"It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him." (Qur'an 22:37)
Eid ul Azha (Eid al-Adha) is coming and coming with a bang. Common man is already licking the wounds of soaring prices of petrol, utilities bills and kitchen items ranging from vegetables to sugar and spices. In the present scenario; it’s quite difficult for people to welcome the big event of Eid ul Azha (Eid al-Adha) with the religious zeal and fervour. People all around the country are complaining about the sky-high prices of sacrificial animals in the urban areas, as well as, in rural areas.
- The increasing prices of animals, as every body knows, and
- The decreasing purchasing power of a common man, as 90% of people are suffering due to high and ever increasing inflation in the economy.
These two factors are equally contributing to the lack of will to purchase a sacrificial animal for Eid ul Azha (Eid al-Adha).
Analysis of the prices, in the current cattle markets in the different cities of Pakistan, clearly depicts an increase of prices of animals from 40-50% as compared to the last year. Some buyers are complaining of even 60% hike in prices. Most of the buyers are going back from cattle markets without purchasing of animals due to the high and unaffordable prices. Many buyers are even reluctant to bargain with the traders because of too high prices demanded by traders.
In the cattle market of Rawalpindi, the price of an average size goat starts from Rs. 18,000 and that of a cow or bull from Rs. 40,000. Twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are also facing shortage of animals. That factor is also encouraging traders to demand and charge their own prices in the absence of any price control mechanism. People are tending towards the rural areas in search of sacrificial animals which might be compatible with their budgets. One of them, Malik Safdar, a resident of Chaklala Scheme-III, bought two goats for Rs 28,000 from Taxila. He suggested that people should visit rural markets to avoid overcharging. He said he was planning to buy a cow but there was shortage of big animals.
The situation evenly prevails in the cattle markets in Lahore. Unaffordable prices of sacrificial animals are not only spoiling the business of animal trading but also disappointing the people of Lahore in order to follow their religious rights.
The traders are selling goats at Rs. 15000 to Rs. 25,000 while cows are available for the prices raging from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 200,000 depending upon the weight and breed. This situation is forcing people of Lahore to follow the policy of wait and see until the prices will come down due to lack of business. While, the traders are of the view that rates of the sacrificial animals would further increase with each passing day due to the expenses for keeping them in the City till Eid ul Azha (Eid al-Adha).
After checking the different cattle market; people are also going to the option of collective sacrifices rather than an individual sacrifice. Facility of collective sacrifice is provided by Islam and it will help people to follow their religious rights in an affordable prices. We just have to remember the words of Holy Qur’an:
2 comments:
Its really sad what's happening these days especially with regards to our religious festivals. Eid ul Fitr has turned into a shopping bonanza for the ladies, and now Eid ul Adha has become some form of a spectacle as to who has the largest/healthiest animal. This is totally against the underlying principles of our celebrations, and the most affected is the average Pakistani. I wish we could stop for a minute and reflect, rather than carry on like mindless mad men and women.
You are absolutely right, dear sis. The message, I tried to convey, in my post is the same:
"It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him." (Qur'an 22:37)
May Allah bless us with the better understanding of Islam! ameeen.
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