Bismihi Ta`ala
*PERFECTING OUR QURBANI.*
Qurbani is from the noun Qurb which means proximity, nearness. The best way to get near to Allah Ta`ala and his prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam is through our own sacrifices for the sake of deen. Hazrat Ibrahim a.s. sacrificed his social status in his native town, sacrificed his wife and the then only son, and he put down the then only son to slit his throat under the command of Allah to achieve a nearness to Allah. Then only that Allah Ta`ala opened the doors of achievement for him to become the Khaleel/Close friend of Allah. Then he was told to gather stones and raise the basement of the Ka`bah with great devotion and humility. Then he told Allah Ta`ala that this achievement of his was not worth of acceptance, but with your grace Ya Rab, do accept it from us. Then he pleaded Allah Ta`ala to show him and Isma`eel the rituals of Hajj.It is to emulate the sacrificial spirit of Ibrahim a.s. that we called each year to sacrifice animals.
سنن ابن ماجه – ()حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَلَفٍ الْعَسْقَلَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ حَدَّثَنَا سَلَّامُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَائِذُ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي دَاوُدَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ قَالَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا هَذِهِ الْأَضَاحِيُّ قَالَ سُنَّةُ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالُوا فَمَا لَنَا فِيهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ بِكُلِّ شَعَرَةٍ حَسَنَةٌ قَالُوا فَالصُّوفُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ بِكُلِّ شَعَرَةٍ مِنْ الصُّوفِ حَسَنَةٌ
The Sahabahs asked about the yearly sacrifice done(on Eid ul Adhaa)? Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam answered: ‘’The practice of your grand father Ibrahim a.s.’’ On every hair/wool of the animal is a reward.(Ibn Majah/Tabrani/Baihaqi)But should we want to achieve honour or grandeur by offering a master piece animal, then there will be no reward, but rather there will be punishment. Reported in Baihaqi that if someone made business out of the skin of the animal, then his qurbani will be null and void.
السنن الصغير – البيهقي – ()أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الحافظ ، نا أبو محمد بن عبد الله بن إسحاق الخراساني ، نا يحيى بن جعفر بن الزبرقان ، نا زيد بن الحباب ، نا عبد الله بن عياش ، عن الأعرج ، عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه ، قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « من باع جلد أضحية فلا أضحية له Although the best Qurbani is the one that is most expensive animal, but still we should not choose the animal to boast over others. Nor to attract the crowd for show off. Because anything done for show off or not to please Allah Ta`ala is simply null and void.On the other hand, while disembarking the animal or when keeping them, one should not cause to harm the animal purposely. Because Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam has prohibited to harm any animal without reason(Bukhari):
صحيح البخاري – (17 / 189)حدثنا أبو الوليد حدثنا شعبة عن هشام بن زيد قالدخلت مع أنس على الحكم بن أيوب فرأى غلمانا أو فتيانا نصبوا دجاجة يرمونها فقال أنس نهى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن تصبر البهائم
It has been observed that crowding around the animal during disembarkation from lorries confuse the animal after their stressful transportation. Hence crowding also should not be done.Our beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said that we should act in a soft way towards animals so as to achieve rewards. Reported in Muslim that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam relate a lady who got forgiveness and jannah only because she saved a dog from dying. So he was asked: ‘’Is there reward when we treat the animals well?’’. Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’Yes, good treatment of any living creature is rewardable.’’
صحيح مسلم – ()عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ فِيمَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِ عَنْ سُمَيٍّ مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي بِطَرِيقٍ اشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَطَشُ فَوَجَدَ بِئْرًا فَنَزَلَ فِيهَا فَشَرِبَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَإِذَا كَلْبٌ يَلْهَثُ يَأْكُلُ الثَّرَى مِنْ الْعَطَشِ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ لَقَدْ بَلَغَ هَذَا الْكَلْبَ مِنْ الْعَطَشِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي كَانَ بَلَغَ مِنِّي فَنَزَلَ الْبِئْرَ فَمَلَأَ خُفَّهُ مَاءً ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَهُ بِفِيهِ حَتَّى رَقِيَ فَسَقَى الْكَلْبَ فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ فَغَفَرَ لَهُ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي هَذِهِ الْبَهَائِمِ لَأَجْرًا فَقَالَ فِي كُلِّ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ
But the moderation of Islam shows the way for humans to kill other animals and insects when in necessity for the kill or for a valid reason like a nuisance. Killing for sport is not permissible according to Islam. Nor is bull fighting/matador cruelty. Because Allah Ta`ala created the animal kingdom for the utility of the human kind. Not for abuse.
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا [البقرة : 29]It is Him who has created everything that the earth contain for your purpose.(2:29)There is room for vivi section under this ayah. Wallahou A`lam.But an animal should not be made to suffer without a reason. But permissible to kill it for any permissible purpose. So when a human need to kill an animal, then he is instructed to respect the animal such that he kills it in the best way possible.
صحيح مسلم – ()عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي قِلَابَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الْأَشْعَثِ عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ قَالَثِنْتَانِ حَفِظْتُهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ فَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ
The prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said:’’Allah Ta`ala has made incumbent the best approach in everything. So when you kill, do it the best possible way. When you slaughter, then slaughter well and one should sharpen one`s knife to relieve the slaughtered animal.’’(Muslim)This is the moderation of Islam. We should neither be enslaved to animals nor bring them to deity. So neither the extreme vegans of the west, nor the cruel matadors of the west nor the roaming of buffalos around the Ganges of India can show the modern world the moderation way of life. Islam is best. Slaughter with your hands your qurbani. Else at least witness it. Eid ul Adhaa Mubarak.
Mufti Mackoojee+23057921333