take part in a joint sacrifice of buffaloes where seven persons pool in resources to procure a single animal, making it economically more viable than buying a goat or sheep.
Asking the community to make sure no animal part, skin or blood is seen in a public place, he said, “Every possible effort should be made that no one is hurt by your action. If there is a problem, a complaint should be registered with the local police. The animal waste should be buried and not littered on the road.”
Mr. Madani reminded the community that Id sacrifice helps in maintaining the ecological balance and helps the poor to have adequate protein intake for the day. “There is no substitute for sacrifice. It is a religious duty. It should be done in the right spirit,” Mr. Madani said in his advisory before Id.
