Huzur (rh): You know the sacrifice of a goat is a way of giving sadqa, they are not two opposite options. This is a sadqa. So why do you divide it into two options, sadqa on one hand and sacrifice of a goat on the other? In fact, the sacrifice of goats is more commendable in such societies where the economic standard is so poor that many people, many families are left without eating meat for very long periods of time.
Huzur (rh): For instance, in India and Pakistan, we know positively that there are certain families who, by themselves, cannot afford to eat meat even in six months. So there, in such societies, if you give them some money, they would rather spend that money on something else. So it is better to leave them no choice and to make them share the pleasure of eating flesh, which they very much like to. So it is advisable to give sadqa by way of sacrificing goats or other animals.
Huzur (rh): But if some people need money, otherwise as well, for the education of their children, for their clothing, for other things, then it should not always be the sadqa in the form of sacrificing goats. You should balance your act by mixing things together. Sometimes you can give money, sometimes you can give clothes, sometimes flesh and so on and so forth. So this is exactly how it is done in Pakistan, particularly by Ahmadis and in Rabwah.
Huzur (rh): For instance, in Rabwah, the poor are provided with the full year’s requirement in wheat. And there is a very wonderful system in operation whereby we supplement the need. Not that the entire need of the year is provided with a blind eye to everyone, but we investigate the matter quietly. We do not make people write applications for this. In fact, they are discouraged. Each president of the mahalla, of the area in the town, is required to have information on the people who need help.
Huzur (rh): With the result that a committee is formed under each president who quietly look after the people and know about their affairs and investigate matters, so that without injuring the self-respect of the poor, their needs are known by the community. And then they are provided the complementary requirement, not the entire one. If somebody is poor enough, so poor that he can’t buy even a single grain of wheat, he would be provided with the entire need. There are some widows, some orphans who have no means of income at all.
Huzur (rh): So all their requirements then are provided by the community, though not on a luxurious pattern but, to the barest minimum pattern. And if there are people who can provide for the nine-month supply of their wheat, a three-month supply is provided to them. So this is the sensible way of going about things. Expenses are born, sometimes clothes are regularly provided, not sometimes, regularly provided at the change of season. When winter approaches, we investigate and find out which houses are without enough quilts to see them through the harshness of winter. And those quilts are provided in which, again, so many people participate and it gives – provides so much pleasure and content not only to the poor but also to those who work for them.
Huzur (rh): For instance, ladies in Lajna, they prepare the quilts. Farmers of Pakistan, they provide with the required cotton which is filled in the quilts. And some traders in cloth provide the cloth which is needed. So a lot of work is done without being – causing any burden on the Jamaat’s funds by this community contribution and collective contribution.
Huzur (rh): So sadqa should be understood with regards to the requirements of the society. No one answer can be given by me that prefer sacrifice of goat to that or prefer that to sacrifice of goat. One has to do it with open eyes, by understanding the spirit of the sadqa and judging the needs of the society.
