‘Eidul Adha 2013

By TMO Stringer

A man makes supplications on Mount Mercy on Arafat on Monday 10/14/13 in Saudi Arabia.

Most of the local mosques in the Southeast Michigan area adhered to the guidelines of the Shura Council of North America, or followed the popularly accepted days for hajj announced from Saudi Arabia, and thereby celebrated ‘Eidul Adha on Tuesday October 15, 2013. A few mosques in the United States bucked the trend based on moonsightings that resulted in the celebrated ‘Eid day being Wednesday, however this was not the majority.

Many of the mosques also celebrated with all day activities for children including moonwalk rides and even small roller coasters and amusement park food.  People dressed colorfully and colorful and happy festive banners marked the happy occasion for children as adults distributed money and candy and other presents to young people.

One increasing trend in this country is the phenomenon of Muslims going to local farms on the day of ‘Eidul Adha to perform zabihas in a legal way.

One local farm, Boyer Farm in Canton, had hundreds of visitors who came in preparation for ‘Eid–and many of other farms also do the same service.  Nayyar Khan explained that in association with one farm he had arranged the slaughters of 150 animals.  Some were more expert than others at slaughtering and butchering the meat–many from the diverse local community including Somalis, Yemenis, and Indo-Pakistanis were present at the farm–some of them even bringing their own animals, completely processing the animals themselves, and paying Boyer $25 for the privilege of conducting the zabiha in a place where it was legal to do so.

Syed Ashraf, who is one of the farm’s returning customers year after year, explained that “They charge a rate based on the weight of the animals slaughtered.  They weigh each animal to be slaughtered and charge for lighter animals $2.99 per pound, or for heavier animals $1.99 per pound.”

Despite the fact of many of those at home during this hajj period feeling a little bit somnolent and reserved, there is a very positive connection between hajj and those who are unable to be hujjaj this year–which is fasting the day of Arafat.  All scholars accept that fasting the day of Arafat represents the expiation of the previous year’s sins and the following year’s sins.

Arafat for hujjaj is vital–Arafat is the essence of hajj.  And on that core essential day it is possible for those of us unable yet to make hajj to connect in a spiritual way with that day–by fasting.

This increasing availability of zabiha for Muslims at their local family farms a sign of increasing prosperity of the Muslim community in the United States, which also benefits the local farmers who have a new market to whom they can sell hundreds of animals per year. 

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