Lower spending, rising costs and fewer animal sacrifices dampened the same old festive spirit as Muslims all over the world marked Eid al-Adha.
In Jakarta, worshippers packed the streets and crammed the Istiqlal Grand Mosque for Friday morning prayers.
Known because the “Feast of Sacrifice,” Eid al-Adha coincides with the ultimate rituals of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. It is a time of pleasure and generosity, with religious Muslims buying and slaughtering animals, sharing two-thirds of the meat with these in want.
Outside the capital, the Jonggol Cattle Market buzzed with a whole bunch of merchants hoping to promote sacrificial animals. While gross sales rose forward of the vacation, sellers mentioned the pandemic’s financial fallout has led to fewer prospects lately.
A foot-and-mouth illness outbreak from 2022 to 2023 additionally considerably dampened the sometimes booming vacation commerce in goats, cows and sheep, although Indonesia’s authorities has labored to beat that outbreak.
Rahmat Debleng, one of many sellers on the market, mentioned earlier than the pandemic and the FMD outbreak, he might promote greater than 100 cows two weeks forward of Eid al-Adha. But on the eve of the celebration this 12 months, solely 43 of his livestock have been offered, and 6 cows remained in his stall.
“Though the foot-and-mouth outbreak threats remain, the decline in sales is mostly because of economic hardship,” Debleng mentioned.
Jakarta metropolis administration information recorded the variety of sacrificial animals out there this 12 months at 35,133, a decline of 57% in comparison with the earlier 12 months.
The authorities has made subsequent Monday an extra vacation after Friday’s competition to permit individuals extra time with their households. Eid momentum is predicted to assist financial progress in Indonesia, the place family consumption helps drive GDP. It contributed greater than 50% to the financial system final 12 months, although analysts anticipate extra subdued client spending in 2025.
Eid al-Adha commemorates the Quranic story of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice Ismail as an act of obedience to God. Before he might perform the sacrifice, God offered a ram as an providing.
South Asian international locations like India and Bangladesh will have fun Eid al-Adha on Saturday. Ahead of the competition, many Muslims within the area turned to livestock markets to purchase and promote tens of millions of animals for sacrifice.
In New Delhi, sellers tended to their animals at markets whereas potential patrons negotiated costs.
Mohammad Ali Qureshi, one of many sellers, mentioned this 12 months his goats fetched as excessive as $640, about $60 greater than final 12 months.
“Earlier, the sale of goats was slow, but now the market is good. Prices are on the higher side,” Ali mentioned.
Preparations for the competition additionally peaked in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the place many Muslims dye sheep and goats with henna earlier than sacrifice.
“We are following the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim,” mentioned Riyaz Wani, a resident of Kashmir’s foremost metropolis of Srinagar, as his household utilized henna on a sheep they deliberate to sacrifice.
Source: www.dailysabah.com