Ehsan Fazili/Srinagar

Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir has appealed to the people to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha simply and give up ostentatious spending which creates an imbalance in society as the poor are compelled to meet their standards.

He also urged the people to celebrate the festival in the right spirit of Islam and make it an occasion of unity in diversity. Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the festival of sacrifice, has its roots in Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail’s faith and submission to Allah.

It is celebrated on the 10th day of Zul Hajj, the last month of the Islamic calendar, two months and ten days after Eid-ul-Fitre.

“Eid has to be celebrated simply, without making lavish expenses”, and by ensuring help to the poor, the Grand Mufti said while speaking to Awaz-The Voice. He reiterated the distribution of Qurbani meat according to the traditions - one-third for the needy, one-third for relatives and friends, and the rest for personal consumption.

In J&K mainly the sheep and goats are sacrificed on the occasion during two and a half days’ duration of the Eid-ul-Azha.

The Grand Mufti stressed the need to adhere to the spirit of Islam and the faith of Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Ismail in Allah, who were ready to make the sacrifice, to obey the divine command. “These days children go against their parents in general and do not follow their advice or order,” the Grand Mufti lamented. He said that it was the “responsibility of religious leaders to change this,”

Referring to the “mushroom growth” of religious preachers who speak on all issues and which are widely circulated on social media, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam appealed to the people “not fall for such things”.

He said social media is misused for spreading misconceptions that lead many people to move away from religion.

Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam also stressed the need to keep a check on the prices of sheep or goats, consumed as sacrificial animals on the occasion amid the reports of skyrocketing prices. He said as such the high prices of the livestock were disheartening for many. Droves of sheep and goats drawn from distant rural areas and meadows are stationed in the open spaces in Srinagar and other towns as the sales have been low.

He also took the occasion to tell people that they should not slaughter animals near water bodies where the waste material including hides, head and foot, and other waste is left out in the open. He appealed to people to finanlise open land for the purpose where the waste material could be buried for natural decay. He asked people to cooperate with the municipal authorities in ensuring proper disposal of hides, head and foot.

He reminded people that Prophet Mohammad had emphasized saving the environment and called it a duty.

He also drew the attention of the authorities towards rampant pollution of water bodies due to people using these for open defecation at places thronged by tourists

Manzoor Wangnoo, Chairman of Nigeen Lake Conservation Organization (NLCO) has also urged the people to desist from dumping hides and offals of sacrificial animals in water bodies. Wangnoo, who has been at the forefront of cleaning water bodies in Srinagar for several years now, has asked the people to coordinate with the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) J&K Lake Conservation & Management Authority and NLCO volunteers for proper disposal of the sacrificial animal waste.

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Meanwhile, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is going to publicize the collection centers of hides in every ward of the city and deploy vehicles for the collection of fleece.