24-08-2018, Mumbai, India: Men are respectable only as they respect.

Good Morning Everyone. It’s The Friday Post on a sultry Friday morning. This week, we celebrated Eid-al-Azha, more popularly known as Bakreid. This is the second Eid and also its more controversial one. There is a general outcry against the sacrifice of animals carried out by Muslims around the world.

Some people are appalled at the slaughter of animals, some are appalled at the slaughter of animals in the open. In India, there is the additional issue of cow-slaughter. Some Hindus are against this festival because they don’t want cows to be slaughtered. Once these issues are established, multiple layers keep getting added. Cleanliness, legality, et cetera are the next level of issues created by others around this festival.

I don’t think I can add anything to the debate around these controversies. My post today is around a few small points. These are gathered from the speeches of priests I have heard and read or heard from friends. These are concerned with the festival and highlight some efforts made by the much-maligned Muslim scholarship and clergy to foster peace in the country.

Maintain Cleanliness

While no roads turn blood red, slaughtering animals is no doubt a messy affair. Every year, every priest in every mosque I have prayed in has stressed upon the need to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. Some have gone on to enumerate steps – slaughter in a secluded area, throw the waste only near the garbage vats, wash the area after the sacrifice is over, and so on and so forth. While these are very basic steps, it nevertheless serves as a reminder.

Respect Sentiments

We have always been told to carry out the sacrifice in secluded areas and with covers so that people not used to animals being slaughtered are not subjected to the sight. With the spread of social media, our scholars have of late been strictly advising against capturing the event and sharing it with lest it reaches people whose sentiments can be hurt by such pictures and videos.

Thank the Administration

A very welcome message I read this year was by the Head Priest of Aligarh who asked people to thank the administration, the police, and the sanitation workers who are helping us celebrate our festival without any hassles or trouble. This was a really good gesture on his part.

This is a short post. I was writing about something else but the events of this past week compelled me to talk about this today. These are simple acts that if followed will lead to a better environment of religious tolerance in this country. Till then, live long and prosper!