Animal sacrifice during the Haj.

[Kraklen]

I just learned about this yesterday.

In following the story of Abraham, who was allowed by God to sacrifice a sheep instead of his own son, pilgrims during the Haj who can afford it have a sheep sacrificed. It's the largest animal sacrifice in the world, and it happens annually. Of the two million or so Hajis, about 800,000 will sacrifice a sheep (seven can pitch in and buy a camel). The whole process requires several thousand butchers for the slaughter.

Here's the kicker- the meat from these animals is packaged and delivered to starving people all over the world.

I thought that was really neat.

[mongo]

1. Wow

Here's the kicker- the meat from these animals is packaged and delivered to starving people all over the world.

That's really cool.

[On the Road]

2. A Few Years Ago,

I visited Istanbul and had problems booking a flight out. Found out I was trying to travel on this holiday. It's a huge thing -- had never heard of it up until then.

[Kraklen]

3. There was a whole show about the event on PBS.

It's really amazing.

[onager]

4. Eid al-Adha (The Feast of the Sacrifice)

I was in Egypt this year when the holiday occurred, in January. (The Muslim calendar is lunar, so it happens at a different time every year, naturally.)

Vegans and PETAns would have a rough time. The streets of Old Cairo literally ran with the blood of slaughtered sacrificial animals and their gory hides were piled six feet high in the alleys, waiting to be rendered into byproducts. I walked thru those streets while this was going on. It's a damned odd thing to see in the Twenty-First Century, especially for a Grumpy Atheist like me.

This is part of the Islamic requirement for "zakat," or charity. (One of the five Pillars Of The Faith, IIRC.)

It doesn't have to be a sheep, BTW. Wealthier people buy a cow and have it slaughtered. Most middle-class people buy a goat. (That was also the norm in Saudi Arabia, where I lived for 2 years.) People who are just getting by might buy a flock of pigeons...er, squab to satisfy the requirement.

As an Egyptian explained it to me, whatever animal you slaughter is divided this way: one half to the poor, one quarter to family members, one quarter to yourself.

AFAIK, the meat isn't "delivered to starving people all over the world." It's donated to poor Muslims only, generally in the local area.