HYDERABAD: In the wake of recent cases of the lynching of Muslims by communal forces in the name of beef or cow slaughter, Islamic clerics and religious scholars met in the city on Sunday to appeal to Muslims to not sacrifice bulls during Bakrid. Eid-al Adha or Bakrid falls on September 1.
“Keeping in mind the numerous cases of lynching of Indian Muslims, I ask you to avoid sacrificing animals like bulls too from this Bakrid. Respecting the sentiments of other religions, the sacrifice of cows were already being avoided for the last few years. I advice all Muslims to resort to the sacrifice of smaller animals like goats and sheep this Bakrid,” said Maulana Syed Hamid Hussain Shuttari, the official spokesperson of All India Sunni Ulma Board, a religious group.
This year saw at least 17 cases of reported mob attacks on Muslims and cattle traders across India.
The decision, the clerics said, is devoid of any political pressure from Hindutva forces but, instead, is a strategic move to stand firm in challenging times.
Syed Aasif Umri, the vice-president Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Hyderabad and Secunderabad said, “Muslims are being targeted in the name of cow slaughter by the so called gaurakshaks. This is an attempt to destroy country’s communal harmony in the name of religion.”
The participants at the meet also maintained that if Muslims will cooperate with the decision to resort to the sacrifice of only small animals, they will also save the lives of those cattle traders and suppliers who are not Muslims.