An Easier Way to Celebrate Eid Al-Adha in Pakistan

Every year Muslims commemorate Abraham's obedience to God, and his willingness to sacrifice his own son, by offering an animal sacrifice on Eid al-Adha. There are two celebrations whose basis come from the Quran, that are celebrated by tenants of the Islamic faith all over the world. The dates for both are determined by the lunar calendar. In 2008, Eid al-Adha is expected to fall on December 8th. Eid al-Adha is popularly known as "the big Eid." In Arabic this translates to "Eid al-Kabir," and in Urdu it is commonly called "Bari Eid."

The most important event that takes place during this holiday is the sacrifice of an animal. Each family will purchase a goat, sheep, cow, bull or camel for this purpose. After the animal is slaughtered, the meat is divided between family members and given out to the poor. In orthodox Islam, the sacrifice is not meant to have an atoning quality, such as in the Judaic sacrificial system, but is meant to serve as a reminder of the prophet Abraham's unwavering faith and obedience.

This year in Lahore, families can celebrate Eid al-Adha without transforming their garages into butcheries. Zenith, a store that specializes in fresh meat, is offering all inclusive qurbani (sacrifice) packages. How does Zenith make it easier? Whether you are in Pakistan or abroad, you can order your sacrificial animal at any Zenith outlet or even online. By booking ahead, you can be assured that Zenith will take care of buying and butchering your animal. They do the bargaining, and they even package the meat just like you normally buy it from the store. You book a time to pick up the meat, and when that time comes you just pick it up at your local Zenith store. As Zenith says, "No need to look for or hire a butcher," and, "No worry about waste disposal."

If you're ordering from abroad and can not distribute the meat on your own, Zenith will just ask you who you want to pick up the meat. Also, "With your consent, Zenith will distribute the meat among the destitute on its own."

Zenith is certainly not known for cheap prices, but it is known for good safety and hygiene practices. If you want to get the best deal for your meat, you're better off buying your animal at a livestock market or from the local butcher. For example, at the time of writing Zenith was selling ground beef for 225 rupees/kg, while even upscale department store HKB was selling it at 167 rupees/kg. If you buy it from a local market you're sure to get even cheaper prices. Zenith may not offer a bargain, but they are offering top of the line, hassle free qurbani packages.

Zenith's cheapest options for a whole animal are either a sheep or a "fat tail" at 13,500 rupees ($167). Either of these will yield between 17 and 20 kilos of meat. A slightly more expensive option, a goat, goes for 16,500 rupees ($203), but it yields the same amount of meat. If you want a bigger animal, such as a cow or bull, it will cost you 38,900 rupees ($480) and will yield 120 to 140 kilos of meat. Want to distribute beef but can't afford the whole animal? Zenith will let you buy a share in one for only 5,700 rupees ($70), which will give you 17 to 20 kilos meat. Buying a share in a cow or bull is actually the most affordable option. If you really want to go all out, buy a whole camel for 56,000 rupees ($691) and get 126-140 kilos of meat. It's about the same amount of meat that you get for a cow, but is seen as a more valuable animal. To buy a share in a camel you can pay 8,000 rupees ($98) and get 18 to 20 kilos of meat.

As a foreigner, I think Zenith's packages are great. The more people who pick up pre-packaged meat from Zenith in Y Block Defence, the less bleating goats I have to listen the week leading up to Eid al-Adha. The less scared sheep I have to see being dragged to their execution in the streets, and the less animal excrement I need to avoid while walking to the park. Really, in the week before Eid, you'd think that Defence had been transformed into a barnyard. So hey, if Zenith can make things a little easier and keep those bleating goats away, I'm all for it!

Order online at:

Zenith Qurbani

Or Call to Find Your Nearest Zenith Outlet:

UAN: 111-936-484 (111-Zenith)