Every year during Bakra Eid (Eid al-Adha), millions of goats, cows, sheep, and other animals are slaughtered by Muslims across the world. This ritual is believed to honor the story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), who, according to Islamic tradition, was commanded by God to sacrifice his son as a test of faith. Just before the sacrifice, God is said to have replaced the child with a ram, sparing the boy and allowing Ibrahim to fulfill the command without harming his son.
To commemorate this act of obedience, Muslims perform Qurbani, the ritual sacrifice of an animal, usually a goat, sheep, cow, or camel. The meat is then divided into three parts, one for the family, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor and needy.
However, in today’s world, this tradition raises a serious ethical question:
Can a truly compassionate and loving God ask for the death of innocent animals?
No matter how respectfully or “humanely” it is done, killing a sentient being who wants to live is still killing. Animals feel fear, pain, stress, and joy. They protect their young, form bonds, and avoid danger. They value their lives just as much as humans do.
If a ritual demands the death of a creature that has done no wrong, can it truly be considered moral? Compassion and unnecessary killing cannot coexist.
The idea that a god would ask someone to take the life of another living being to show loyalty is deeply disturbing. If a god is truly all-powerful and loving, why would He require bloodshed to test faith?
A god that demands violence to prove submission is not asking for love. That is a test of blind obedience, not spiritual growth. True devotion should not require harming the innocent.
Many harmful practices were once justified through religion. Human sacrifice, slavery, caste discrimination, and stoning were all done in the name of faith.
Just because something is written in a scripture or has been done for centuries does not make it right. Morality must evolve, and traditions should be questioned when they go against kindness, justice, and non-violence.
If God is the source of mercy, peace, and life, then He would never ask for suffering or death. A truly compassionate Creator would want humans to protect the weak, care for animals, and promote harmony.
Feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and supporting those in need are meaningful ways to worship. Killing animals who want to live is not.
Many Muslims today have realized that this Islamic tradition is wrong and are choosing a more compassionate path. Around the world, they are beginning to honor Eid by donating food, giving money to the poor, and helping others instead of killing animals. These acts reflect true compassion and care.
Rituals that involve no harm are not only more ethical, they are also more spiritually uplifting. Choosing peace over blood is a higher form of devotion.
A religion that commands the killing of innocent animals in God’s name cannot be from the true, loving Creator. Islam’s ritual of animal sacrifice is not an act of mercy, but of violence, and no truly compassionate God would ever ask His followers to do such a thing.
The true path is one that upholds kindness, respects all life, and rejects bloodshed. That path is Sikhi. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji teaches us to see God in all beings, to live in harmony, and to rise above rituals rooted in pain. It is time to walk the path of truth and compassion. It is time to embrace Sikhi.
