Giving caution to those who may cause confusion among our kampung folks in rural areas and city outskirts

I have voiced out my concerns over a  sacrificial Qurban ritual which was conducted prematurely at Kampung Asajaya Laut ahead of Hari Raya Aidiladha. The organisers for the event had shown lack of proper knowledge on such Islamic Qurban guidelines and such actions may cause confusion among our local folks in outskirts of the city.

I have strongly mentioned that proper Islamic practices related to Qurban must be adhered and we must always strictly follow syariah guidelines, which permit the ritual only after Aidiladha prayers and during the three designated Tasyrik days. 

This is because the animals meant for Qurban namely cows, goats, and camels—can only be slaughtered after the Aidiladha prayers. The act must fall within the three-day period known as "Days of Tasyrik". If the slaughter is done before that, even with good intentions, it is not considered a Qurban. The meat from such a slaughter is like any ordinary meat given out during the year—it carries no religious reward specific to the Qurban ritual.

I was made aware of the early slaughter carried out by the State Development Office (SDO) which is a federal government body in the village two days before Aidiladha. I have stressed on the importance of consulting religious authorities before planning such programmes. “If we are unsure, we should ask those who are well-versed in religious matters. 

I have urged others not to make assumptions because our kampung folks in villages may not fully understand the significance of the Qurban period and could be misled, While acknowledging that acts of giving are commendable, he cautioned organisers against associating them with religious rituals unless they are conducted in full compliance with Islamic law. 

Donating meat to the community is always encouraged and can be done anytime. But don’t do it so close to Aidiladha that it may creates confusion. If it’s not Qurban, don’t make it appear as such. I have also reminded local folk not to politicise the distribution of korban meat, emphasising that recipients are determined based on Islamic guidelines, not political affiliation. 

We usually refer to lists of the Asnaf group members that are provided by the village or mosque committees to identify who among the villagers are eligible. I have cautioned against the tendency to associate Qurban distribution with political figures, stressing that the practice should remain strictly religious.