History:
It is believed in the religion of Islam that Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ once asked Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام that HE (Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) asked the Prophet to sacrifice something dearest to him. Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام decided to give away his beloved 13 year-old son Ismail عليه السلام as a gratitude to Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ on HIS command. However, observing his gesture, Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ intervened by sending his angel Jibra'il عليه السلام (Gabriel) to accept his sacrifice, who then put a sheep (Dumba) in his beloved son's place. From that day onwards, people commemorate this festival by sacrificing an animal, which is then divided into three parts. These three parts are then distributed - one part is given to the relatives, friends and neighbors; second part to the poor and needy; and the third is kept with themselves.
Religious Proof & Significance: Quranic verses and Hadiths about the context.
Quranic verses:
There are number of the verses of Quran which directly acknowledge the Qurbani. English translations of few verses from Kanzul Iman which was composed by the great sufi saint Aala Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Barelwi are following:
It is believed in the religion of Islam that Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ once asked Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام that HE (Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) asked the Prophet to sacrifice something dearest to him. Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام decided to give away his beloved 13 year-old son Ismail عليه السلام as a gratitude to Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ on HIS command. However, observing his gesture, Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ intervened by sending his angel Jibra'il عليه السلام (Gabriel) to accept his sacrifice, who then put a sheep (Dumba) in his beloved son's place. From that day onwards, people commemorate this festival by sacrificing an animal, which is then divided into three parts. These three parts are then distributed - one part is given to the relatives, friends and neighbors; second part to the poor and needy; and the third is kept with themselves.
Religious Proof & Significance: Quranic verses and Hadiths about the context.
Quranic verses:
There are number of the verses of Quran which directly acknowledge the Qurbani. English translations of few verses from Kanzul Iman which was composed by the great sufi saint Aala Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Barelwi are following:
B[2]. Say you, 'Undoubtedly, my prayer, and my sacrifices,
and my living and my dying are all for Allah Who is the Lord (Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) of all the worlds.
C[3]. And for every nation, We
appointed a sacrifice that they might mention the name of
Allah
عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ over the mute quadrupeds that He has provided to them. But your
God (Almighty Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) is one God (Almighty
Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ), then
submit to Him only and O beloved! Give glad tidings to the humble.
D[4]. And We made the sacrificial
bulky animals (cattle) among the symbols of
Allah
عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ for you. In them, there is Good for you. So mention the name of
Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ over them while standing in line with three legs and tied up
with one leg, then hen their sides fall down, eat there of yourself and feed
the contented and the beggars, thus We have subjected them to you, so that you
may be thankful.
Other
Quranic references are as follow as: Al-Baqara : 196, Al-Imran :
183, Al-Maidah : 2,
Al-Maidah : 95, Al-Maidah : 97 and Al-Fat-h : 25.
The best part of these all references is that the translation of these verses are almost same according to all the translators who had translated the Quran in urdu.
Al-Maidah : 95, Al-Maidah : 97 and Al-Fat-h : 25.
The best part of these all references is that the translation of these verses are almost same according to all the translators who had translated the Quran in urdu.
Hadiths: Similarly there are number
of the hadiths who acknowledge Qurbani from the all prominent books of hadith.
Few of them are following:
Few of them are following:
A[5]. Narrated 'Aishah:
That
the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"A human does no action from the actions on the day of Nahr more beloved
to Allah then spilling blood. On the Day of judgement, it will appear with its
horns, and hair, and hooves, and indeed the blood will be accepted by Allah
from where it is received before it even falls upon earth, so let your heart
delight in it."
This Hadith for those who believe that the
money could be given to the poor or could be used for other good deed rather
than sacrificing animals on the day. Prophet ﷺ said this 1400 years ago as he knew that ignorant will try to
divert the innocent muslims.
B[6]. Narrated Al-Bara':
The Prophet (ﷺ) went towards Al-Baqi (the graveyard at Medina) on the day of Id-ul-Adha and offered a two-rak`at prayer (of `Id-ul-Adha) and then faced us and said, "On this day of ours, our first act of worship is the offering of prayer and then we will return and slaughter the sacrifice, and whoever does this concords with our Sunna; and whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before that (i.e. before the prayer) then that was a thing which he prepared earlier for his family and it would not be considered as a Nusuk (sacrifice.)" A man stood up and said, "O, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I slaughtered (the animal before the prayer) but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Slaughter it. But a similar sacrifice will not be sufficient for anybody else after you."
The Prophet (ﷺ) went towards Al-Baqi (the graveyard at Medina) on the day of Id-ul-Adha and offered a two-rak`at prayer (of `Id-ul-Adha) and then faced us and said, "On this day of ours, our first act of worship is the offering of prayer and then we will return and slaughter the sacrifice, and whoever does this concords with our Sunna; and whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before that (i.e. before the prayer) then that was a thing which he prepared earlier for his family and it would not be considered as a Nusuk (sacrifice.)" A man stood up and said, "O, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I slaughtered (the animal before the prayer) but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Slaughter it. But a similar sacrifice will not be sufficient for anybody else after you."
C[7]. Jabir reported Allah's Messenger
(ﷺ) as saying:
I have sacrificed (the animals) here, and the whole of Mina is a place for sacrifice; so sacrifice your animals at your places. 1 have stayed here (near these rocks), and the whole of Arafat is a place for stay. And I have stayed here (at Muzdalifa near Mash'ar al-Haram and the whole of Muzdalifa) is a place for stay (i.e. one is permitted to spend night in any part of it, as one likes).
I have sacrificed (the animals) here, and the whole of Mina is a place for sacrifice; so sacrifice your animals at your places. 1 have stayed here (near these rocks), and the whole of Arafat is a place for stay. And I have stayed here (at Muzdalifa near Mash'ar al-Haram and the whole of Muzdalifa) is a place for stay (i.e. one is permitted to spend night in any part of it, as one likes).
D[8]. It was narrated that
Nubaishah said:
"A man called out to the Prophet and said: 'We used to sacrifice the 'Atirah - i.e., during the Jahiliyyah - in Rajab; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'Sacrifice, whatever month it is, do good for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and feed (the poor).' He said: 'We used to sacrifice the Fara' during the Jahiliyyah; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'For every
"A man called out to the Prophet and said: 'We used to sacrifice the 'Atirah - i.e., during the Jahiliyyah - in Rajab; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'Sacrifice, whatever month it is, do good for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and feed (the poor).' He said: 'We used to sacrifice the Fara' during the Jahiliyyah; what do you command us to do?' He said: 'For every
flock
of grazing animals, feed the firstborn as you feed the rest of your flock until
it reaches an age where it could be used to carry loads, then sacrifice it, and
give its meat in charity, for that is good."'
E[9].
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) threw pebbles at the last jamrah (Jamrat al-'Aqabah) on the day of sacrifice. He then returned to his lodging at Mina. He called for a sacrificial animal which he slaughtered. He then called for a barber. He held the right side of his head and shaved it. He then began to distribute among those who were around him one or two hair each. He then held the left side of his head and shaved it. Again he said: Is Abu Talhah here ? He then gave it (the hair shaved off) to Abu Talhah.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) threw pebbles at the last jamrah (Jamrat al-'Aqabah) on the day of sacrifice. He then returned to his lodging at Mina. He called for a sacrificial animal which he slaughtered. He then called for a barber. He held the right side of his head and shaved it. He then began to distribute among those who were around him one or two hair each. He then held the left side of his head and shaved it. Again he said: Is Abu Talhah here ? He then gave it (the hair shaved off) to Abu Talhah.
F[10].
It has been reported that 'Uqbah bin Amir said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) distributed the
sacrificial animals and I was left with a Jadha', so I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about it and he said:
'Sacrifice it for yourself.'" (Another chain) with this Hadith.
G[11]. Yahya related to me from
Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Abbad ibn Tamin that one time Uwaymir ibn Ashqar
sacrificed his animal before the prayer on the morning of the Day of Sacrifice,
and he mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had ordered him to sacrifice another animal.
H[12].
It was narrated that ‘Ali (رضي
الله عنه) said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade offering an animal that has lost a horn or ear as a sacrifice.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade offering an animal that has lost a horn or ear as a sacrifice.
Other
books of Hadith[13]
such as Bulugh Al Maram, Al Adab Al Mufrad, Shamail Muhammadiyah and Riyad
us Saliheen etc. have the evidences of sacrificing animals.
Islamic way of
slaughtering:
Islamic way of
slaughtering is Halal. Halal is Arabic for permissible. Halal food is
that which adheres to Islamic law, as defined in the Quran Sharif. The Islamic
form of slaughtering animals or poultry dhabiha involves killing through
a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe.
Animals must be alive
and healthy at the time of slaughter and all blood is drained from the
carcass. During the process, a Muslim will recite a dedication, know as tasmiya
or shahada.
Apart from these
mandatory things, various other activities are practiced before and after the
process are following:
A. Sufficient water is given to the cattle. At
some places people make them bath as well. And make them wear some fragrance
and flower's garland.
B. Cattle are not slaughtered in front of the
other cattle.
C. A dig is made before the process and cattle
are aligned in such a way that all their blood gets collected in the dig. And
then the dig is buried.
D. Wastes of the carcass which are prohibited to
eat are also buried in another dig hole. At some places wastes of it are thrown
on the roads though, which is absolutely pathetic and condemnable. The religion
doesn't acknowledge such practices at all.
E. The skin of the carcass is generally
delivered to nearest mosques as charity which generates revenue for mosques further
sending it to leather industries.
The purpose of
Qurbani: Qurbani educate us to
raise our awareness of the act of giving. Sacrificing livestock has
substantial meaning in Islam as the sacrifice of Prophet
Ibrahim عليه السلا is what marks the very reason we sacrifice
during Qurbani.
There are various significance
of it. The Most of them are following:
A. Brotherhood: The act is a symbolization of equality
amongst all Muslims. The meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into
three equal parts; one part for yourself, one for close members of your family
and one for those in need.
It teaches us
the valuable act of giving and shows them that as people, we are all
equal. Many around us cannot afford good meat; this occasion allows them the
opportunity to enjoy the food we often take for granted.
It makes the relationships
with the closed family members better or gives us a reason solving disputes, if
there is any concern with them.
B. Sacrifice: The word Qurbani itself means
‘sacrifice’ and it serves as a strong reminder to us that anything that is precious
can be sacrificed. The animals that are subject to sacrifice are cared for
and looked after and seen as valuable and important assets.
C. Prosperity: The festival Qurbani brings prosperity
for rural economy. For understanding, 20 Crore muslims are going to celebrate
Eid ul Adha on August 1st, 2020. If 10% of the muslims do sacrifice goats
costing average ₹8000, it will generate ₹16000 Cr of circulation by simple
arithmetic in no time. That is of course belonged to rural economy. If 5 goats
are managed by a farmer, then
(2Cr÷5)=40Lac farmers will get additional income cum employment
according to simple arithmetic. This is bare a minimum estimate. The actual
data could be double of it considering the sacrifices of buffaloes in many
parts of India.
D. Respect and
Reverence: The sacrifice that
is performed signifies a willing obedience towards our Creator Almighty
Allahعَزَّ
وَ جَلّ. It symbolises that loyalty we have for
our Creator Almighty Allah and that we are willing to follow all His
commandments. Reverence is an important part of faith and this act is
only a small part of our overall obligation.
Scientific
Proof & Significance:
There is a very basic concept of science called Ecology which is discussed before secondary standard on basic level and after secondary it is discussed bit elaborately in biology.
So What is Ecology?
Ecology is a branch of biology concerning interactions among organisms and their biophysical environment, which includes both biotic and abiotic components.
In ecology further the concept of biodiversity is discussed.
Now What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of all life on earth including plants animals and fungi. An ecosystem is a large community of all living things in a particular area. Healthy biodiversity is essential for healthy ecosystem.
So in the concept of biodiversity, There are two sub topics which are discussed that are food chain and food web.
Now What is food chain?
All living things, including you, need energy to survive which we get from food. Most plants make their own food from the sun, the process is called photosynthesis animals however cannot produce their own food so have to eat other animals or plants to produce the energy for living. A food chain is a drawing that shows who eats what in the environment.
There is a very basic concept of science called Ecology which is discussed before secondary standard on basic level and after secondary it is discussed bit elaborately in biology.
So What is Ecology?
Ecology is a branch of biology concerning interactions among organisms and their biophysical environment, which includes both biotic and abiotic components.
In ecology further the concept of biodiversity is discussed.
Now What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of all life on earth including plants animals and fungi. An ecosystem is a large community of all living things in a particular area. Healthy biodiversity is essential for healthy ecosystem.
So in the concept of biodiversity, There are two sub topics which are discussed that are food chain and food web.
Now What is food chain?
All living things, including you, need energy to survive which we get from food. Most plants make their own food from the sun, the process is called photosynthesis animals however cannot produce their own food so have to eat other animals or plants to produce the energy for living. A food chain is a drawing that shows who eats what in the environment.
Now What
is food Web?
Most animals are part of more than one food chain. So connecting the food chains together form food web. Lets consider an example[15] of food web:
Most animals are part of more than one food chain. So connecting the food chains together form food web. Lets consider an example[15] of food web:
Both
the examples of food chain and food web clearly depicts that human beings eat
goats, camels, buffaloes and trouts etc. Now a thing could be clearly said that
the food chain concept is one of the most eco friendly concepts which is
taught to a kid since his or her childhood. However, if human beings stop eating these cattle, that
would be menace for the entire ecosystem as food chain breaks. So now question
raises,
How
does a food chain break and what could be the potential consequences of it?
When one of the links (species) in a food chain is no longer present ( for example a species goes extent or a feral animal takes over) the food chain breaks. Sometimes this can cause other animals in the food chain to disappear as well and the whole ecosystem can become imbalanced or even collapse.
When one of the links (species) in a food chain is no longer present ( for example a species goes extent or a feral animal takes over) the food chain breaks. Sometimes this can cause other animals in the food chain to disappear as well and the whole ecosystem can become imbalanced or even collapse.
For
example[16],
the number of dingoes in Australia have been dramatically reduced due to
hunting. As dingoes are in Apex predator ( they sit right at the top of a food
chain) their disappearance from certain areas has contributed to an
unsustainable increase
in
Kangaroo numbers which in some areas has resulted in grassland being
overgrazed.
In
general[17],
loss species in a region may lead to loss of biodiversity. And loss of
biodiversity in a region may lead to
A. Decline in plant production.
B. Lowered resistance to environmental perturbations such as draught and
C. Increased variability in certain ecosystem processes such as plant productivity, water use and pest in disease cycles.
A. Decline in plant production.
B. Lowered resistance to environmental perturbations such as draught and
C. Increased variability in certain ecosystem processes such as plant productivity, water use and pest in disease cycles.
Similarly
other example[18]
says If one species in the food web ceases to exist, one or more members in
the rest of the chain could cease to exist too. A plant or animal doesn't
even have to become extinct to affect one of its predators. The harelip sucker
fish, for example, used to eat snails in the 19th century. After waste, topsoil
and other debris invaded rivers where the fish
lived,
the snail population dwindled. The U.S. Geological Survey notes that this
decline probably caused the fish to go extinct.
Very
recently, on July 18th, 2020 CNN Climate[19]
posted a post on its Instagram handle which says that "Methane
emissions are at a record high, according to a study from the Global Carbon
Project, which showed that cattle ranching is the main reason for increased
methane levels. "Emissions from cattle and other ruminants are almost as
large as those from the fossil
fuel
industry for methane," said Rob Jackson, research team leader and Stanford
professor. "People joke about burping cows without realizing how big
the source really is,"Jackson said. Climate models suggest that increased
methane levels could raise global temperatures by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius by
2100, researchers said."
And it is known to
all that Methane[20] is one of the main
gases of greenhouse gases after Carbon dioxide which is responsible for global
warming. Carbon dioxide constitutes around 76% of greenhouse gases globally
whereas Methane constitutes around 16% of greenhouse gases and rest of the
gases are Nitrous Oxide and
Fluorinated gases according to IPCC 2014.
Conclusion: Various potential
consequences could be occurred if human beings stop eating cattle are as follow
as:
A. The food chain breaks which may cause to imbalance or even collapse the entire ecosystem.
B. As CNN climate report says increased cattle ranching increases methane level. And the researcher said in the report that you can't take cow's burping lightly.
C. Methane is one of the main gases of greenhouse gas effect. Increasing its level would contribute to global warming which is considered as catastrophe worldwide.
D. Overgrazing could be occurred as it occurred in Australia when number of Kangaroos increased over there unsustainably.
A. The food chain breaks which may cause to imbalance or even collapse the entire ecosystem.
B. As CNN climate report says increased cattle ranching increases methane level. And the researcher said in the report that you can't take cow's burping lightly.
C. Methane is one of the main gases of greenhouse gas effect. Increasing its level would contribute to global warming which is considered as catastrophe worldwide.
D. Overgrazing could be occurred as it occurred in Australia when number of Kangaroos increased over there unsustainably.
With
that, I rest my case here. I hope the argument I have given proving Qurbani
eco-friendly has provided sufficient pointers to think through it deeply. Until
I see you in our next article, give it a thought.
-By Irshad Ahmed Noori
M. Tech ( Environmental Science
and Engineering )
Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
[5]
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1493 ; In-book : Book 19, Hadith 1
[16]
Wildlife corridors for Kids; Factsheet 2 Food Webs and Food Chains; http://www.glideways.org.au/
[18]
Kevin
Lee ; What Happens When Something in a Food Chain Goes Extinct? ; https://www.seattlepi.com/
[19]
Cnnclimate; Methane emissions are at record high and burping cows are driving
the rise; https://www.instagram.com/cnnclimate/
