Morocco is facing an unprecedented situation. In a message addressed to the nation this Wednesday evening and read by the Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, on the Al Oula channel, King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, urged Moroccans not to perform the ritual of sacrifice of Eid al-Adha this year. A decision full of meaning, but motivated by exceptional circumstances. The main reason given by the Sovereign is the difficult economic situation the country is going through. The “climatic and economic challenges” have had a significant impact on the Moroccan herd, with a “substantial regression” in the number of animals available. This situation, if it continued, would risk putting many families at risk, particularly those with modest incomes, who would not have the means to obtain a sheep for Eid.
King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as Amir Al-Mouminine, therefore took the lead. He recalled that Eid al-Adha, although being a “confirmed sunnah”, is only obligatory “to the extent possible”. He underlined his role as protector of religions and his duty to “remove embarrassment and harm” and “promote the establishment of facilitation”, basing this appeal on the Koranic verse: “And He has not imposed any hindrance on you in religion”. The Sovereign specified that he would perform the sacrifice himself on behalf of his people, referring to the tradition of the Prophet, who had sacrificed two sheep, one for himself and the other for his Ummah. He therefore invited Moroccans to celebrate Eid al-Adha while respecting “its usual rituals” and its “noble spiritual meanings”: prayer, almsgiving, family gatherings, etc., insisting on the fact that it was necessary to give “thanks to God for His immense generosity”.
