Religious talk on Korban at Masjid Kg Sungai Hanching
By Rosli Abidin Yahya

The significance and implication of the religious rites of Korban or sacrifice will be explained in detail by a religious expert and an academician at the Masjid Kg Sungai Hanching in Jalan Muara on January 20.

The religious talk is to be delivered by a Universiti Brunei Darussalam lecturer Ustaz Dr Haji Maimun Aqsha Lubis after the congregation Maghrib prayers.

The secretary of the Masjid Kg Sungai Hanching Takmir committee, Hj Mohd Zaide bin Hj Damit and the mosque's imam Haji Sari Nasir invite villagers dwelling in the vicinity of the mosque to attend the talk so they could learn more about the sacrifice and its religious significance to abiding Muslims.

Korban is an act of worship performed by Muslims on specific days (10th, 11th or 12th of Zulhijjah in the Islamic calendar year) whereby livestock like goats, sheep, cows, bulls, buffaloes or camels are slaughtered and distributed for consumption to the poor, and relatives and friends of the performer.

The nation is set to celebrate the feast of sacrifice commencing February 1, the Hari Raya Aidil Adha; and mosques, government ministries and individuals are now making arrangements to perform the sacrificial ceremonies.

The Masjid Kg Sungai Hanching meanwhile will perform the Korban ceremony at its compound on February 2. It will be officiated by the adviser of the takmir committee, Dato Paduka Hj Suyoi bin Hj Osman, the deputy Minister of Education.

"Forms to participate in the religious rite can be obtained from the mosque and interested Muslims must return the forms back to the mosque or me by January 25," he said.

He added the number of livestock to be slaughtered would depend on the number of participants. "A Muslim can offer either one goat or sheep, or one seventh of a cow, buffalo or camel as korban which means 7 people can agree to offer a cow, buffalo or camel at a time.

"Therefore the number of livestock will depend on the demand of the participants," he said.

The basic conditions of slaughtering sacrificial livestock include that the slaughtering process must be done in accordance to the Shari'ah; the animal should be slaughtered with a sharp knife; the animal should be laid on its left side with its face pointing towards the Qiblat, the animal must be recited with "bismillah" (in the name of Allah) before being sacrificed; when slaughtering, cut all four of the animal's veins (in the throat) or at least three veins; and the animal must be completely dead (or cold) before it can be skinned and cut into pieces.

Impaired or blind animals are spared from being sacrifice and perfect livestock cannot be slaughtered using guns, electronic shock or carbon dioxide gas.

The animal can only be slaughtered by cutting its veins with a sharp object. All other methods are disallowed.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin