High prices force people to opt for shared qurbani

The trend of collective sacrifice continues to gain popularity on Eidul Azha in Karachi.

A sacrificial cow, bull, buffalo and camel has seven shares, as per Islamic Shariah, which allows people to pool in their resources and fulfill their religious obligation. However, of late, many philanthropic and welfare organisations, and madrassas have started offering combined sacrifice, keeping the hides - which they sell to generate funds ­ and some portion of meat for the destitute.

High prices of animals, rising inflation and other economic problems have forced people to opt for collective sacrifice (Ijtimaei Qurbani).

Cost per share in collective sacrifice in different areas ranges from Rs13,000 to Rs18,000 and for heavy bulls, from Rs25,000 to Rs30,000. Mosques, madrassas and welfare organisations have announced different packages for the convenience of the citizens. Many organisers offer online sacrifice assuring of distributing meat among poor and distitute in far flung areas of Tharparkar, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral and Balochistan. The booking is almost complete.

Organisers issue tokens to people who make collective sacrifices so that they can collect their share at the given time.

In this regard, the head of Al-Mustafa Welfare, Haji Hanif Tayyab told The Express Tribune that people are worried due to inflation. Expensive food and petrol have adversely affected people's household budgets.

Sacrificial animals are expensive this year. Therefore, people have participated in a large number of collective sacrifices this Eid. He advised all those who are following the Sunnah of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) to think of poor and needy and take sacrificial meat to their houses.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2022.