Cambodia’s Poor Offered a Better Chance to Celebrate Eid
“There needs to be more investment in raising cows and goats so that we can increase the supply in order to drive down the price so that donors will feel more comfortable donating them to the people for the festival,” Zakaryya Adam, vice president of the Cambodian Muslim Development Foundation, told The Cambodia Daily on Tuesday, October 7.
World Muslims last weekend celebrated `Eid Al-Adha, or "Feast of Sacrifice”, which marks the end of the Hajj season and is one of the most important Islamic celebrations.
A financially-able Muslim sacrifices a single sheep or goat or shares with six others in sacrificing a camel or cow as an act of worship during the four-day `Eid Al-Adha celebrations.
The ritual commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to Allah as an act of obedience and submission.
The Udhiyah meat is divided in three equal parts, one each for one's own family, friends and the poor.
According to Adam, Udhiyah donations this `Eid were made by some 50 local and international Islamic organizations, which offered more than 6,000 cows and goats to Muslim families in Cambodia to celebrate `Eid Al-Adha.
However, donations this year were down 30 percent from last year, when the meat of more than 7,000 cows and goats was distributed to Cambodian families.
Adam said the decrease was a consequence of an approximately 8 percent increase in the market price for Cambodian cows and goats.
“It costs about $400 for a cow and $120 for a goat, and if the price keeps increasing, donors will stop providing animals to Cambodia for the festival and will choose to donate to other countries like Burma,” Adam said, adding that cows of comparable quality are sold in Burma for between $250 and $300, while goats cost between $60 and $70.
Ahmad Khair, the chairman of Malaysia’s Ikatan Mahabbah Muslimin, said his organization’s contribution dropped this year due to the price of the animals.
“This year, we distributed less than last year because the price of the cow in Cambodia has risen. Of course, this is a big concern…and we hope that Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian government take measures to reduce the cost,” Ahmad said.
Source: OnIslam.net
