Community members asked not to share pictures of slaughtered animals on social media and remain cautious
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Ahead of the prominent Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, starting in India on 17 June, noted Muslim scholar and president of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, has urged members of the minority community to follow the guidelines laid down by the government concerning the sacrificial animals.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Maulana Madani appealed to the people not to sacrifice animals prohibited as per Indian laws.
“There is no substitute for sacrifice in Islam. It is a religious duty, the offering of which is obligatory on every Muslim. Muslims must strictly follow the government guidelines for qurbani (sacrifice), and since the religion considers qurbani of a black animal instead, it is better to do so to avoid any kind of trouble,” reads the statement.
During the three-day Eid al-Adha feast, Muslims sacrifice animals to follow their religious obligation across the world. However, in India, a section of the society tries to create tension and nuisance by inciting the majority community over the sacrifice of the animals.
Maulana Madani asked Muslims not to share pictures of slaughtered animals on social media. “If mischievous elements, at any place, prevent the qurbani of a black animal, some sensible and influential people should take the administration into confidence, and then qurbani should be offered,” he said.
In case Muslims do not get the right atmosphere and space for qurbani, Maulana Madani said then the qurbani should be offered in a nearby place where qurbani had regularly been offered without any problems.
“At least a goat must be sacrificed there and registration should be done in the office of administration to avoid the problem in future. Muslims of the country must take special care of cleanliness on the occasion,” he said.
He also urged Muslims not to throw animal waste on roads, streets, and drains. The waste should be buried in such a way that it does not spread the stench. Every possible effort should be made so that no one gets hurt by our actions, he said.
Madani also asked the community to remain cautious in the prevailing situation. His statement has come against the backdrop of cow vigilantes often attacking cattle traders over the suspicion of cow slaughter. Only this week, two Muslims were lynched by a Hindutva mob in Chhattisgarh while transporting buffaloes from Uttar Pradesh to Odisha.
