An Islamic scholar and Zamfara State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Sheikh Tukur Jangebe, has advised Muslims to maintain piety as they celebrate Eid Mubarak also known as Sallah.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, he warned against buying rams with stolen money.
Jangebe said, “The essence of slaughtering animals on Sallah day is to perform one of the Sunna (actions) of our noble and humble Prophet Muhammad, who also slaughtered animals during his lifetime.
“The slaughtering of ram started from the time when Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful, directed Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his only son, Ismail, and in the process of trying to slaughter the child, Allah, in His infinite mercy, replaced the son with a ram.
“So, from that time to date, Muslims are directed by Allah, through Prophet Muhammad, to observe the worship during the annual Eid Al Adha festival, otherwise called Sallah.
“Allah does not reward any religious activity which is done with either stolen or looted money. So if somebody steals money and buys a sacrificial animal for Sallah he will not get any reward for God.”, the Islamic scholar warns.
In his advice to those without the financial capacity to buy rams, he said, “God knows their condition. He knows those who have the zeal to sacrifice an animal but have no money to do so; as such, He will reward them according to their intention.”