Bakrid during pandemic: People take refuge in ‘surrogate sacrifice’

Many organisations and individuals have been offering surrogate sacrifices ahead of Bakrid on August 1, as most of them would be unable to go through the rituals at their places due to Covid-19 legal and social restrictions.

People apprehend that police will not allow traders to sell animals on the roads and this could create an acute shortage. Moreover, those staying in complexes and gated communities may face objections from neighbours due to Covid-19 fear.

This likelihood prompted the idea of has surrogate sacrifice.

A large number of faithful are concerned about buying the Udhiyah (sacrifice) this year because of Coronavirus. They are also not sure about the health status of the seller and the butcher and this could put their lives at risk.

Udhiyah is intended to commemorate the faith and sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Ismaeel. Usually, Muslims divide three shares in the meat, keep one for themselves and distribute the remaining two among friends, relatives and the poor.

Though arrangements for the collective sacrifice on three days of Bakrid have been done by few organizations, particularly at Deeni Madrasa, this time many others have come forward for collective sacrifice. They adopt two patterns — in the first they offer to arrange the sacrifice at their place and deliver the dressed meat to individuals and in the second, animals will be sacrificed on behalf of donors and the all the meat will be distributed to those in need.

Mohammed Areeb, who arranges collective sacrifice, said he is arranging slaughter of animals in a highly hygienic manner and the people involved in the process are duly sanitised.

“Slaughtering and dressing of meat will be done under the supervision of the Ulema. We will use a separate knife for each animal. The dressed meat will be delivered while maintaining hygiene protocols. If the donor wants to distribute the whole meat to needy it will also be obliged,” he said.

PEOPLE APPREHEND that police will not allow traders to sell animals on the roads and this could create an acute shortage.

MOREOVER, those staying in complexes and gated communities may face objections from neighbours due to Covid-19 fear.