Event Report Nov.2013 | Page 2

Eid al-Adha Qurban

　　　　

During the season of Hari Raya Haji, financially and physically able Muslims are required to perform the hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. The holiday of Hari Raya Haji marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage season. Hari Raya Haji (hajj celebration day) is an event observed by Muslims all over the world to commemorate the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his young first-born son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of submission to Allah's command and his son's acceptance to being sacrificed, before Allah intervened to provide Abraham with a Ram to sacrifice instead. Hari Raya Haji is also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice.

　　　　At Hari Raya Haji, the sacrifice of four-legged animals such as lambs, goats or cows, is performed to commemorate this event. The animals are killed according to the proper religious rites and meat is then distributed to the family, neighbours and to the less fortunate in the community. However, making the sacrifice (korban) is not a compulsory religious duty but an obligation for those who can afford it. Thus, to commemorate this event, on the 17th October 2013, the Special Education Division, Ministry of Education Malaysia have also organized to sacrifice three cows and one buffalo.

　　　　This program started 8.00 am at an abattoir in Semenyih, Selangor. Before the program started the participants were briefed by Ustaz Hj Ismail bin Hashim. After briefing, the cow are laid on the floor and tied up with ropes to keep it from resisting and the position of the cow must be facing the Qiblah (kiblat). Then by using a sharp knife, Ustaz Hj Ismail makes the Niyyat to slaughter, and utter the name of Allah, and slaughter the cow by the method of cutting the four main arteries of its neck should be completely (jugular artery, food pipe, jugular vein and windpipe) without cutting the head off. And the cutting of these four main arteries becomes practical when the cutting takes place from below the knot of the throat. Then the cow is left there to let all the fluids out of the body.

These steps were also done to the other two cows and one buffalo. After a period of time, the cow then skinned to remove the cowhide. Then the cows and buffalo are chopped into four pieces before transporting them to one of the participant house in Kampung Sireh, Semenyih, Selangor. There, the meats are chopped into smaller pieces and weighed to be distributed to the family, neighbours and to the less fortunate. Some portion of the meat is also used to be cooked in a feast for those who have participated in this event and for office workers under the Division. The event was finished at around 4 pm.