Hyderabad: Issuing a fatwa (a legal opinion given by a qualified religious scholar in the light of Islamic Shariah in response to a question), the Darul Ifta of the Jamia Nizamia stated Muslims can give donations instead of sacrificing animal on Eid ul Adha popularly known as Baqra’eid if the situation doesn’t permit them to do so due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The fatwa asserted that an equal amount of money could be donated to the poor instead of sacrificing the animal.
The fatwa came in response to a question posed by Qazi Asad Sanai, Chairman Al-Ansaar Foundation, who had sought the opinion of the Islamic seminary in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic in the city.
Eid-ul-Adha is the second biggest Muslim festival after Eid-ul-Fitr (Eid-e- Ramadan) in which Muslims sacrifice cattle including sheep, goat, bull and camel.
The fatwa allows Muslims to give money to non-Syed poor persons including relatives or students pursuing Islamic education in seminaries instead of sacrificing the animal and distributing the sacrificial meat, in view of the prevailing situation due to Covid-19.
Mufti Mohammed Azeemuddin, President Jamia Nizamia who issued the fatwa on behalf of the Islamic seminary claimed that nothing is more pleasing to Allah than sacrificing cattle in the name of Allah on 10th to 12th of Zul Hijjah the 12th month of Islamic calendar, however if the situation doesn’t permit so the act of distributing the amount in the present situation will also be equivalent to sacrificing any animal.
He said if ‘Qurbani’ is possible then it is better to sacrifice otherwise donating the equal amount will be the best alternative.
Further COVID spread is feared if people go to market to buy cattle, butchers are called at homes to cut the meat and if people visit their relatives and friends in order to distribute the sacrificial meat.