Eid-ul-Adha is when all Muslims (who are capable) around the world sacrifices animals to please Allah and attain His divine love. The moon for Eid-ul-Adha has sited and Eid will be celebrated on 21 July 2021. Eid Ul Azha teaches us many lessons including sacrificing an animal that we raise with love and affection. There are a few rules and regulations that are prescribed for the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha by the Almighty. What is Qurbani? Which animals are allowed to sacrifice for Qurbani? Which animals can’t be sacrificed? How old should the animal be at the time of sacrifice? This article is going to answer all of your questions regarding sacrifice and also tell you about the latest SOPs by the government.
What is Qurbani?
To recall the sacred act of Hazrat Ibrahim A.S of sacrificing his beloved son Hazrat Ismail A.S for the sake of pleasing Allah is the origin of Qurbani. Qurbani is an act of sacrificing animals for the sake of Allah during the three days of Eid-ul-Adha and also marking the completion of Hajj.
There are so many animals that are allowed to be sacrificed as Qurbani at the event of Eid Ul Adha including goats, camels. Cows, sheep, and cattle. Qurbani is compulsory for every Muslim who have enough means to afford an animal. Qurbani takes place after the Eid prayer on Eid-ul-Adha, from 10th-12th Dhul Hijjah. In the current year 2021, Eid al-Adha will be celebrated on 20th July 2021.
Eid ul Azha
Eid-ul-Adha falls on the tenth day in the final month of the Islamic Calendar; Zill Hajj. The day that celebrations fall on is dependent on an authentic sighting of the moon. Eid is celebrated after the completion of the annual Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj. Hajj is an obligation for all Muslims who fit specific criteria, one of the important Five Pillars of Islam.
The celebration of Eid-ul-Adha is to honor Prophet Ibrahim’s dedication to Allah SWT and his enthusiasm to sacrifice his son, Ismail just to please Allah. Just when Ibrahim A.s was about to slaughter his son with a blindfold on his eyes, Allah SWT replaced the son with a ram, which was to be slaughtered in place instead. This command of sacrificing the son from Allah SWT was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s pure love for Allah and commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without a doubt. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the commemoration of sacrifice.
It is proved by several means that the celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha can last anywhere between two and four days, depending upon the country you are living in. The act of Qurbani is carried out after performing Eid Prayer which is normally performed at the nearest Mosque on the morning of the first day of Eid.
After the prayers, everyone is gathered at their houses or at a decided spot and slaughter the animals to mark the completion of Sunnat e Ibrahimi. You can slaughter your animals in between any day of the total three days, from the 10th to the 12th of Dhu-al-Hijjah.
Animals chosen for Qurbani must be a sheep, lamb, goat, cow, bull, or camel; the sheep, lamb, or goat consist of one Qurbani share, whereas a bull or a cow consist of seven shares and camel consists of 10 shares per animal. The animal must be in good health and over a certain age in order to be slaughtered, in a “halal” friendly, Islamic way.
The Qurbani meat is then divided into three equal portions per share; one-third is for you and your family, one-third is for friends, and the final third is to be donated to those in need. Traditionally, the day is spent celebrating with family, friends, and loved ones, often wearing new or best clothes and presenting gits to your loved ones.
SOPs
Like the previous year, we are still suffering from Coronavirus and its after-effects. But luckily the vaccinations are available all around the country and people are getting themselves vaccinated. Vaccinations are available all around the country and you can get yourself vaccinated free of cost. All you have to do is to bring your original CNIC with you to your nearest vaccination center.
Unlike last year, this year the restriction is lower but the public is still suggested to maintain social distancing and to follow the SOPs. In Pakistan, Eid’s are supposed to be celebrated with your entire family. People gather and family feasts start. These all gatherings were all fun before the evolution of the Corona Virus.
It is important to follow all of the SOPs to make sure that no gathering causes any harm. The situation of Corona Virus is slightly better than the previous year. The SOPs to follow this year are less strict than the previous year.
The SOPs to follow for Eid-ul-Azha 2021 are as follow:
- Maintain social distance
- Keep your hands clean
- Avoid shaking hands
- Make sure to wash your hands after touching your animal
- Make sure to take bath twice a day
- Make sure that kids stay away from the animals
- Keep a sanitizer with you while going to cattle markets
- Keep your mask on every time when you are outside
- Maintain good distance during Eid prayer
- Get yourself vaccinated before Eid to enjoy it to the fullest
Delta Variant
We have the latest version of Coronavirus named “Delta Virus”. This virus is highly affecting people all over the globe. The vaccine for the coronavirus is effective against the Delta variant. The delta variant is rapidly turning into a very prominent strain of COVID-19 in the U.S. In fact, the variant is transmitting across the globe at such a high speed, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that it makes up roughly 80% of COVID cases.
