Let me share some random observations after my third Ramadan in an Islamic country, not intended for provocation, but instead to highlight similarities between the Western world and a region whose culture is often painted in bogeyman colors.

Jordan’s emerged from its Ramadan coma: a month of iftar overeating that can cause hangovers rivaling any brought on by booze.  The Muslim holy month is marked by daytime fasting and abstinence from simple pleasures, ostensibly to bring one closer to God through patience and resisting temptation.

Most Muslims use Ramadan as a time to focus on prayer and family.  Jordan becomes a slower, gentler place for the duration. Reminiscent of the Catholic Advent of my childhood (the near-month run-up to Christmas), these seasons are intended to bring the faithful closer to the lives of their respective prophets, emulating austerity and generosity, a time to contemplate.

Somewhere in mid-twentieth century America, Christmas exploded from it’s religious shell (albeit one coated in localized, secular traditions) and became a full-throttle social whirl, with its muscular commercial underpinnings squeezing religiosity to a holiday footnote. Meatless Fridays and Sunday High Mass took a back seat to Macy’s sales, office holiday parties and professional tree decorators.

Is the same happening to Ramadan?

Glittery Ramadan decorations, rarely seen three years ago, now twinkle in apartment windows in most Amman neighborhoods.  The displays could compete with the most decked-out American suburbs, electrified crescent moons and colorful lanterns replacing reindeer and Santa.

Roadside tent-shops pop up weeks before Ramadan, hawking ornaments and lights, with peak sales happening just before Eid.  Until recently, vendors were few and far between.  This year they were everywhere.

“People like decorating their homes ahead of Ramadan. It adds to the special atmosphere of the month. I decorate the windows and the rooms,” shopper Elham Assaas told The Jordan Times.  All her neighbors decorate their houses, “At night, the whole locality lights up. It’s a beautiful sight.”

Daily fasts break with evening iftars, increasingly lavish affairs which spiral upwards in cost in part due to genuine Arabic hospitality which insists on including extended family, neighbors, new friends and co-workers. My local friends hemorrhage savings to underwrite the month of communal feasting. Corporations and societies host catered feasts at swanky venues with live entertainment and luxurious giveaways.

Is this what The Prophet MPBOH intended?

Ramadan concludes with Eid al-Fitr, the “light at the end of the tunnel after a long and difficult month,” according to the Al Bawaba website. The faithful rise early and tuck into a modest breakfast before prayers. Everyone dresses in their best clothes (spending on holiday outfits soars during Ramadan, with shops running sales and special promotions).

Afterwards come visits to friends and relatives, where more food is served. Think Christmas dinner, but supersized. Gifts are also exchanged.

The world’s great religions all weave traditions of music, food, and gifting into their spiritual celebrations.  Does the shifting emphasis from simple to splendiferous diminish underlying spirituality, or is amped up consumerism equally tainting all aspects of life?

What I’m observing here is that contemporary forces (urbanization, access to global markets, the never-changing aspiration of parents wanting to bring joy and privilege to the next generation) conspire to soften the edges of those things that set cultures apart, including our most sacred holidays.

Watching some of the surface trappings and traditions of Ramadan become interchangeable with those of modern Christmas makes me oddly hopeful. The late Andrew Masondo, national commissar of the African National Congress, once said “Understand the differences; act on the commonalities.”

Curse ubiquitous food chains and cookie-cutter mall couture, but this shared commercial schmaltz might be the grease to shift how we view one another.  And a focus on on our samenesses, however trifling, is a solid beginning.

Images of Ramadan items from EidWay

The post The Christmas-izing of Ramadan and Eid appeared first on Green Prophet.

This year in France, the Muslim Council voted to start Ramadan based on astronomical calculations instead of moon spying. There are reports that the United Arab Emirates may also switch.

Nidhal Guessoum from American University of Sharjah, said the French vote was “a tremendous first.”  The Algerian astrophysicist told The National, “There’s a good chance that by next year, the Turks will call in astronomers and Muslim jurists from Malaysia all the way to the US to make recommendations, which I know they will implement.”

The change allows Ramadan and Eid to be scheduled years in advance, making Muslim work and social calendars easier to coordinate with the holiday.

Arab astronomers have been computing planetary positions for millennia. As far back as the 9th Century, al-Khwarizmi published his Zij al-Sindh, with tables for movements of the sun, the moon and five known planets.

But that’s science, and we’re talking religion.  For Ramadan, Islam specifically refers to moon’s position as observed by the human eye.

“Computer models are able to predict when the new crescent will be visible from a given region,” Guessoum told The National. “Islamic scholars say they haven’t been told to follow computer models, so there’s a literal versus spirit-of-the-law debate.  Often we can’t tell when the crescent will be seen at every location, we can only tell them by region.”

That poses a major problem: if the crescent can be seen in Morocco, does Qatar accept that as the Ramadan kick-off?  Scientific calculations can credibly state when the holiday starts for specific locations.  Astronomers and clerics met in Mecca last year to debate the subject, and another meeting in Turkey is planned this year.

Although Guessoum suspects some Middle East countries will soon shift, others such as Saudi Arabia will take longer to adapt.  “We need to know when Ramadan starts to find out when we should fast, travel to Saudi for the pilgrimage, working hours change,” he said. “There are plenty of implications.  We can’t wait until the last evening before when people start rushing to buy food.”

While he clearly supports the change, many Muslim scholars predict resistance. “Starting from the mid-eighth century AH [the 14th century AD], there have been scholars who consider it permissible for individuals to fast based on their own calculations of the lunar months,” said Sheikh Musa Furber, a Mufti and research fellow at the Tabah Foundation in Abu Dhabi.

“If a mathematician or astrophysicist says that, by his calculation, Ramadan has started, the governor cannot declare that everyone has to fast. That requires witnessing the new moon or completing the previous month,” he added, “I don’t think that France doing this will change things since the best experts have already decided.”

In Jordan, Ramadan is probably going to begin on July 9.

Read more on greening Ramadan:

5 Craft Ideas for Ramadan

6 Ways to Go Green on Ramadan

Vegetarian Recipes for Ramadan

Image of moon phases from David Carillet on Shutterstock

The post Science Replaces Moon-spotting as Ramadan Predictor appeared first on Green Prophet.

Africa’s most dangerous animal will make its debut in time for the upcoming Eid holiday at the Al Ain zoo in the United Arab Emirates. The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a massive herbivore that roams swamps and shallow waters throughout sub-saharan Africa.

My stepmother kissed Jessica the Hippo on her rubbery snout last year in South Africa, but get between a normal mother and her calf, and you may as well say your prayers.

Mature male hippos can weigh as much as 3 tonnes, but that doesn’t stop them from running at speeds of up to 19mph, and they are very unpredictable. They may appear docile, but they’re fearsome animals that have until now been kept out of view of Emiratis who frequent the Al Ain zoo.

This doesn’t mean they weren’t always there. Gulf News reports that hippos have been a part of the zoo’s animal collection for a long while, but this is the first time that they will be presented to the public.

It’s not easy to keep hippos in captivity – especially not in a sauna like the Gulf region. They require special facilities to ensure they can stay suitably cool.

Unlike Egypt’s zoos, which are mostly rundown places that badly neglect the wild animals they keep, the Al Ain zoo is a respected facility that has conducted a variety of breeding programs over the years.

They have ensured that the hippos will have access to water that is cleaned with a special filtration system as well as shading trees and shrubs.

There will be five hippos on display in sum and the zoo is open to visitors during the Eid Al Fitr holidays from 10am to 10pm; thereafter the exhibit will be open from 4pm to 10pm.

:: Gulf News

image via Tafline Laylin

The post Africa’s Most Dangerous Animal to Greet Eid Vistors at Gulf Zoo appeared first on Green Prophet.

Islam’s Zabiha method of slaughter came in the line of fire this year when Holland banned ritual slaughter. When one hears counter arguments from animal rights activists and even Muslims who live vegetarian lifestyles, the idea of killing another creature can seem unnecessary, cruel and inorganic, especially in a religious context. Yet, the Islamic faith recognises these concerns and answers them. Traditionally, Muslims carry out a meat Qurbaan (sacrifice) every year for the Eid-ul-Adha festival and slaughter animals for food using the zabiha method any other time.

What can Muslims eat? Why is pork prohibited? And what makes meat zabiha? In Islam’s holy scripture, the Quran, God tells people,

“Forbidden to you (for food) are dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name of other than Allah [God], that which has been killed by strangling or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death, that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it (in due form).” (Quran, 5:3)

A Muslim’s Meat Is Always Zabiha
For Muslims, animal slaughter is a straight forward concept. Known in Islamic law as zabiha (ذبيحة‎), the word literally means ‘slaughter’ and goes hand-in-hand with animal welfare and moral purification.

Does Islam promote Animal rights?
Prophet Muhammad of Islam was a big advocator of animal rights. Popular narrations demonstrate how providing water to a thirsty dog, feeding a stray cat and guarding a bird’s nest of eggs are actions of merit. Like his predecessors, Prophets Moses and Jesus, Prophet Muhammad was a shepherd – of sheep – and thus trained in a preserving awareness to ‘guide’ his flock towards health and conservation.

When being asked about the importance of quenching the dog’s thirst, Prophet Muhammad told people, “every kind act to the animal is rewarded”.

He also told people,

“Do not overload them (animals), do not treat them badly, do not tie them and shoot them (tying with intent to kill)”. *Hadith mentioned in Imam Muslim.

Animal welfare in Islam is extended to the slaughter process. A sharp knife is required for a single, efficient cut and so the animal “does not feel pain”. Muslims believe animals are ‘alive’ like plants but they do not have a soul like humans. Animals are acutely aware of what’s going on around them. Thus, Prophet Muhammad showed a concern for emotional stability saying “do not kill one animal in front of the other, and do not kill the animal twice.” *Hadith mentioned in Imam Muslim, read more on Wikipedia.

How Muslims Slaughter Animals
When an animal is slaughtered following the zabiha method, only the windpipe and 4 blood vessels are cut with a single slice. For one school of thought in Islam, the gullet (oesophagus) must also be cut. The knife must reach the back of the throat and the head must remain intact. No other harm to the animal’s body is allowed, which was an animal concern by Princess Ali of Jordan in the run before Eid.

Animals chosen for Islamic Qurbaan, the Eid-ul-Adha sacrifice ending the Hajj pilgrimage, need extra checks. If an animal is blind, lame, deaf, disfigured through mutilation or unhealthy, it cannot be used for the sacrifice. The idea behind this is to follow the Abrahamic footsteps by giving up the best, strongest and healthiest meat to distribute amongst the poor.

The spinal cord is not cut and should not be damaged, otherwise the nerves leading to the heart may get severed causing the animal to go under cardiac arrest.

As the spinal cord remains intact, the heart is still beating, preventing stagnation and allowing a constant flow of blood from the body until death. Since blood is forbidden for consumption in Islam, it’s important to see that the blood is completely drained.

Ask any medical student and they will tell you blood is the carrier of germs and bacteria. Slitting an animal’s throat precisely and sharply emits most of the bacteria from the flow. This keeps the meat healthier and fresher for longer.

4 Ethical Zabiha Principles You Need To Know

1) Animal freedom and organic living

The animal that is going to be sacrificed should be raised to graze freely, treated well, given food and water on the day of slaughter. When brought forward, the animal needs to be kept calmed. Its eyes are covered and it is laid down on the ground. Typically, no other instruments or pressure is involved, and the event is not shown to other animals. Organic Muslim butchers from America, Mercy Halal, have filmed Islam’s zabiha method quite stunningly on their farm. The second video showing the actual slaughter is graphic.

2) Animals allowed in Islamic law

Muslims only eat animals that are herbivores, leading a vegetarian life. Animals shot, killed by accident, birds of prey, pork and porcine substances and roadkill are not halal. Pork in particular is forbidden for major health reasons; while the animal itself is seen as a creature of God, it will eat practically anything put in front of it including excrement and is a carrier of many diseases. Amongst the animals Islam permits for slaughter are: cattle – cows, buffalo, poultry – chicken, pigeons, duck and others, deer, goats, sheep, rabbits. Fish are halal by default.

3) Sanitised sharp tools

The knife intended for the slaughter needs to be sterile and for no irritation, sharpened, but not in front of the animal. Gloves are recommended, as well as a clean workspace with access to water.

4) A Muslim prayer before slaughter

Before slaughtering the animal, Islam asks for the person performing it to be a mature Muslim, and to read a prayer in God’s name, saying “Bismillah” (in the name of God) and “Allahu akbar” (God is Greater). Without the “bismillah”, the animal is not halal for eating.

Do Animals Feel Pain?
One of the major reasons for vegetarianism from the eco-Rabbi and arguments heard from animal rights campaigners is the view that animals feel pain, and as another species, should not be killed without need. Islam holds the view that while animals do feel pain and need loving treatment, the zabiha method does not tolerate any unecessary pain or fear.

For correct slaughter, it is the blood vessels in the animals’ throat that are cut, along with the nerves responsible for pain. Due to a gush of blood, the animal’s muscles contract and relax. When done properly, there is no pain involved in zabiha slaughter. The animal is not writhing in pain, it is simply dying a painless death.

Zabiha Meat – But It Is Halal?
In a nutshell, ‘zabiha’ is the name given to the method of slaughtering an animal by a believer reading a prayer in God’s name. But halal (حلال‎) is the description for products that are permissible by God and which include people’s welfare. Therefore, halal products are also healthy, sustainable and good for you.

A table format breaks down the zabiha method on Green Zabiha, organic and halal meat farmers in America.

In many areas of the less developed world where Muslims are the dominant population, one will find animals being injected with an infamous hormone to fatten them up. DES, Diacecerol Beseserol, is used by farmers to quicken the muscle growth and get more sales for the zabiha flesh. This meat is haram.

Additional preservatives and electrical stunning affect the nervous system of the animal, which Halal Monitoring Committee explains, would also not be considered halal. Figures suggest as high as 80% of worldwide meat is injected with hormones and according to European Union’s Scientific Committee, artificial growth hormones in meat pose a potential risk to human’s health and reproductive system, Sustainable Table reports.

All carginogenic hormones injected into animals – even if slaughtered by the zabiha method, make the animal haram.

The animal is zabiha, but it’s not halal.

What a Muslim Vegetarian Looks Like
Islam does not compel its followers to eat meat. A Muslim can be a great believer and remain a pure vegetarian. But God has given Muslims permission to eat non-vegan food (meat, dairy products, fish, poultry). In the Quran it says, “…Lawful for you are the animals of grazing livestock except for that which is recited to you [in this Qur’an]…” (Chapter 5, verse 1). The Quran also says there are “numerous benefits” to eating meat, which is why most Muslims browse the worldwide restaurant guide Zabiha.com to enjoy a good burger, halal hot-dog and lamb kebab.

Indian Muslim scholar and public speaker Dr Zakir Naik, writes in his book, Non-Vegetarian Food, Permitted or Prohibited for Human Beings?, about the health benefits to the Islamic method of slaughter,

“If the Islamic guidelines are followed and slaughter is done through the Islamic method of Zabiha, blood is removed, hormones are not given, the food is cooked well, hygienic conditions are developed and pork is avoided; most of the (carried) diseases can be prevented.” – Dr Zakir Naik.

More on green halal lifestyles:
10 Easy Ways To Eat More Halal
ARC To Revive Faith In Food
7 Tips for a Sustainable Eid-ul-Adha Festival
Interview With Green Hajj Expert Dr Husna Ahmed

The post If It’s Not Organic, It’s Not Halal (4 Ethical Zabiha Principles) appeared first on Green Prophet.

I’m overjoyed and giddy like a child on Christmas eve. As a Muslim, my year is punctuated with two religious festivals, or Eids. Eid-ul-Fitr ended the 30-day fasting in Ramadan two months ago, and Eid-ul-Adha which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah with a sacrifice.

A sacrifice of meat is an emphasised ritual for the pilgrims, while Muslim families all over the world slaughter an animal to commemorate Prophet Abraham’s sacrifice, and distribute it to the poor nearby. This is the ultimate offering: giving your most loved riches to those without, for God’s sake.

It creates a balance of wealth and unites the faithful.

After a day experiencing ever-growing consumerism attached to the Muslim celebration and on the eve of “Eid-mas”, my family already sponsored a meat-drive for British locals and abroad in Pakistan.

Yet, I am wondering what it is exactly I was supposed to sacrifice. Got any ideas?

Sacrifice is an ethical component of Islamic faith. Pilgrimage too is a journey of preservation – reminding the inner-self of an organic fate all the while using environmentally friendly transportation, the Makkah Metro, to get there. Prophet Muhammad of Islam called these days of pilgrimage the “days of Sacrifice”, saying that selfless actions would be rewarded multifold.

How to give back sustainably for Eid Adha

Without sacrifice, fasting during Ramadan every year becomes a mere diet phase for Muslims. Without sacrifice, the compulsory 2.5 zakat tax intended to purify one’s use of wealth, is nothing more than an economic burden. Hajj, the fifth pillar to Islam’s 5 after belief, prayer, fasting and charity (zakat), is also fundamentally based on the ultimate act.

But our sense of giving is lost when our focus is on providing for ourselves. Charity is an everyday act, yet on the day of sacrifice, a simple donation to the local mosque is not enough. In popular custom, a general view is accepted that the Eid festivals are like a ‘free-pass’, what we consume and wear is not going to be tallied against us, provided of course what we consume is Halal and healthy.

Instead of dishing out the usual charity, do more and do something different. Invest in kindness, reach out to a new organisation, challenge yourself to commit the ultimate sacrifice.

7 ways to make your Eid Adha sustainable

1. Give your Eid outfit away: A rich culture of ornate clothing prevails in Arab people and in my own African heritage. But instead of buying the top-end price of suits, go one band lower and donate the difference to a charity. Better yet, follow a Sunnah (prophetic action) by wearing your new suit once and giving it away. Find a regional clothes bank at Islamic Relief who ship clean clothes to disaster areas.

2. Fairtrade Eids: Take is a step further and buy your next Eid outfit from a Fairtrade store, buy Islamic tops that are organic, and look into swapping one item of clothing for hijab-friendly ethical outfits. Your clothing will carry the trademark of fair business, alleviating working conditions in third world countries, and you don’t lose out on the fabulousness.

3. The 3/3 food rule: Reduce that food baby. Save your expenses and make less food for Eid. Keyword: Less. Instead of having a gigantic Eid feast of meats and fats brimming with heart-attacks, opt for more fruit salads and grow your own vegetable. Check out how to make maklubah, an Arabic upside-down chicken and rice dish. And follow the 3/3 rule: Eat till your stomach’s full one-third, drink till your full one-third and leave the rest to breathe!

4. Eid gifts with value: Money is a standard Eid present but it’s so bland. Coupons and vouchers come second, but that money can make a bigger impact. Plant a tree in Palestine (or Britain) with Trees4Life, on behalf of someone or as a group of friends. Handcraft your own upcycled Eid cards. Read the Islam and Water story of Hajrah and son Ismail, who were the originators of modern day Hajj. And take your children to a soup kitchen on Eid day to instill community love.

5. Use less water: Muslim women, I’m talking to you. On Eid day, take part in water management by dedicating one set of dishes for everyone so that less water is used for washing up. Save unused clean water for tea or coffee and if you drop an ice-cube onto the floor, don’t chuck it in the sink, drop it into a plant pot.

6. New Year Resolutions: Hajj occurs in the last month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah. Instead of making a dozen new year’s resolutions just make one. And stick to it throughout the year. My resolution is to (God willing) become a full-time volunteer worker, and you can start by giving just 5 minutes a week to your local environmental campaign or disability home.

7. Zabiha or Halal? Animal slaughter: Finally, ask your butchers where they get their meat from. Are the animals well fed, treated humanely? If the meat’s zabiha, it’s slaughtered according to religious law, but is it halal (Islamically permissible) and organic? Princess Ali of Jordan supports advancements such as stunning the animal before slaughter so be wise and ask.

Watch Almaghrib’s video on Zabiha Man vs. Halal Man to figure out the difference:

I’d love to hear what you gave up for Eid-mas. Comment below!

From the Green Prophet team and I, عيد مبارك‎ / عید مبارک

Eid-ul-Adha Mubarak.

Want to do do more to make Eid Adha more sustainable? Read:
Nominate Your Green Prophet Eco Hero for 2011
Some Tips to Help Break Your Coffee Habit
The Do’s and Don’ts of Green Blogging for Muslims

The post 7 Tips for a Sustainable Eid ul Adha Festival appeared first on Green Prophet.

Jordan’s H.R.H. Princess Alia Al Hussein – sister to King Abdullah II – believes that stunning animals prior to slaughter is not only halal, but should be mandatory. Ḏabīḥah (ذَبِيْحَة) is the word used to describe how Muslims ensure that the meat they eat is pure and wholesome. According to a Wikipedia entry on the subject, “this method of slaughtering animals consists of using a well sharpened knife to make a swift, deep incision that cuts the front of the throat, the carotid artery, wind pipe and jugular veins but leaves the spinal cord intact.”

Unfortunately, many Muslims and Jews, who have similar rituals for kosher meat, take these traditions to drastic ends – often killing animals prior to stunning them. Last year we wrote about a bloody scene in Egypt, where scores of livestock were butchered on the side of the street in a manner considered more haraam (forbidden) than halal. And Australia, which produces a lot of the meat exported to the Middle East considers it perfectly lawful to slaughter animals without stunning them first. Longtime animal rights activist Princess Alia is determined to change that.

Bahrain, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates import much of their meat from Australia. These imports increase during festivals such as Ramadan and the upcoming post-Hajj festival called Eid al-Adha during which time Muslims commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael to god.

According to Kuwait Times, the Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading Company (KLTT) has announced that Kuwait alone will import 186,000 sheep for Eid Al-Adha.

Bikya Masr reports that Princess Alia has been in discussions with the Australian agriculture department for several years to advocate for more humane methods of killing animals that are then exported to Jordan. While some countries welcome meat that was pre-stunned, meat exported to Israel and other countries is often stunned after cutting takes place.

Earlier this year, the NY Times reported that Australia banned exports to Indonesia after Lyn White, an activist for Animals Australia, unveiled disturbing footage of animals being slaughtered inhumanely for that country.

The Princess Alia Foundation (PAF) “aim[s] to promote the balance, harmony and respect of all Creation, using a holistic approach and bringing all stakeholders together to work as a united front.”

Paul Morris, who is Australia’s acting deputy secretary for live animal exports, told the country’s Rural Affairs and Transport committee that Princess Alia has also advocated for animal welfare and stunning in Jordan and the greater Middle East region, according to BM, who also wrote that:

Princess Alia explains that stunning fits with Islamic teaching to prevent cruelty to animals… She adds that pre-slaughter stunning is used by both of Jordan’s government abattoirs for cattle and sheep.

Last year, Green Prophet spent Eid al-Adha in Lamu, Kenya, where animals raised locally were carefully slaughtered in private ceremonies throughout the small island. It was a colorful ceremony that showed respect for the animals being “sacrificed.” As a monarch who is widely respected among Muslims, Princess Alia’s consistent activism brings to light that inhumane animal slaughter goes against Islam’s message of purity, peace, and respect.

:: Bikya Masr

More on Halal and Animal Slaughter:

10 Ways to Eat More Halal

Egyptian Activists Claim that Eid Animal Slaughter is Haraam

Eid al-Adha: Getting Close to Your Meat

image via Linda Vista Arabians

The post Jordan’s Princess Alia Calls for Humane Animal Slaughter Ahead of Eid al-Adha appeared first on Green Prophet.

A stone’s throw south of the Somali border lies a little known island called Lamu, a UNESCO protected heritage site that maintains one of the best preserved Swahili cultures in East Africa. In 1652, Oman helped rid Lamu of the Portuguese, setting in motion a period rich in arts, crafts, politics and literature.

And then in the 1880s Habib Salih settled in Lamu, establishing a Madrasa that has since secured Lamu’s place as an important center for Islamic education. Although no Mecca, the island’s colorful Eid celebrations lured children and their mothers out on to the streets usually dominated by kikoy-clad men chewing ghat.

With a style more humane than some Egyptians practice, early yesterday morning the villagers that could afford it sacrificed goats and cows to Allah. And then in the evening, women and giggling girls and boys in their best clothes (who are ordinarily hidden in the home) came out to eat Pilau in usually quiet restaurants. Joyful and festive, everyone on the street was even more courteous and hospitable than usual.

Swahili women and their children peer out from the side of waterfront shacks. These are constructed out of mangrove poles, which grown in abundance throughout the Lamu archipelago. Mangroves perform several essential roles as carbon sinks, refuge for fish and endangered marine turtles, and they also prevent soil erosion. The Lamu people also use their poles to build their traditional sailboats (dhows).

A group of young boys sit on a wall beside the swing featured above. With only 100,000 residents, virtually everyone knows everyone else on the island. These boys will be raised together and – unless they move elsewhere to attend school – will most likely still sit on a wall just like this forty years from now. Except then they will wear kikoy (a long and usually colorful length of fabric wrapped around the lower half of their body) and getting high on the legal stems locals chew with gum long into the night.

Two young girls walk along the waterfront. The cement bags on the right are part of the materials being used to prepare for the upcoming Swahili culture festival. Among Muslim communities in Africa, Lamu is famous for its festivals. Maulidi in February and the Swahili festival both draw thousands of visitors each year, a welcome boon to the local community. From November 25-28, locals will put on a show of donkey and dhow races, henna painting, and all kinds of arts and crafts and musicians will be on display from early in the morning until late at night.

Happy Eid, until next year!

All images by Tafline Laylin

More on Eid activity around the Middle East:

How To: Upcycle Eid Greeting Cards

Eid Al-Adha: Getting close to your meat

Egyptian Activists Claim Eid Animal Slaughter Is Haram

The post Celebrating Eid Island Style In Kenya appeared first on Green Prophet.

Similar to the anti-spirit of Christmas shoppers (but more sinister, perhaps) who start spending themselves into a frenzy as soon as the Halloween candy is put to rest, some Egyptians who celebrate Eid Al-Adha have turned the sharia practice of sacrificing an animal to Allah into a callous, thoughtless, bloodletting.

Not only are skilled and unskilled butchers using methods that are considered Haram, but the bloodbath is also a public health hazard; thousands of sheep, camel and other animals are butchered on the side of a road south of Cairo, their spilled blood running down the street.

According to the Daily News Egypt, the Basateen slaughterhouse south of Cairo is a bustling hive of violence. “Herds” of animals stand in line, waiting to be slaughtered.

A practice that should entail lying an animal on its side (away from other animals so the latter will not be unduly disturbed) and then a swift slice from ear to ear has evolved into a mechanized stabbing fest, with butchers “jabbing” necks of hundreds of animals.

“Reda El-Feqy, a butcher, has been working in the slaughterhouse for 20 years. While he acknowledges that this method is “haram” — religiously forbidden — he says that sometimes they have no other choice,” according to the paper.

“Some hangars aren’t properly equipped and the animals are in a rage and can’t be controlled leaving the butcher no other choice,” Mr. El-Feqy added.

But another butcher is not at all at odds with the practice, and claims that “even in Saudi Arabia” animals are sacrificed in this way.

Activists are enraged. One in particular, Amina Abaza (below), head of the Society for the Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt (SPARE), openly condemns the practice.

“Unfortunately many people’s understanding of Islam is superficial so they buy more than one sheep and slaughter them creating a massive bloodshed; although, this money could be redirected to other more useful things,” she told the paper.

“Some people treat the animals terribly and attempt to slaughter them by themselves, although they can’t, as a way to show off in front of others, thinking that they are implementing the sharia — Islamic law — while what they are doing is forbidden,” she added.

Sheikh Saber Taalab, a former member of the Islamic Research Center claims that certain mechanisms are in place precisely to avoid this kind of wanton behavior.

“Islam has put regulations for the slaughtering process ensuring that the animal is well treated before, during and after slaughtering and those who defy these rules are punished,” said Sheikh Saber Taalab, former member of the Islamic Research Center.

Meanwhile, Australia has banned sheep from being exported to Egypt during Eid festivities, in order to prevent their widespread abuse.

“The purpose of the whole process is shedding blood as a sacrifice to Allah and being merciful to animals is an integral part because the animal will testify on those who maltreated it defying Allah’s orders,” Taalab told the paper.

:: image and story via The Daily News Egypt

More Eid News From the Middle East:

Eid Al-Adha: Getting close to your meat

How To: Upcycle Eid Greeting Cards

Eid Al-Adha: The Muslim Festival of Meat?

The post Egyptian Activists Claim Eid Animal Slaughter Is Haram appeared first on Green Prophet.