THE SHAITAANIYAT OF THE JUHALA OF THE SO-CALLED ‘YOUTH OF UBUNTU’ AND OTHER HARAAM ‘QUR’BAANI’ OUTFITS
QUESTION
(1) An Islamic organization called Youth of Ubuntu (Y.O.U) in Uitenhage has been doing Qurbani for 2/3 years now on their farm which is also a boarding home for their underprivileged students. During the time of Qurbani, the men and young boys challenge each other to catch the sheep making it like a sport, thereby causing distress to the sheep.
Thereafter the sheep are being slaughtered in front of one other. The women and families who paid for their qur’baani sheep come to witness their sheep being slaughtered. Men and women stand together, all dolled up in their ‘eid’ garb. There are also tables and chairs with cakes and savouries. The men and women all sit together under the tree and eat. Is this permissible?
How should the venue of Qurbani actually be? Is it permissible for the women to watch the sheep being slaughtered whilst the menfolk are all around? what is the status of one’s sheep being slaughtered at such a place?
(2) At the Khanqa KMSZ in Lenasia the women have a section and a time to also slaughter where the men take competitions to see which woman can slaughter best. The people who buy the sheep and cattle do so in the name of a competition to see who can pay for the most sheep or cattle, and who can slaughter the most.
There are many organizations which slaughter in the name of ‘Qurbani’ while making a fun fair out of the occasion the entire day for entertainment.
Is this riya and israaf ever permissible in the name of Qurbani since it is supposed to be a time of reflection and sacrifice? Please comment with regards to the true status of Qurbani and how it should be done according to what will be pleasing to Allah.
ANSWER AND COMMENT
Firstly, it is necessary to understand what actually is Qur’baani. Is it an act of play and amusement for merrymaking and entertainment? In this regard the Qur’aan Majeed narrates:
“When he (Ismaaeel – alayhis salaam –) reached the age that he could run about (with his father), he (Nabi Ibraaheem – alayhis salaam) said: ‘O my beloved son! Verily, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. Now, see, what is your opinion (regarding this)?’
He (the little boy, Ismaaeel- alayhis salaam) said: ‘O my beloved father! Do as you have been commanded (by Allah). Most certainly, you will find me, if Allah wills, from among the Saabireen (the Patient Ones).’
So when both submitted and Ibraaheem (alayhis salaam) turned him (Ismaa-eel – alayhis salaam) on his side (for slaughtering him), We (i.e. Allah Ta’ala), called him: ‘O Ibraaheem! You have certainly honoured the dream (by fulfilling the command). In this way do We reward the Muhsineen (those who practise virtue).”
Verily this (act of Nabi Ibraaheem and Ismaaeel- alayhimas salaam) is indeed a clear (great) trial.”
And We compensated him with a great (magnificent) sacrifice. And for him (i.e. to commemorate his great sacrifice) we left for posterity (the annual Qur’baani – Sacrifice).” (As-Saaffaat, Aayaat 102 – 108)
When Hadhrat Ibraaheem (Alayhis salaam) drove the knife on the neck of his little son, by Allah’s command, the son was substituted with a magnificent ram from Jannat.
To commemorate this supreme sacrifice of Hadhrat Nabi Ibraaheem (Alayhis salaam) of his beloved little son, Allah Ta’ala ordained the annual Qur’baani on this Ummah of Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Most certainly, it was an occasion for tears. It is recorded that the Portals of the Heavens were thrown open for the Malaaikah to witness the Supreme Sacrifice. All creation was overwhelmed with supreme sadness as they stared in amazement at the scene of ‘Slaughter’ being enacted at Allah’s command. It was an occasion for shedding torrents of tears and for hearts to break.
But what are these RUBBISHES in our age doing on this occasion of commemorating the Supreme Sacrifice of the two great Nabis of Allah Ta’ala? These villains have bedevilled the Qur’baani obligation and occasion with merrymaking, funfare, cruelty, zina, intermingling of sexes, riya, israaf, takabbur and other evils. They are acquitting themselves as munaafiqeen and kuffaar. They lack the slightest understanding of the meaning of Qur’baani and why Muslims are obliged to offer this Sacrifice annually.
The shaitaani outfits are only concerned with the huge profit they are making from trading with the animals. To maximise their profits, shaitaan has inspired them to pander to the carnal lusts of the people who are by far and large fussaaq and fujjaar. Thus, the haraam entertainment and haraam merrymaking mentioned in the question and observed on the occasion of Eidul Adhaa all over the country where these evil outfits are killing animals in haraam ways for the sake of their pockets, are the activities of those who have no true Imaan in their hearts. People of healthy Imaan will never stoop to the satanic level of rot and degradation – of callousness and cruelty – of fisq and fujoor – which bedevil these so-called ‘qur’baani’ circuses.
The men and women participating in these haraam ‘qur’baani’ occasions are vile RUBBISHES. They are fornicators, rotten to the core. The women who are so audacious to slaughter in the public, taking pride and stupidly displaying their imaginary prowess, and deceiving themselves and the fujjaar (immoral) men in the gallery for whom they (the evil women) are performing and dancing, that they are executing a ‘sunnat’, dwell in satanic self-deception.
Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) described such women who prance in the public domain as adultresses. They are zaaniyaat.
The entire operation, from beginning to end, conducted by these vile ‘qur’baani’ outfits is HARAAM. What they are doing is not Qur’baani. There is no reward for the villainy, cruelty and immorality which they perpetrate under guise of ‘Qur’baani’. They are not performing any Qur’baani. Their slaughtering is not accepted. There is no reward for the major sins they commit in the name of Qurbaani. On the contrary, every act and step of the organizers and participants is accursed. The La’nat of Allah Ta’ala and His Malaaikah settles on the human devils participating in these merrymaking shows and functions.
It is haraam for women to attend these cruel, evil circus shows. The Mustahab act of seeing one’s animal being sacrificed, becomes haraam in the shaitaani conditions prevailing at these evil entertainment occasions and venues. The atmosphere when making Qur’baani should be an occasion of sadness – sadness which meditation on the Sacrifice of Nabi Ibraaheem (Alayhis salaam) will most certainly fill the heart of the Mu’min bringing tears to the eyes. It is not a time for enjoyment, especially the zina-type enjoyment which the carnal nafs derives in the mixed gathering of faajiraat and fujjaar.
It is not permissible to purchase Qur’baani animals from these haraam outfits. A cruel mockery is being made of this noble and great Sacrifice of Nabi Ibraaheem (Alayhis salaam).
SLAUGHTER MERCIFULLY (RASULULLAH – SALLALLAHU ALAYHI WASALLAM)
Qur’bani or the Sacrifice of animals on the 10th, 11th and 12th Zil-Hajj, is a very lofty ibadat decreed by Allah Ta’ala in commemoration of Nabi Ibraahim’s supreme sacrifice of his son Ismaail (alayhis salaam) at the altar of Allah’s Command. The father offering the sacrifice of his little boy for the Love of Allah Ta’ala was not a jocular affair nor an occasion of play or amusement. The noble father and Khaleel (friend) of Allah Ta’ala was ordered to slit the throat of his beloved son with his own hands. He passed his trial in the highest degree of success and Allah Ta’ala substituted a ram for Ismaail (alayhis salaam). It is to commemorate this wonderful and supreme sacrifice of Nabi Ibraahim (alayhis salaam) that we have to sacrifice animals each year on the occasion of Eidul Adha.
Keeping in mind what this ibadat is all about, when the Muslim is about to slaughter or have his animal slaughtered, he should bring to his mind Hadhrat Ibraahim (alayhis salaam) slaughtering his son Hadhrat Ismaail (alayhis salaam). But this thought is furthest from the minds of most people who make the Qur’bani.
One of the gravest acts of transgression committed in negation of the spirit underlying Qur’bani is the gross maltreatment met out to the sacrificial animals. Animals are dragged, kept hungry and thirsty in fear. They are slaughtered at times with blunt knives and by incompetent persons who instead of effecting the Thabah with a clean cut, saw at the neck of the animal. This cruel act – zulm – is a major sin which destroys much of the thawaab of the Qur’bani.
Animals are slaughtered and skinned in the presence of other live animals. The skinning process begins even before the slaughtered animal has become motionless. While some signs of life remain, workers commence skinning the animals. All these acts are reprehensible, cruel, un-Islamic and haraam.
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
“Verily, Allah Ta’ala has decreed kindness for everything. Theref ore, when you kill, then effect the killing kindly, when you slaughter, then slaughter kindly. Sharpen your knife and be merciful to the animal.” (Muslim, Ibn Majah, Nisai)
Hadhrat Ibn Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) said:
“Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) commanded that the knife be sharpened and that it (the knife) be concealed from the animal, and he said: “When anyone of you slaughters, he should make haste.” (Ibn Majah)
This hadith in fact informs us of the understanding which the animal possess. The sight of the knife can produce fear in the animal. It should, therefore, not be displayed in its presence. The animal should not be kept lying down unnecessarily. It should be put on the ground only at the precise moment of slaughter. After laying it down facing the Qiblah, there should be no unnecessary delay in slaughtering it.
In one hadith Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) prohibited dragging of the animal. He ordered that the animal be held by the neck. Nabi-e-Kareem (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) also forbade that the animal be kept hungry and thirsty while it awaits to be slaughtered.
Once Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) saw a man sharpening his knife after he had laid down the animal. Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) struck the man with his whip and exclaimed:
“Do you want to cause many deaths to the animal?”
In other words, creating fear in the animal was like multiplying death for it.
Those who maltreat animals and perform cruelly when sacrificing them should remember that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Beware of the dua (curse) of the mazloom, for there is no barrier between it (the curse or call of the mazloom) and Allah.”
Any person or animal who is oppressed or wronged or brutalized is a mazloom. So beware of the curse, which emanates from the hearts of even these dumb animals. They are Allah’s makhluq (creation). No one is entitled to perpetrate zulm on them. Those making Qur’bani should take note of the under mentioned essential requirements:
a) The knife must be very sharp.
b) The animals should be properly fed if they have been acquired some time before slaughter.
c) An animal must not be slaughtered in front of another animal.
d) The animal brought for slaughtering should not see the blood of the other animals.
e) Animals should not be skinned while there is any sign of life visible in them.
f) An animal taken for slaughtering should not be led pass animals which are being skinned.
g) The animal should be caught and brought only when the slaughterer is ready for slaughtering. Usually workers grab hold of the animal well in advance. They hold the animal captive while the slaughterer is still engaged in slaughtering another animal.
h) The animal should be laid down facing the Qiblah.
i) The neck of the animal should not be sawn. Clean cuts should be effected.
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “He who shows no mercy, mercy will not be shown to him.”
27 Zul Qa’dh 1440 – 30 July 2019