Clerics ask people to opt for collective sacrifice of animals.

Byline: Imran Ayub

KARACHI -- Prominent clerics and noted scholars have advised the people to prefer collective sacrifice of the animals arranged by different organisations this Eidul Azha instead of individual fulfillment of the ritual in an attempt to maintain social distancing and contain the spread of coronavirus.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday, Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman, along with other ulema and clerics, came up with a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) which, he claimed, had been agreed between the clerics of all schools of thought and the Sindh government. He appealed to the people and the provincial administration to cooperate with each other amid the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic.

'Sacrifice of an animal is a key part of Islamic rites and prayers,' he said. 'The donations or giving in the name of charity or welfare cannot be considered an alternative of this fareeza (religious duty). So the people should sacrifice animals and don't take khairat (charity) or donation as its alternative. But to meet this commitment, we need to be cautions and follow those steps which are helpful for everyone,' he said. 'We advise the people to go for collective sacrifice of the animals arranged by different welfare and religious organisations instead of doing so at their houses or neighourhoods.'

Mufti Muneeb said the clerics had held multiple meetings with the Sindh government represented by provincial ministers Nasir Hussain Shah and Saeed Ghani, which helped in devising the SOPs to meet challenges which would emerge after Eidul Azha amid the growing number of coronavirus cases.

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'These SOPs should be followed by everyone - from buyers and traders of animals to the local administration to organisations arranging collective sacrifice of the animals,' said Mufti Muneeb. 'The two sides [clerics...