With Id-ul-Adha, popularly known as Bakrid, likely to be celebrated during in the COVID-19 era, many sought to know whether money could be given to the needy instead of buying an animal for ritual sacrifice. With this question gaining traction, the Muslim clergy, over the past few days, has weighed in and held that performing ritual sacrifice is obligatory and not doing it is sinful.
Every year, lakhs of Muslims across the State make the ritual sacrifice.
As was reported in these columns, city-based Islamic seminary Jamia Nizamia, had issued a fatwa after receiving a query, stating that money in lieu of sacrifice could be given as charity to the poor. It also stated that sacrifice should be made by the 12th of Zulhijjah (during the first three days of Bakrid), and only in a scenario in which this is not possible, could money be donated to those in need instead of performing the sacrifice.
“Coronavirus has affected a lot of people. I wanted to donate money instead of sacrificing an animal. However, I was unsure how to proceed,” said Ikram Ahmed, who works for a large taxation firm.
Clearing the air on the issue, All India Muslim Personal Law Board Secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, in an online address, said that although the opinion of donating money instead of performing the ritual sacrifice was not ill-intentioned, the sacrifice, as per Sharia, itself remains wajib (obligatory). He said that unless there was law which prevented sacrifice and if one had the wherewithal, then it was obligatory.
“The scenario due to the coronavius has witnessed voices from different quarters being raised that instead of the sacrifice, money be given to those in need. I am not saying that they have ill intentions. But, I will say that they haven’t understood the reason for the sacrifice,” he said, underscoring that a portion of the meat of the animal goes to the poor, and that other modes of charity are available. Making the sacrifice is obligatory on those who possess the equivalent of 87.5 g gold or 600 g silver, he said.
Meanwhile, Khateeb of the Shahi Masjid Maulana Ahsan al Hamoomi during the Friday prayer lecture suggested that residents of a neighbourhood select a few butchers, test them for coronavirus, book a function hall, and perform the sacrifice with adherence to rules of social distancing and other precautionary measures.
