A MUSLIM MONARCH BANS SLAUGHTERING OF COWS DURING IDUL-ADHA

In a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, mutual understanding amongst the faiths, recognising and accepting the differences of one another should be the primary objective requiring continual nurturing and preservation. When there is reciprocity of respect to the feelings of one another and a profound veneration on all faiths, such a society could be considered as one that had attained maturity. However, where these qualities i.e. mutual understanding and reciprocity to respect other faiths are absent, and brute religious expressions are given absolute support and recognition it must be warned that such conditions would not help to create a rational society. A rational society is one which possess mature outlook, and which is capable of handling problems that arise from time to time, wisely and without hurting others.

Idul-Adha, Festival of sacrifice, also known as sacrifice feast is observed by Muslims across the world. It is a festival in commemoration of Ibrahim’s (Abraham in the Old Testament) obedience to God and his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail (also spelt as Ishmael). It is also significant because Ismail himself accepts to be offered. However, God seeing the devotion of Ibrahim and Ismail spares the latter’s life and is substituted with a ram.

The original story in the Bible is different. Abraham, originally called Abram had married Sarah who was barren. She persuaded Abraham to take the Egyptian slave Hagar as a wife, who bore Abraham a son whom he named Ishmael. Later Sarah bore a son to Abraham who was named Isaac. Sarah was not comfortable with Hagar and Ishmael being around so she had them sent away. Now Abraham was only left with one son, Isaac. God wanted to test Abraham, therefore, He told him to take his only son Isaac and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. This was a severe test. Abraham did not hesitate and began the preparation for the sacrifice, but God spared Isaac in the last moment by substituting a ram. And this has given rise to another controversy as to whether Ismail (Ishmael) or Isaac is the eldest.

Muslims in commemoration of this unique devotion of Ibrahim to God celebrate this festival by offering sheep or goat, and cow has also been offered. Cow is a sacred animal for Hindus.

William Dalrymple in his book The Last Mughal tells us, relying on a letter written by Maulevi Muhammad Baqar to the effect that the “Ghazees who have come from Tonk have determined to kill a cow on the open in front of Jama Masjid on the day of Id”. The letter goes on to state that “……… if the Hindus offer any opposition to this, they will kill them, and after settling accounts with the Hindus they will them attack and destroy the Firangsis (foreigners)”.

William adds that “on 19 July some Hindus cut the throats of five Muslim butchers they accused of cow killing. “A full scale crisis …… looked imminent” , which Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II (1775-1862), “dreaded”. What Zafar did was something extraordinary. On the same day the butchers were killed “Zafar banned the butchery of cows, forbade the eating of beef and authorised for anyone found killing a cow the terrible punishment of being blown from the canon.”

Zafar also ordered that all the cows in town should be registered with the chaukidars (the night watchmen) and each police station to make a list of all the cows being bred by the followers of Islam . There was also a proclamation on 30 July that cow killing was absolutely prohibited .

William records that there was mediation with the Mujahedin and they were persuaded to forgo the pleasure of slaughtering cows . This saga would prompt a British officer, Harvey Greathead, to write to his wife: “that it is a good satire on the Mohamedans fighting for their faith, that at this Eid under the Mohamedan King, no one was permitted to sacrifice a cow”.

This incident reminds us that goodwill among all races and religions being paramount it would take a great mind to understand the significance of a festival in a broad way without hurting the feelings of the followers of different faiths. After all if God Himself could forgo human sacrifice and be satisfied with a ram, human being could be better off by not hurting the feelings of others at least in the public. Perhaps, it takes a great mind to do a great thing. And respect for one another must come from the heart, not the lips. The former is true: the latter false.