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Doha – As the sacred festival of Eid al-Adha approaches, a contentious proposal has emerged on Moroccan social media: the cancellation of this year’s celebrations.
The #CancelEidAlAdha hashtag has gained traction on various platforms, sparking a heated debate fueled by Moroccans grappling with the country’s current economic challenges.
While some argue that forgoing the holiday would alleviate its financial burdens on struggling families, others staunchly defend the religious and cultural significance of this time-honored tradition.
The hashtag’s emergence has been met with a range of reactions, from those advocating for its implementation to those dismissing it as a baseless proposal.
The government’s preparations for the holiday, including plans to import foreign sheep and tag local ones, as well as the establishment of temporary markets, have served to counter the cancellation narrative.
However, the fervor surrounding the debate has not abated, with Moroccans across the economic spectrum weighing in on the matter.
Economic woes fuel the debate
Morocco’s current struggling economic landscape has been a driving force behind the calls to cancel Eid al-Adha. Many Moroccan households, particularly those with limited or moderate incomes, are finding it increasingly difficult to bear the costs associated with the holiday.
According to consumer protection associations, prices for sacrificial sheep and goats are expected to soar by up to 1,500 dirhams compared to last year – a staggering increase that could deal a severe blow to the purchasing power of the average citizen.
These associations point to several factors contributing to the anticipated price hike. The successive years of drought have affected national production, and the depletion of the herd during the pandemic – when ewes that give birth were slaughtered – points to an “unprecedented increase” in prices.
Consumer protection associations emphasize that purchasing a sacrificial animal is merely a “sunnah” (tradition) in Islam, and those unable to afford it should not feel obligated. They add that the weakened purchasing power of citizens may indeed impact Eid al-Adha celebrations this year, given the nationwide price increases in recent weeks.
Some Moroccans have found themselves in an unenviable position, particularly those with limited or moderate incomes, as they seek solutions to cover the expenses of Eid al-Adha, which is only a few weeks away.
Government reassurances and religious perspectives
In an effort to address concerns over livestock availability and prices, the Moroccan government has taken steps to ensure an adequate supply of sacrificial animals.
Minister of Agriculture, Mohamed Sadiki, has announced that approximately 3 million heads of sheep and goats have been earmarked for Eid al-Adha, with identification and tracking measures in place since March 2024.
Sadiki highlighted that the health status of the herd is good and that several measures have been taken. He detailed that these include “health monitoring and protection of the herd from infectious diseases, control of feed and veterinary drugs used, control of livestock watering water, and control of poultry waste transportation.”
The government has also temporarily opened imports to boost the supply and stabilize prices. Thirty-four temporary markets for Eid al-Adha sacrifices have been established and equipped nationwide to supplement existing markets.
However, these reassurances have done little to quell the fervor surrounding the #CancelEidAlAdha movement. Some Moroccans have even suggested that the King himself could make the sacrifice on behalf of the nation, thereby alleviating the financial burden on the impoverished.
Others have recalled the statement read by former Minister of Endowments Abdelkebir M’Daghri Alaoui, in which the late King Hassan II announced the cancellation of the sacrifice ritual in the 1990s.
On the religious front, Mustapha Benhamza, president of the Regional Scientific Council of the Oriental Region, stresses that the Eid al-Adha sacrifice is a confirmed “sunnah,” that cannot be collectively abandoned.
He argues that while individuals who cannot afford it are exempt, a nationwide cancellation would have significant religious, social, and economic repercussions, particularly for farmers who rely on raising livestock.
Benhamza emphasizes that if a person cannot afford to purchase the sacrificial animal to perform the rite, there is no harm in that, because Islam is a religion of ease, not hardship.
However, he notes that “the cancellation of Eid al-Adha has major religious, social, and economic repercussions,” and that “it is not permissible to agree to drop the Sunnah, and if it is not possible for a person to perform the rite, then God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.”
Read also: Spanish Sheep Arrive in Morocco Ahead of Eid Al-Adha Festivities
Reactions and perspectives
The topic of Eid al-Adha is highly sensitive in Moroccan society. Those advocating for the cancellation of the ritual contend that the poor, despite their financial constraints, will feel compelled to participate in the holiday and purchase a sheep. For many, the sacrificial animal represents a moment of spiritual elation before becoming a source of daily sustenance.
Some social media users have chosen to attack the hashtag and its proponents, viewing it as an affront to religion, arguing that only scholars have the authority to issue fatwas on established traditions and obligations.
These commentators add that it is strange that these people act as if religion is registered in their intellectual property.
They have also suggested that these annual outcries are made by a lobby of major livestock brokers, playing on the sensitive chord of religion to the simple people.
A few have even gone as far as to suggest that this hashtag is the work of Algerian electronic flies, aimed at destabilizing the situation in Morocco as part of the ongoing electronic warfare between the two countries.
It is worth noting that Morocco has previously witnessed the cancellation of Eid al-Adha celebrations on three occasions during the reign of the late King Hassan II.
In 1963, the King announced the cancellation of the sacrifice ritual due to the “Sand War” between Morocco and Algeria, which had impacted the country’s economic situation
In 1981, Morocco experienced the same decision for the second time due to a severe drought that afflicted the country and led to the death of much livestock.
The third instance occurred in 1996, also due to successive waves of severe drought that peaked in 1995, a year declared by the government as a national catastrophe.
