T
he muslim festival eid al-adha - which means "feast of the sacrifice". It also called ʿĪd al-Qurbān or al-Īd al-Kabīr (“Major Festival”), Turkish Kurban Bayram, the second of two great Muslim festivals, the other being Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Adha marks the culmination of the hajj (pilgrimage) rites at Minā, Saudi Arabia, near Mecca, but is celebrated by Muslims throughout the world. As with Eid al-Fitr, it is distinguished by the performance of communal prayer (ṣalāt) at daybreak on its first day. It begins on the 10th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, and continues for an additional three days (though the Muslim use of a lunar calendar means that it may occur during any season of the year).
During the festival, families that can afford to sacrifice a ritually acceptable animal (sheep, goat, camel, or cow) do so and then divide the flesh equally among themselves, the poor, and friends and neighbours. Eid al-Adha is also a time for visiting with friends and family and for exchanging gifts.
Rules and guidelines related to Qurbani and meat distribution
Although every Muslim is required to perform Qurbani but there are certain exceptions. According to Muslim Aid, a faith-based international NGO, "People who are not sound of mind, those who have not yet reached and passed puberty, those who are travelling and are more than the Shar’i distance from home (approximately 40-45 kilometres) and those who do not possess 52.5 tolas of silver, or the wealth equivalent should be exempted from performing Qurbani."
Only goats, sheep, cattle (cow) and camels can be slaughtered. There are also certain rules while selecting livestock for sacrifice. Too young or too old animals should be avoided and they should be healthy and without any missing body parts like limbs, horn or tail. Also, the animals should be fed well and the owner should take good care of it before it is sacrificed.
The rules dictating the distribution of Qurbani meat states that the sacrificed animals should be equally distributed in three parts. The meat should be distributed between the family, friends and the poor. If the Qurbani is performed in partnership between several people, the meat should not be distributed by mere approximation but it should be divided after proper measurement of weight. Also, the butcher who sacrifices the animal should not be paid with the meat of the slaughtered animal. In case, the skin of the animal is sold, the owner should not keep the money but rather distribute it among the poor.
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