Ask Mehmet: Festival of Sacrifice Published Dec. 13, 2007 By Mehmet Birbiri 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Mehmet, I saw lots of herds of sheep in the streets of Adana and Incirlik this past week. Why is that? December 20 marks the Festival of Sacrifice and can explain why you saw herds of sheep in the streets recently. The Festival of Sacrifice falls on the 10th day of the last month of the lunar calendar and signifies recurring happiness, a day of peace and thanksgiving, a day of forgiveness and moral victory, a day of good harvest and remarkable achievements and a day of festive remembrance. This is the time when Moslems visit Mecca and other holy sites in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage known as the Hajj. The climax of the Hajj is marked by an offering of sacrifice to celebrate completing this devotional journey and feeding the poor so they too may feel the universal joy of the festival. This duty isn't undertaken by pilgrims only, but by all Moslems in every corner of the globe. The sacrifice is only a symbol. It is not the meat or blood of the sacrifice that is intended to please God, but the expression of thankfulness and affirmation of faith. In Islamic tradition, this historic event began when the prophet Abraham was ordered by God to prepare his son Ishmael as a sacrifice, an order which Abraham unquestioningly obeyed. But, Ishmael's life was spared when God allowed a ram to be sacrificed in his place. The offering of the sacrifice has become an annual celebration to commemorate this occasion and thank God for his favors. In the Turkish language, the festival of sacrifice is called Kurban Bayrami. The lunar calendar determines the religious dates and accounts for why the festival is observed 10-to-11 days earlier every year. As I mentioned before, the most notable event of this holiday is sacrificing an animal to God. In Turkey, sheep are usually sacrificed. The sacrificed animal should be at least one-year-old and healthy. While wealthy people can sacrifice more than one animal, up to seven people can get together and sacrifice a cow or camel. Although city officials designate certain areas and state that violators will be fined, sheep are sacrificed everywhere: in gardens, driveways, streets and even balconies. This is especially true Dec. 20, the first full day of the holiday although animals are also sacrificed Dec. 21 and 22. One the first day, everyone wakes up early to make their final preparations. Male family members go to the mosque to perform the special Bayram Namzi, or festival prayer, with the men of the community. The actual sacrifice begins after the men return from the mosque. The head of the family is expected to perform the sacrifice, but a butcher can also be authorized by the head of the family to do the butchering. The animal is given water and salt, its eyes are wrapped with a clean rag and it is turned to face Mecca. Before the sacrifice, the head of the family recites form the Koran, the Moslem Holy Book. After the sacrifice is completed, the meat is divided into three portions. One portion is given to the poor, a second portion is given to neighbors and the third portion is kept for the household. The skins of sacrificed animals are typically collected by Turk Hava Kuruma, the Turkish Aviation Association. The income earned from them is shared with the Turkish Red Crescent, Children Protection Association and other social foundations. After sacrificing and butchering the animal, everyone dresses in their finest clothing and visit friends, neighbors and other family members. Those bayram visits are kept very short. Post cards are mailed and phone calls are made to those who cannot be visited. Maids, gardeners, apartment doormen (or kapici) and garbage collectors are tipped during this festival. The shops in the Alley will be closed Dec. 20, the first day of the festival, but most will be open during the rest of the festival days.