Friday, December 26, 2008

PRAYER OF EID AND HOW TO JUGULATE THE SACRIFICIAL ANIMAL

EID PRAYER

It is written in Halabi-yi kabir, “The namaz of ’Iyd consists of two rak’ats [1]. It is performed in jama’at (congregation). It cannot be performed individually. In the first rak’at, after the Subhanaka the takbir-i zawaid is said three times, that is, the hands are lifted up to the ears three times; in the first and second times, they are let down hanging on both sides, and after the third time they are clasped under the navel. After the imam [2] recites the Fatiha and the additional sura [3] aloud, they (the imam and the jama’at) bow for the ruku’ [4]. In the second rak’at the Fatiha and an additional sura are said first, then the hands are lifted up to the ears three times, and after each time they are let down hanging on both sides. In the fourth takbir you do not lift your hands up to your ears but instead bowl down for the ruku’. In the first and second rak’ats five and four takbirs are said respectively. And in order not to forget where you will put your hands in those nine takbirs, you memorize this procedure as follows: “Hang them twice and clasp them once. Hang them thrice and then prostrate.”



HOW TO JUGULATE THE SACRIFICIAL ANIMAL

First a knee-deep hole is dug. The animal to be killed for qurban (sacrifice) is blindfolded with a piece of cloth. It is made to lie on its left side with its face and throat towards the qibla [5]. Its throat is brought near the hole. The ankles of its front legs are fastened together with one of its hind legs. The takbir of ’Iyd is said three times. Next the following words are said: “Bismillahi Allahu akbar.”Then, if the animal is not a camel, its throat is cut at any place. While saying “Bismillahi,” the “h” must be articulated with due stress and aspiration. In this case it is not necessary to bear in mind that it is Allah’s name. If one does not pronounce the “h” clearly enough, one has to bear in mind that one is saying Allah’s name. If one does not do this either, the animal becomes as unclean as a carrion. It is not halal [6] to eat it. For this reason, we should not say, “Allah ta’ala,” but should accustom ourselves to articulating the “h” always clearly by saying, “Allahu ta’ala”.

The animal’s throat contains the oesophagus, called mari, the windpipe, called hulqum, and the jugular veins, called awdaj, on both sides. Three of these four pipes must be cut at the same time. It is sunna [7] for the person who jugulates the animal to face the qibla. It is makruh [8] to cut the whole neck before the animal begins to lose its living temperature, that is, before its struggle is over. It is haram to cut the back of the neck only. Also, it is makruh to cut off the animal’s head or to begin skinning it before its struggle is completely over and it is dead. It is mustahab [9] that the act of jugulating be done by someone who knows how to do it. A woman as well is permitted to do it. If one does not know how to jugulate the animal, it is mustahab to have it jugulated by one’s deputy, also to be present at the place during the act, and to say the hundred and sixty-second ayat [10], (Inna salati), of An’am sura up to the part that reads, “la sharika lah”.

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GLOSSARY
[1] rak’at: unit of salat. the series of reciting and the acts of standing, bowing and prostration (and sittingunit of salat. the series of reciting and the acts of standing, bowing and prostration (and sitting) in salat, which consists of at least two and at most (for fard salats) four rak’as.) in salat, which consists of at least two and at most (for fard salats) four rak’as.
[2] imam: i) profound ‘alim; founder of a madhhab; ii) leader in congregational salat; iii) caliph.
[3] Sura(t): a Qur’anic chapter [a chapter of the Qur’an].
[4] ruku’: bowing during the prayer of namaz.
[5] qibla: direction towards the Ka’ba. The direction turned towards during worshipping (in Islam, toward the Ka’ba).
[6] halal: (act, thing) permitted in Islam.
[7] sunnat: act, thing that was, though not commanded by Allahu ta’ala, done and liked by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam) as an ‘ibada.
[8] makruh: (act, thing) improper, disliked and abstained by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam); makruh tahrima: prohibited with much stress.
[9] mustahab: (act, thing) deserving thawab if done but no sin if omitted, nor disbelief if disliked.
[10] Ayat al-karima: a verse of al-Qur’an al-karim ; al-ayat al-karima.

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