The Festival of the Sacrifice or “Eid al-Adha” is one of the most important festivals for Muslims. The festival has its origins in the story of Prophet Ibrahim, who almost sacrificed his son out of obedience to his God. Instead, God sent him a sheep. That is why the sacrifice of an animal, such as a sheep, camel, or cow is the focus. The meat is prepared and then shared: depending on the degree of kinship, the man gives one-third to the poor people, another to relatives and friends. Also, man can keep very little for one’s own family. In Germany, Muslims who want to celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice face many challenges. According to the German Animal Welfare Act, the slaughter of animals is only permitted under very specific and officially tested conditions, and this may only be carried out by specialist personnel. How do Muslims deal with this? We collected some voices from Tünews editors:
The illegal slaughter of an animal is out of the question for many Muslim people in this country. It also carries a serious consequence. Therefore, many people transfer money to their relatives in the origin country, so they sacrifice an animal locally in their name. On the Feast of the Sacrifice, Muslims from different nations meet in a mosque, as in Tübingen, to pray and celebrate together. Guests bring pastries and sweets they have prepared themselves. Also, breakfast is served together with games for the children. For the revelers, the focus is above all on the community spirit; sharing with people who are close to you or who are not doing so well. “There is no better way to bring family, friends, and neighbors together than this festival.”
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Schafe im Tübinger Umland. Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL / Rouba Alhariri.
