{"id":254447,"date":"2025-03-08T02:34:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-08T02:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/08\/as-king-urges-people-not-to-kill-sheep-for-big-eid-many-moroccans-feel-relief\/"},"modified":"2025-03-08T02:34:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T02:34:35","slug":"as-king-urges-people-not-to-kill-sheep-for-big-eid-many-moroccans-feel-relief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/08\/as-king-urges-people-not-to-kill-sheep-for-big-eid-many-moroccans-feel-relief\/","title":{"rendered":"As King Urges People Not to Kill Sheep for \u2018Big Eid,\u2019 Many Moroccans Feel Relief"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/28\/multimedia\/morocco-eid-01-wfht\/morocco-eid-01-wfht-facebookJumbo.jpg?ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"As King Urges People Not to Kill Sheep for \u2018Big Eid,\u2019 Many Moroccans Feel Relief\" title=\"As King Urges People Not to Kill Sheep for \u2018Big Eid,\u2019 Many Moroccans Feel Relief\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-0\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Moroccan families usually celebrate Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, with prayers at the mosque in the morning and sizzling meat skewers at night. But in recent years, many have been unable to afford basic necessities \u2014 much less the cost of a sheep to slaughter for one of Islam\u2019s holiest festivals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">So when King Mohammed VI, citing \u201cclimate and economic challenges,\u201d urged people last week not to buy sheep to slaughter for this year\u2019s feast in June, it brought much-needed relief to the many Moroccans feeling torn between their faith, their traditions and their drained finances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cPerforming it under these difficult circumstances would cause certain harm to large segments of our people \u2014 especially those with limited incomes,\u201d the king, who is also Morocco\u2019s religious leader, said in a letter read by Ahmed Toufiq, the Islamic affairs minister, on <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=COrEJrxukp8&amp;feature=youtu.be\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">state-owned television<\/a>. \u201cI will perform the Eid sacrifice rite, God willing, on behalf of my people,\u201d the king added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The country\u2019s deep economic woes have worsened over seven <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/10\/17\/world\/africa\/morocco-quake-food.html\" title=\"\">years of drought<\/a>, exacerbated by <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/05\/05\/climate\/heat-wave-spain-morocco.html\" title=\"\">periods of extreme heat<\/a> that <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org\/country\/morocco\/climate-data-historical\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">scientists have linked to climate change<\/a>. Recent rainfall has been 53 percent lower than the average of the last 30 years, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ihC57dQQuyw\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">according to the agriculture ministry<\/a>. The cumulative effects of that have <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/carnegieendowment.org\/research\/2025\/01\/moroccos-climate-strategy-balancing-growth-resilience-and-sustainability?lang=en\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">reduced harvest yields<\/a>, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/10\/17\/world\/africa\/morocco-quake-food.html\" title=\"\">dried up water sources<\/a> and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moroccoworldnews.com\/2025\/02\/172920\/morocco-sees-0-8-inflation-in-january-driven-by-food-prices\/\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">helped drive up food prices<\/a>, including meat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-1\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In that context, King Mohammed spoke about the challenges that Moroccans might face celebrating Eid al-Adha.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cMy concern to enable you to observe this religious ritual in the best circumstances is accompanied by my duty to consider the climate and economic challenges facing our country, which have led to a significant decline in livestock numbers,\u201d <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cg.gov.ma\/fr\/node\/12213\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">he said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Eid al-Adha \u2014 also known as Eid al-Kabir, or \u201cBig Eid\u201d \u2014 is an expensive day for most Moroccans. A family purchases a sheep, often days or weeks in advance, then slaughters it on the first day and celebrates by sharing the meat with relatives, friends, neighbors and people in need. The celebration commemorates the religious story of Abraham\u2019s willingness to kill his son upon God\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cPeople usually save for that,\u201d said <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/cooking.nytimes.com\/author\/nargisse-benkabbou\" title=\"\">Nargisse Benkabbou<\/a>, a chef who specializes in Moroccan cuisine, speaking from her parents\u2019 house in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-2\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Even individuals or families who do not have a lot of money will try to buy an animal, she said, sometimes teaming up with neighbors to afford it. They will make dishes like <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mymoroccanfood\/reel\/Cf1j09DjBkm\/\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">boulfaf<\/a>, grilled skewers of <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/tasteofmaroc.com\/caul-fat-wrapped-liver-brochettes-boulfaf\/\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">seared lamb wrapped in caul fat<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-3\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Ms. Benkabbou said the king\u2019s call for restraint was \u201ca national solidarity gesture\u201d that could save people from shame and heartache this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThere is a big chunk of people in the country who will not be able to purchase a lamb this year and who will feel a lot of guilt,\u201d she said. \u201cNow, with the blessing of the king, they do not have to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">It may also ease pressure on Moroccans as they shop for the iftar breaking-the-fast evening meals during Ramadan, which began over the weekend, and during Eid al-Fitr, the three-day celebration that marks the end of the holy fasting month.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Many are already behind financially, said Abdelfetah Ait el-Hamri, who owns a shop in Douar Sraghna, a town near Marrakech. His customers owe him about $5,000 in loans, he said \u2014 and that is just for regular groceries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-4\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">About 37 percent of people aged 15 to 24 in the country were unemployed last year, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hcp.ma\/Situation-du-marche-du-travail-en-2024_a4059.html\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">official data shows<\/a>, while about 23 percent of all Moroccans were unemployed or underemployed. Last year, 55 percent could not afford a sheep for Eid al-Adha, according to <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cmcmaroc2023\/posts\/pfbid02gaTbzrjyDVG1vQUd69fCdd5VPkjxBCZcWzm2eUi1B9WKFje6dWnwy29uyHWDAaXSl\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">data from the Moroccan Center for Citizenship<\/a>, a nonprofit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The king, who has been on the throne since 1999, has never called on Moroccans to skip the sacrifice, although his father, King Hassan II, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/fr.le360.ma\/societe\/aid-al-adha-ces-trois-fois-ou-le-roi-hassan-ii-avait-annule-la-fete-du-sacrifice-216093\/\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">did so three times<\/a> during periods of drought and hardship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">These days, the country\u2019s population of sheep and cows is 38 percent lower than it was in 2016, Ahmed Bouari, the agriculture minister, recently <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ihC57dQQuyw\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">told reporters<\/a>, and prices have soared.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Even though Morocco recently tried to increase livestock numbers by <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/HENs2zkqEn8\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">importing<\/a> 100,000 sheep <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/HENs2zkqEn8\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">from Australia<\/a>, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/HENs2zkqEn8\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">according to Mustapha Baitas, a government spokesman<\/a>, people say they find the prices exorbitant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cIt\u2019s three times the price we used to pay,\u201d said Jamila el-Yacoubi, 40, a domestic worker who lives in Fes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-5\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">She said that one sheep for Eid cost about 7,000 dirhams, about $700 \u2014 her yearly budget for meat. She just could not afford it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Of the king\u2019s call for restraint around the Eid, she said: \u201cI was sad because it\u2019s an important religious tradition. But at the same time, I was happy because we can\u2019t afford to pay these kinds of prices.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Abdelmounim Rouadgi, 29, a sheep vendor who had already bought 150 sheep and ordered 150 more for the Eid, said that he had stopped those orders after the 300.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThere is nothing we can do,\u201d he said. \u201cWe can just be patient.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/03\/07\/world\/middleeast\/morocco-king-eid-sheep-slaughter.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moroccan families usually celebrate Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, with prayers at the mosque in the morning and sizzling meat skewers at night. But in recent years, many have been unable to afford basic necessities \u2014 much less the cost of a sheep to slaughter for one of Islam\u2019s holiest festivals. So when King [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":254448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/28\/multimedia\/morocco-eid-01-wfht\/morocco-eid-01-wfht-facebookJumbo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[995,3868,13625,67780,7823,3123,4326,196791,196790,196792,463,124,6661,4256,37],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254447"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254447"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":254449,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254447\/revisions\/254449"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/254448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=254447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=254447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}