A Muslim cleric wants a recipe for omitting cattle slaughter for Bakrid in West Bengal

Ahead of Id-ul-Adha, popularly known as Bakrid, Hyderabad Muslim faith leader Maulana Husamuddin Sani Jafar Pasha called for a move away from cattle slaughter early next year, even as he accused the Telangana administration of being lax in dealing with cow vigilantes.

Maulana Jafar Pasha told The Hindu that he held talks with Jamiat Quresh, a group of meat traders. He said that developments in West Bengal were cited during the discussions and further deliberations on ending cattle slaughter would continue in due course.

“We have been closely monitoring the developments related to large animal sacrifices in West Bengal. We will hold consultations with all stakeholders soon to decide on the next course of action. That will be next year. We do not believe that income to madrasas or other religious institutions due to donation and sale of animal skins will be a problem. The skin market has already collapsed a few years ago,” he said.

“I have also raised the issue of check posts. When the certificate is issued by a doctor (veterinarian) in the market, why should there be another doctor to check the animal? We are also concerned about the movement of gorakshaks. The police should ensure that they do not take the law into their hands and stop any vehicle,” said Maulana Jafar Pasha.

In a separate development, several mosques across the city used Friday sermons to urge congregations ahead of the festival to keep cleanliness and hygiene at the fore. They said that while performing a ritual sacrifice is important, those performing it should ensure that fellow citizens are not harassed. They also emphasized that after performing the sacrifice, the welfare of the poor must not be ignored.

Published – 22 May 2026 22:08 IST