Indonesian pilgrims are going against Islamic teachings and creating unhygienic conditions by sacrificing animals before the day of Eid, said Dr. Saudi Al-Hatreeshy, Director of Slaughter Houses in the Makkah Region. He said that many Indonesians believe that slaughtering sheep before the Day of Sacrifice is part of the Haj and that they would get a reward for this. Al-Hatreeshy urged all Haj commissions to instruct their members on the correct Islamic teachings related to the sacred rituals of Haj. The proper way to sacrifice animals during Haj is when pilgrims throw stones on the tenth day at Mina. Any other animal offering is not suggested. “It is not part of the Haj rituals to slaughter an animal before the Day of Sacrifice,” said Sheikh Dr. Ali Bin Abbas Bin Othman Hakami, a member of the Council of Senior Ulema. He pointed out that pilgrims can offer a “volunteering sacrifice”, but that this should not be before the obligatory one. “We have not heard about animal sacrifice before the throwing of the stones. If a pilgrim wants to offer something for Allah's rewards, he or she can do so on the day of Eid, which is called the Day of Sacrifice,” Hakami said. Al-Hatreeshy added that this practice has seen some workers selling the meat to restaurants instead of giving it to poor people. Also, the animals are often slaughtered in unhygienic conditions. “The slaughtered sheep are normally left behind for the workers to hand them to needy people. What happens is that some workers at these slaughter houses sell the animals and benefit from the money,” he said. What worsens the situation is that the carcasses of these sheep pile up at these slaughter houses which creates an unhealthy environment. “Some 3,000 sheep are slaughtered every day, making a real mess of these houses. Contrary to what these pilgrims think, the sheep do not go to charity. Instead, they find their way to restaurants through some of these workers,” he added. He said that the municipality has assigned 50 supervisors so that they can watch the slaughter houses in the Ka'akiya area. “These inspectors are involved in monitoring the work at these houses, around the clock. They intensify their inspection tours at night,” he said. Al-Hatreeshy said they have 19 veterinarians on duty whose main job is to ensure that the butchering process is tackled humanely and hygienically, and to make sure the animals are fit for human consumption. Al-Hatreeshy pointed out that the municipality has taken all the necessary measures to ban the slaughtering of sheep outside official slaughter houses. “We have some 20 men who monitor whether any violations take place,” he said. He added that the Municipality has also notified the contractors at the slaughter houses to make sure that all workers have valid residence permits and health certificates.
