King Muhammad VI of Morocco made an announcement on February 27, 2025, that sparked debate, particularly in the country and generally in the Islamic world. The announcement urges the citizens to refrain from sacrificing animals for the coming Eid al-Adha. The announcement was premised on the dire situation of the country, battling a severe drought for the past seven years, which has resulted in a drastic reduction of livestock populations and plummeted the nation's economy.
This royal decree follows a similar call made in 1966 by the king's father, Hassan II, when the country was enduring a similar situation. It is hereby considered noteworthy to critically examine this directive by assessing its validity within the context of Islamic jurisprudence and by considering its implications on the socio-religious context.
The Rulings on Sacrificing Animals on Eid and Its Significance
The ritual sacrifice, known as Qurbani or Udhiyah, is an act of sacrificing lawful animals in total submission to the command of Allah, which must be done while adhering strictly to the stipulated conditions and within the approved period of days. It is a religious obligation that is well established in the Qur'an and Hadiths, which the entire Ummah acceded to in terms of its spirituality.
However, its ruling is debated upon two distinct opinions, with the most widely accepted opinion by most Islamic scholars of the Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hambali schools of jurisprudence stipulating that the Qurbani is "Sunnatun Muakkadatun," which is a strongly recommended act. Conversely, the Hanafi school considers the Qurbani obligatory (wajib) for those with financial means.
Historically, Eid al-Adha commemorates the submissiveness of Prophet Ibrahim to slaughter his beloved son Isma'eel in obedience to the command of his Creator. This sincere devotion was later interrupted by divine intervention with a ram as a substitute. This narrative, enshrined in the Qur'an (Surah As-Saffat 37:102-107), underscores the themes of submission, gratitude, and charity.
Regarding its significance, according to a well-established narration, it is acknowledged that there is no other act more beloved to Allah on the Eid days than sacrificing animals. Moreover, the Prophet (SAW), when asked by his companions about the essence of these sacrificial animals, retorted, "the way of your great grandfather, Ibrahim." When pressed further concerning the rewards therein, he replied that even a single strand of hair from the slaughtered animal is duly rewarded.
These and others emphasize the significance of sacrificing animals for Eid and also show the indispensability of this tradition even in periods of economic hardship. To this end, a popular Islamic verdict even encourages taking an interest-free loan to finance these rituals if the source of repayment for such a loan is guaranteed.
It is worth noting that the sacrificial animals for Eid that are widely accepted and favored by the majority of scholars' opinions are camels, cows, sheep, and goats. This is according to Quran 22:34 and the observations from the sacrifices of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The tradition even allows seven people to contribute and slaughter either a camel or a cow for Eid, with each member of the group receiving a standalone reward for sacrificing animals. This shows the leniency of the religion and the magnanimity of Allah towards His subservient slaves.
The meat from the sacrifice is expected to benefit the households, friends and relatives, and the poor, showcasing its essence, which lies not in the blood nor the flesh, but in piety and compassion. Allah says: "Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you" (Surah Al-Hajj 22:37). This verse highlights the spiritual intent over the physical act, a principle central to this discussion. Thus, this charity act of sacrifice has been ingrained in cultural and religious identity of Muslims, including Moroccans.
Context of the King's Directive and the Flexibility of Islamic Jurisprudence
It is understandable that the king's directive stemmed from the strained economic situation of the country. According to the Ministry of Agriculture statistics released, with rainfall 53% below the 30-year average, the country is facing almost a 38% loss of livestock populations. This has resulted in a surge in livestock prices in the market, thereby adding to the burden on the average household.
The king, being the leader, is saddled with both political and religious obligations to the citizens. In his words, 'Our country is facing climatic and economic challenges that have resulted in a substantial decline in livestock.' This reflects that the directive is tailored to show a compassionate response to the economic challenges of the country rather than a direct affront to the authority of the Most High, Allah.
Notably, deep scrutiny of Islamic jurisprudence also provides a template to evaluate the king's directive. The principle of maqaasid-ash-sharia prioritizes the preservation of life, religion, intellect, lineage, and property. Scholars have long recognized that religious obligations can be adjusted under conditions of necessity or public interest. They cite some of the Islamic legal maxims, such as "averting harm takes precedence over achieving benefit" and "need, general or specific, is treated like necessity," along with a host of others to justify their intellectual stance. Based on these principles, the drought and economic crisis could be seen as a state of darura that might justify a temporary suspension of Qurbani.
Moreover, the king's directive is deeply rooted in the Islamic legal maxim, "acts of those with authority over people must take into account the interests of the people." Scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah have emphasized that acts of worship must not cause undue harm to the worshipers. This stance is duly echoed in the king’s concern for large segments of the vulnerable population who might be affected or unnecessarily burdened by the exorbitant cost of sacrificial animals.
Additionally, Morocco predominantly follows the Maliki school of jurisprudence, which classifies the Qurbani/Udhiyah as a recommended act of worship with conditions of avoidability. Therefore, the king's counsels reflect a paramount flexibility of religion and thus align with the Maliki view of prioritizing communal well-being over unnecessary rigidity in the expression of faith.
Opposing View and Final Submission Expectedly, those with opposing views also raised a substantial argument questioning the legality of shunning the religious obligation of such caliber due to mere economic and environmental challenges. They postulated that alternatives such as the cheap importation of livestock and/or cost subsidization could be deployed to mitigate the situation without resulting in the complete abandonment of the annual ritual.
The Islamic window of collective sacrifice of either camels or cows could also be explored to outmaneuver the situation. The critics, therefore, opined that such a directive undermines a key Islamic ritual and can potentially weaken religious identity and tradition.
Moreover, the king's directive should be examined with caution as it tends to reinterpret Islamic practices in response to evolving challenges. It also tends to create loopholes for recalcitrant Muslims who always find excuses for deliberately abandoning their religious obligations. Yet it also risks alienating those who view the sacrifice as non-negotiable, potentially deepening social divides between traditionalists and pragmatists.
Conclusively, while the directive challenges the widely accepted religious symbol of Qurbani, it also evaluates the purpose of the ritual as submission to the authority of the Creator through acts of piety and compassion. However, the scenario inspires Muslims worldwide to deliberate on ways of adapting the religious rites to emerging challenges without losing their essence. It should be understood that this fast-approaching Eid al-Adha, in light of the king's directive, will serve as a relevant hypothesis upon which discussions around similar future endeavors will be established.
0 Comment