This Wednesday, June 28, 2023 marks the beginning of Eid-el-Kébir, the most important holiday in Islam. For three days, believers will celebrate the sacrifice of the prophet Abraham, respecting religious tradition and regulations. 14 slaughterhouses have been authorized in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
This Wednesday, June 28, 2023 begins Eid-el-Kébir, the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar. For three days, Muslim believers will celebrate the sacrifice of Prophet Abraham. He had received the divine order to kill his son Gabriel, who will eventually be replaced by a sheep. During Aïd-el-Kébir, sheep will therefore be slaughtered, respecting both the religious ritual and the regulations.
“There are a lot of preparations upstream. You have to find people who make the sacrifice, according to the ritual and according to the legislation”summarizes Mohamed, treasurer of the al-Imane association in Dijon (Côte-d’Or). “The whole process is followed by two veterinarians.”
The prefecture of Côte-d’Or thus underlines in a press release that Aïd-el-Kébir must take place in the “compliance with health, environmental, animal protection and commercial regulations.” A list of authorized slaughterhouses has been put in place. 14 of them are located in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.
The faithful can obtain sheep from butchers or supermarkets, go through Muslim religious associations or contact an authorized slaughterhouse.
In any case, the prefecture of Côte-d’Or recalls that it is “prohibits individuals from performing slaughter themselves, or for breeders, from slaughtering their animals on behalf of individuals.” Offenders risk up to six months in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros. In Yonne, from June 16 to July 6, 2023, “sales to individuals and transport by individuals of sheep, goats and cattle are prohibited by prefectural decree.”
“Aïd-el-Kébir will begin Wednesday morning with a special prayer, to celebrate the sacrifice of the father of believers”predicts Mohamed. “Then we will carry out the ritual slaughter. The animals are then brought in a refrigerated truck to the believers, to celebrate at home. If there is any health risk, the meat ends up in the waste.”
According to tradition, a quarter of the mutton should be eaten and the rest of the meat should be given to people in need. “But it also depends on the standard of living of the people”says Mohammad. “A sheep costs between 280 and 300 euros. It’s a lot for some.”
Philosophically, Abraham gives his son, so we have tremendous respect for beasts.
Mohamed, treasurer of the Al-Imane association
There is also the question of the size of the slaughtered animals. “Because of the drought, the animals have eaten much less so it is difficult to find animals of sufficient size”Mohammad adds. “Besides, the Muslim calendar is lunar, which means that every year the festival is happening later and later, which makes it even more difficult to find sheep.”
The Al-Imane association provides this year 102 animals for 102 faithful. In 2022, in Yonne, 1,059 sheep and 63 cattle were slaughtered in approved slaughterhouses. Finally, the treasurer of the Al-Imane association would like to remind “that on the subject of the slaughter, there is an awareness that philosophically, Abraham gives his son, so we have enormous respect for the animals. The slaughter is done as quickly as possible, and the sheep are not witnesses of the slaughter of their fellows.”
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