✿ Eid al-Adha and the Act of Sacrifice
These days, some people label the slaughter of animals and consumption of meat during Eid al-Adha as cruelty. However, the reality is quite different. The world’s leading fast food chains such as:✔ McDonald's
✔ Subway
✔ Starbucks
✔ Burger King
All base their core menu items on meat — chicken, beef, and mutton. Interestingly, many who advocate for animal rights regularly consume meat at these very outlets.
❀ Hypocrisy Versus Reality
Those who raise concerns about animal rights are often the same individuals who, when hungry, dine at expensive restaurants, consuming chicken burgers, beef kebabs, and mutton biryani. Does this meat reach their plates without slaughter or taking a life?When we slaughter animals in the name of Allah during Eid al-Adha, we are labeled as cruel. Yet, those same critics consume meat daily without objection. This double standard reflects a profound inconsistency in moral judgment.
❀ Animal Rights: Misconceptions and Realities
If concern for animals is genuine, then why do people wear leather shoes, use soaps made with animal fat, and don leather jackets? The truth is, all these items are made possible through animal sacrifice. The height of hypocrisy is reached when people object to the distribution of sacrificial meat to the poor, orphans, and the needy.❀ Islamic Teachings on Animal Welfare
Islam emphasizes humane treatment during the process of slaughter. The following guidelines must be observed:① The knife should be sharp.
② The animal must not be thirsty or hungry.
③ The animal should not be slaughtered in the presence of other animals.
④ The slaughter must be swift to minimize suffering.
Medical science affirms that once the veins connected to the brain are severed, the animal no longer feels pain. Thus, this method of death is among the most painless, and the perception of cruelty is often a misunderstanding.