Every year, the same routine repeats. Eid ul Adha comes with prayers, devotion and the highly emotional ritual of sacrifice. But then, soon after the recitation of the final takbeer, something unpleasant happens.
Mohammad Muslim Bhat
Eid ul Adha is not just any festivity. This is the one of the most religiously charged activities a Muslim can perform. The act of sacrificing an animal in the name of Allah is rooted in centuries-old tradition that takes us back to the total surrender and submissiveness to God of our Prophet Ibrahim (AS). Each and every drop of blood shed during the sacrifice is, as per Islamic belief, an act of worship. The sacrificial animal cannot be simply called a livestock animal. On the contrary, this animal is considered the carrier of ibadah, an entity meant specially for the purpose. Generations of scholars have underlined the importance and sacred nature of the whole ritual, from the selection of the animal till the end of distributing its meat. This is not a barbecue. This is not a cultural get-together. This is worship in an animal skin.
Yet, observe the condition of your streets on the morning following the celebration of Eid, what you will see is alarming. Hoofs scattered close to drainage systems. Horns thrown away into corners. Rotten intestines placed across the curb as though some abandoned trash. Pieces of skin and bones that have been left out under the hot burning sun. Even the smell precedes the sight. Streets that have reverberated with takbeer from twenty-four hours ago now look like scenes of crime except no one is considering it a criminal act. Stray dogs rip at pieces of meat that have been carelessly left behind on the sides of the road. Crows peck at meat that is strewn around open drains. Kids walk over all of it in their haste to get Eidi items, while holding their nose in disgust. The contradiction is stark. We did one of the most sacred practices of Islam and then we leave the aftermath of that practice to be carried through the streets by animals.
Who cares about taking responsibility for anything?It is easy to point fingers at the municipal authority. They cannot take out garbage in an effective manner, their infrastructure needs to be improved, they fail to have proper plans for the day of Eid. However, what does that justify when people themselves deliberately throw the sacrificed animal parts over walls, in empty land plots, or on pavements without giving a second thought to where they are throwing the remains? The responsibility lies on individual shoulders – people who have just participated in a wonderful act of worship and now they treat the physical leftovers from the sacrifice like any old rubbish left over from Tuesday lunch. No particular burial ritual is required for the sacrificial leftovers according to the principles of Islam, yet, one thing is obvious: it is forbidden to harm the community with the leftovers and to disgrace the sacrifice in the Name of God. There is no need to remind everyone how many times the Prophet (PBUH) stressed the importance of purity and hygiene.
Then there is the damage done to the community that never gets counted. Non-Muslims in mixed areas see this happen annually. Tourists visiting Muslim-dominated towns during the Eid season make their judgment based on what they see during their visit. But aside from the optics, there is something far more serious happening on the streets – a public health crisis that is slowly but surely taking place. Spoiled meat left out under the hot sun leads to diseases. Water contaminated from the runoff. Kids playing around outside. Elderly folks whose immunity cannot handle the infection that grows from that rot. Feral dogs that have gone mad because of the food they consumed. The chain reaction from the irresponsible act of discarding a pile of sacrificed meat may seem simple, but it has far-reaching effects.
And what would responsible disposal be? It’s real. It works. People just choose not to dispose of them responsibly. The deep burial is considered the best method of disposal by far. Dig the pit, bury the organs there, fill everything up. No smell, no access for animals, and organic material being returned to earth properly. In many countries, municipal Eid waste management services operate precisely during those days when special containers, special trucks for collecting these materials, and their schedule are known in advance. If this is done, and the people use the service provided, the result is evident. The environment becomes cleaner, and respectfulness is ensured. There have been awareness campaigns conducted prior to Eid holidays in several cities where mosques and other social institutions educate people about the importance of proper waste management during Eid days. This is really not difficult. Dig the pit, call the municipal service, take the designated bags for the purpose. Knowledge and means are available. Lack of willingness to show respect until the very end is all that prevents this.
Eid ul Adha merits something better than what we have shown it after the butchering. The essence of this day is surrender. Ibrahim (AS) offered his dearest in total submission, and we commemorate his submission annually by making an offer of what we ourselves possess. Submission means respect. It means dedication from start to end, rather than for that instant in which the knife makes the cut. The fact that the carcass ends up in the mouth of a stray animal on some filthy highway means that something about the whole thing suddenly becomes despicable. The piety displayed in the morning cannot wash away the neglect in the afternoon. For the Muslims have always been a complete people, they do things wholeheartedly. On this Eid, the issue is not only to slaughter the animal properly; it is also to clean up.
Writer is a student columnist and can be mailed at mdmuslimbhat@gmail.com
