Intention behind the slaughtering of ram very key – Gombe Islamic cleric
Amir Abdullahi Abubakar Lamido, Cleric, Economics Lecturer at the Bayero University Kano, who currently resides in Gombe due to the ongoing strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Universities. He was former Muslim Students Society of Nigeria National President and the founder of ZAKKA & WAQF Foundation Gombe and member General Purposes Committee of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in this interview shares with the Editor Chima Azubuike, the essence of sallah.
What is the essence of Salah?
Eid is the festival of the Muslims essentially we have two we have the eid-el-fitri the breakfast festival after the month of fasting and we also have this one eid-kabir the great festival. It a very important festivity for Muslims because it was specifically identified as our own festival by the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. And the speciality of this that it is a multi dimensional festival that provides us the opportunity to reconnect with God, to glorify God to appreciate his favours upon us. It has spiritual dimensions and it has social dimensions it grants us the opportunity to socialise with our loved ones and to share with those who don’t have exchange pleasantries, love and care for one another. So it has this social dimension and from the social dimension it talks about supporting those who don’t have because the Quran while talking about the slaughtering of the ram says it is the favour of Allah and that this has been made your own festival so that you glorify Allah and you also remember Him. You are expected to eat from the meat you slaughtered and the Quran specifically mentions that you eat and share with the needy and the beggars. Not that it supports begging but those whose situation warrants that they don’t have and that they have to beg you share with them. So, the prophet emphasises that you enjoy your eating, drinking in Allah’s remembrance. It allows people to have handshake with meat even does who can’t afford it. It has Spiritual, Social and Economic do you know how many people will make money by selling rams now
Salah is associated with slaughtering of animal. Apart from ram, which is the commonest animal slaughtered at Salah, what other animals are acceptable? Generally what the Quran specifically says and the prophet explains is that you slaughter grazing livestock. Examples are ram, goat, sheep, cow, camel. You can slaughter any and in terms of reward in the aspect of priority you begin from ram, the smaller ones and then you go to the cow and camel. You don’t slaughter Donkey just like you can’t slaughter chicken for this kind of Eid sacrifice it a kind of worship, act of worship that has it own specifications about time, when to do it, about how to do it about who to do it and about for who and for what purpose. The time to do it is of course from the 10th day of the hija (month of pilgrimage, the 10th day that is tomorrow in our case from then to the next two days that is three days are allowed.
What about those on Pilgrimage when will they perform this rite, for those that can’t slaughter due to fear what should they do?
They do it there, the best thing is if you can’t sacrifice by yourself when man or woman if you can not slaughter it well and you know you are not competent or you don’t have the mastery of doing it correctly you can look for someone to slaughter for you and you pay for the service the payment doesn’t necessarily need to be in kind through meat you could pay money.
What animals are not acceptable to be slaughtered at Salah?If the animal is blind completely or one-eyed, you don’t slaughter that or the animal has one deformity or the other. Any animal not allowed for Muslims to eat they are impermissible animals, forbidden animals like pigs, ducks, and you can’t slaughter Donkey.
But Muslims rear Donkeys especially for ploughing and other essential farming activities?
The Islamic teachings of this is that there are specified animals that you can eat and there are Islamic teachings related to Donkey, we don’t eat Donkey.
What rewards are attached to the slaughtering of animals at Salah?In the Islamic teachings there are great rewards provided by God for people who did that Allah knows the quantum as it depends on the intention. This is a Sunna (tradition) that didn’t just start from Prophet Mohammed but from Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) when God ordered that he should slaughter his son Ismail, that is why the issue of intention matters. This is someone who has been praying for a child God gave him Ismail, just all of a sudden God ordered that he should slaughter him without any hesitation. In Islam we are taught that any dream by a messenger of God means it a reality. When approached his son and told him oh my son I have seen my self in a dream slaughtering you which means God has ordered me to slaughter you. Ismail as his father what did he see and immediately he told his dad to do what God has commanded him to do and you will find me among those who will be patient and submissive to God’s commandment. Likewise the wife who didn’t object, she just said go ahead. The father, Son and Mother all of them agreed and accepted this and after laying him down with his knife sharp but God made a provision. So, this became what we call a Sunna a prophetic tradition.
Is it true that an injured or sick animal is not acceptable for Salah? If true, why is it so? There must be reasons one of which include; if you are giving God give the best, if you are sacrificing to God go for the best. There may be health concerns if it is unhealthy, sick or you don’t the type and generally Muslims are encouraged to take care of their health so that there won’t be complications.
If one buys an animal ahead of Salah but the animal falls sick or gets injured days to Salah and one can’t afford another. Will such a person have any reward based on his intention of his heart? First if you can sell it, you can fill the remainder go ahead to do it. if you can’t and that’s the best you can do God will definitely reward your intention, that is what the prophet explains regarding act, whoever intends doing good does it then there is reward about 10 times but for others who have intends but couldn’t due to other factors then he will be rewarded once but for someone who intends doing good and later just decided not to do it not for other unforeseen circumstances then there may not be reward.
In what ways can people who are too poor to afford any animal also benefit from the blessings of Salah?
Any teaching of Islam no matter how obligatory an act is there is this condition that it becomes obligatory only to those who can afford or bear it. If you can’t it something different. So for example it an obligation upon every Muslim to perform Hajj once in a lifetime, for those with the means if throughout your lifetime you couldn’t save it up and he dies because he has the intention God will reward him for the intention and that is one good thing about Islam. So, long as they can make efforts to do it you go ahead, it advisable for Muslims who know that after one year the celebration will come why don’t you start from today by doing savings, buying small ram and rear for ram it one year old maturity period, for cow it four years and for camel six years. In life we plan for things.
There was a trendy video of two youths who allegedly stole rams for Salah. Does one get any reward by slaughtering stolen animal at Salah? Certainly no reward but punishment because the Prophet has told us that God is pure and He doesn’t accept anything that is not pure. For you to do sacrifice with a forbidden, stolen animal what the person deserves is punishment from God
What processes must be observed before the slaughtering of the Salah animal? So you can slaughter within these three days from the sun rise immediately after performing the Eid prayer, you can slaughter the animal and you can do it within the three days. If you slaughter before sun rise you may eat your meat and enjoy it but it is not that sacrifice, after the three days you can eat your animal you have enjoyed the meat but you don’t have the reward of doing doing the Eid sacrifice. It has it own prescribed time, it has it own who to do a Muslim does it man or woman you can do the sacrifice and the slaughtering has it conditions, processes and guidelines. You need to have pure intention that you are doing for the sake of Allah not for bragging sake not just eating the ram that matters not just cutting the throat of the animals that matters what matters most is the intention. You must do it out of piety with which you do the sacrifice and when you come to do it you have to mention Allah’s name. You have to face the direction of prayer the Kabah and you hold the knife with your right hand and you mention Allah’s name before you slaughter and then you should ensure you have a sharp knife to ease the process for the animal, when you see the blood gushing you glorify God and say Allah is great. This explains that it all an act of worship.
What is Allah’s injunction on the handling of Salah meat, including its sharing? Firstly God wants you to enjoy it so eat, then keep some so that it doesn’t finish safe for some days , share with others. If you divide it into three share one over three is excellent. If it’s huge for example someone who slaughtered a very big cow you can give half or two third. The Prophet encourages us to eat not to deprive oneself and family, make your family enjoy and share. The one thing about it is that every act in Islam encourages social solidarity and sharing.
Is there a particular number of days within which one must finish Salah meat? No, if you have enough you share it into three you give one over three to the poor, you take one over three and enjoy and you keep one over three for the next one year until it meets the other. If you have enough that you eat every day and it still remains no problem there is no rule for that.
What is your prayer for Nigeria? concerning 2023 election? Free, fair, credible, peaceful election. One that will lead us to the promise land of a great Nigeria, one that will lead us to have good governance, to reduce corruption, to fight insecurity to fight insecurity and bring prosperity to the economy. To bring political stability, bring religious harmony, to bring inter-faith understanding, to bring progress and see our military enjoy their lives in the sense that they have won the war and gone to the barracks and the Police takes over the streets not the military .
What should the people look out forward in electing leaders? Competence and trustworthiness. I’m guided by the Quran in this because it very clear by saying the people we should employ for any service should be those with the two qualities
Should religion, tribe play pivotal role in who gets the votes of electorates?It one of the mistakes we make in Nigeria and it is unfortunate we try to link Competence and Trustworthiness with either region or religion. We have seen in Nigeria Christian Governors, Ministers, who are good and everyone will say they are competent. We have seen christian leaders who are corrupt who are incompetent who are corrupt, and have no genuine love for the masses. We have also seen Muslims who are excellent who are competent, trustworthy, the same way we have seen Muslims who have stolen our resources in billions, who are incompetent. Does it mean competence is Islamic or is Christianity. So 2023, let go for what will be best for our country. One fact is that Nigeria is multi-religious, We Muslims should never be unfair to Christians, the same way Christians should not be unfair to Muslims. There is this term coined by the Late Dr. Bala Usman talked about manipulation of religion. People manipulate religion for their selfish gain. No every Muslim is complaining that Buhari has not done any special thing for Muslims and when people suffered under Jonathan Muslims and Christians came together and supported Buhari.
What is your advice to youths who are yet to obtain their PVC but are actively campaigning on social media? Quickly obtain one and effectively utilise it by taking their time to vote for candidate of their choice. Failure to do this they should keep mute whatever happens to them is their cup of tea. If you don’t contribute toward good governance then you will enjoy bad governance, if it enjoyable anyways.
