Slaughtering sacrificial animals is a specific tradition carried out by millions of Muslims all over the world during Eid al-Adha. In recent years, however, many Egyptians and animal rights activists have spoken out against the practice, arguing that many butchers ignore \u201creligious edicts on humane slaughter, and basic hygiene.\u201d<\/p>\n
This issue was raised once again earlier this week, when someone decided to launch the \u201cI won\u2019t slaughter for Eid,\u201d hashtag on Twitter, sparking outrage on the platform in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The issue of \u201cbrutal slaughter\u201d is an ongoing debate that usually causes societal backlash among many, stirring controversy both online and off.<\/p>\n
Many people supported the hashtag. One Egyptian tweeted that they \u201cwish there was an organized, systemized manner for the slaughtering to take place so that people who are against how the act is currently carried out would also get to enjoy their Eid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another tweet said that the same way that Christmas has become the \u201cpeak time of animal suffering in the West\u201d with a vast numbers of factory farmed animals slaughtered for Christmas celebrations; Eid al Adha is \u201cthe worst time for animal suffering throughout the Middle East.\u201d<\/p>\n
Egyptian animal activist Rania Dabbagh, told Egypt Independent that she would not be involved in the animal sacrifice \u201cas long as slaughterhouses do not abide by set standards and regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d rather give away money or cook for the poor myself than be part of brutal, inhumane, mass slaughters the way they happen right now,\u201d Dabbagh said.<\/p>\n
She added that animals are not supposed to be tied before the sacrifice, nor witness each other being slaughtered.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many slaughterhouses actually care or take notice of this,\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
Eid al Adha commemorates the the old testament story of Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son, Ismail, for God. According to the story, Ismail was saved when God saw Ibraham\u2019s faith and gave him a ram to sacrifice in place of his son.<\/p>\n
Muslims around the world honor Ibrahim by slaughtering sheep, and distribute the meat to the poor or cook it and share the meal with family and friends.<\/p>\n
Traditionally, many families choose to slaughter the animal themselves rather than buy meat from a butcher, and the smell and sight of blood fills the streets of many towns and cities. These scenes create dramatic visuals for animal rights group defenders, who maintain that if done properly, traditional slaughter is a relatively humane way to kill an animal.<\/p>\n
Mohamed Eid, a butcher near Heliopolis said that the chaotic visuals of blood around the streets in Cairo happen due to people looking for \u201ceasy\u201d options for their sacrifice.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy clients know me, and they know that I respect God in how I deal with the animals. I don\u2019t slaughter in the streets, but still, I think the people who do are not to be blamed, they are trying to find a faster and cheaper option,\u201d Eid said.<\/p>\n
He added that slaughterhouses should ideally follow certain guidelines that Islam has put to ensure that the animal is well treated before, during and after slaughter and those who defy these rules should be punished.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut who will look after all those slaughterhouses, people just want to eat and sleep in Eid, no one monitors anything, so mistakes go unnoticed,\u201d Eid pointed out.<\/p>\n
Moneim, however, is another butcher in Heliopolis who owns a slaughterhouse, but still offers slaughter of sheep at building garages as an \u201cextra service.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy clients are usually elders who find it difficult to wait for hours at slaughterhouses. I go to them and we finish everything off very quickly, but I try to clean up afterwards,\u201d Moneim said.<\/p>\n
He added that he tries to accommodate the different requests of all his customers, and that at the end; he treats the animals right and does what \u201csatisfies his conscious.\u201d<\/p>\n
This week, Egypt\u2019s Ministry of Endowment released a statement in which it noted that slaughtering animals in streets is not legal and is a violation of Islamic law. The ministry called on Egyptians to suspend such activity as these practices are considered uncivilized.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, member of the agriculture committee of the Parliament, Magdy Maalk, called on the state to monitor the streets, with the beginning of the feast\u2019s first day.<\/p>\n
Egyptian law includes codes that prevent citizens from slaughtering animals outside the state-run slaughterhouses or even selling meats that do not carry the state stamp, the code puts any violator ahead of penalties that could result in confiscation of the animal itself and possible imprisonment.<\/p>\n
(Egypt Independent)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Slaughtering sacrificial animals is a specific tradition carried out by millions of Muslims all over the world during Eid al-Adha. In recent years, however, many Egyptians and animal rights activists have spoken out against the practice, arguing that many butchers ignore \u201creligious edicts on humane slaughter, and basic hygiene.\u201d This issue was raised once again […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":33533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7863],"tags":[20125,19441,20126],"class_list":["post-33532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-section","tag-butchers","tag-eid-al-adha","tag-slaughtering-sacrificial-animals"],"yoast_head":"\n