Eid-ul-Adha of Our Elders and Ours
Eid-ul-Adha, also known as Qurbani Eid in Kashmir, doesn’t end up with donning oneself in the finest attire and relishing a wide variety of dishes at home. But, the tradition of Qurbani, or sacrifice, comes with much bigger a message for all of us every year.
This Eid, I believe, we should look back and learn something from how ours elders made sacrifices, sought blessings and spiritual growth, and celebrated the festival in their time. One thing is clear that our elders ensured that the Qurbani was performed in accordance with Islamic principles, and the meat was distributed among the needy and the community.
Our elders lived undoubtedly an exemplary life. On Eid-ul-Adha, they didn’t show off their sacrifices, they rather observed Eid with great simplicity, faith and a sense of humility to strengthen their family bonds and community ties.
They didn’t store the meat in the refrigerators for months like us and post-slaughter processes, diligently, took care of animal wastes, including offal. They properly disposed off sacrificial animal waste, knowing that improper disposal of animal skin and waste can lead to environmental and public health concerns. Now see the irresponsible behavior of us in the present. We, indiscriminately, throw off the animal waste (offal) in open areas, drains, and water bodies without caring least about the threat or risk of disease transmission, contaminate water bodies and tarnish the beauty of our land. Our elders would really spread joy on their festivals, but we spread, nothing else than the animal hides and offal of Qurabani by polluting our surroundings.
However, on this religious occasion as a testament to their strong faith, community spirit, and commitment to tradition, our elderly would also reflect on the story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and the values of sacrifice, obedience, and faith that it embodies. They would strive to emulate these values in their own lives, seeking to become better individuals and members of their community.
Those days our elders preferred to keep the most favorite and the most beloved animal from the own Ghan (cow shed) for the Qurbani—the animal whom they had seen fed and treated fairly well from years. This animal was every week bathed and specially taken care of in every family. In our Dangiwacha, the elders would order their sons and grandsons to get the Qurbani animal bathed in the near stream, locally called Na’ar Kol every week so that the animal is brought up well. It was ensured that it is animal from one’s own livestock not what is done nowadays. Just before a week or two, search parties leave to fetch an animal for Qurbani so that very less time is spent in feeding a d take care of an animal. It was become more a formality than anything else, please forgive to say this.
However, our elders have left a great legacy of Qurbani for us. They made it hygienic and ensured that the meat gets distributed among maximum people especially among the down trodden section of the society. And today, our sacrifices are filled in with lot of pomp and show. Meat of Qurbani reaches the friend, and close relatives first and then the remaining part of it is given out among those who are needy. For me Qurbani is of your best, of your favorite, it is of your most loved animal because of it didn’t hurt us deeply while sacrifice the animal, I believe we have not closed brought up the animal and had developed a close bond with it. In those days, when the Qurbani animal was slaughtered, it would moist the eyes of everyone around. And those who had taken care of the Q-animal closely, they would weep so loudly that others had to make them quiet. Such used to be the spirit of Qurbani in our elders’ time.
During sacrifice Eids, thus far, it has been observed that people post-sacrifices, throw or dump the animal wastes, either into water bodies—choking and contaminating them or throw them in garbage bins that lie on the roads. But our elders didn’t do this.
They truly respected each aspect of their Qurbani—knowing that Allah (SWT) doesn’t need their sacrifices except their Takwa (salvation). Not to talk of irresponsible disposal of animal hides and offal of Qurabani, they would vouch for the fact that even the blood of the animal is properly buried so that no disobedience occurs on their part. I vividly remember, ours elders ensured that Qurbani meat got distributed among maximum people including kith and kin in the vicinity. Nobody, in those days, God forbid, dared to act foolishly to throw off any part of the Qurbani to dogs as was seen during past few years. The unwanted part, whatever, was cut into smaller pieces and then threw on the rooftops of sheds or granaries, etc. for the birds than on the roads, river banks, in water bodies, and in the dust-bins, etc. The skin of the animal (fleece) was donated to a local Darul Uloom or a Darsgah (learning place).
Come, let’s be different this time, show some civic sense, restore our land it’s beauty, and prove to celebrate this Eid-ul-Adha with great generosity, community spirit, spiritual devotion and fervor.
Dr Rafeeq Masoodi, Rtd IBS, is Vice President Central Govt. Pensioners Welfare Association, Kashmir and Patron, Adbi Markaz, Kamraz
