(CANTON, MI, 1/11/2023) – The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed last night’s vote by the Hamtramck City Council to protect the right for residents to perform religious animal sacrifices in the city.
After months of controversy and a proposal by a city council member to restrict Hamtramck residents from performing religious animal sacrifices, Hamtramck City Council unanimously voted to preserve the already existing right of residents to perform religious animal slaughters.
Despite objections from some participants at the council meeting and a desire by one council member to restrict the community’s religious rights, the council was swayed against restrictions after legal advice from the city attorney and testimony from CAIR-MI Director of Safe Spaces Nour Ali.
SEE: Animal sacrifice in Hamtramck (FOX 2 Detroit)
Hamtramck City Council votes to allow animal sacrifice for religious purposes in the city
Along with mentioning legal precedent, Ali informed the council that Muslims routinely perform religious animal sacrifices in connection with Eid al-Adha in commemoration of Abraham sacrificing a sheep instead of his son.
Hamtramck is the only Muslim majority town in Michigan in which the proposed restrictions would have caused a disparate impact of the city’s Muslim households.
“We welcome the Hamtramck City Council’s vote, which blocked those who sought to place undue burden on Muslim residents who uphold their sincerely held religious practice in conjunction with Eid al-Adha,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid.
“We continue to extend our services to the Hamtramck government to assist in facilitating conversations with mutual constituents, assist in crafting policies that protect religious rights of residents, and provide trainings to governmental employees,” said CAIR-MI Director of Safe Spaces Nour Ali. “Months of arguing and public debate could have been avoided if U.S. Supreme Court legal precedent about religious animal sacrifices and current practices in neighboring municipalities had been considered.”
[NOTE: There are two major “Eid” holidays for Muslims. Eid al-Adha (EED-AL-ODDHA), commonly referred to as just “Eid,” is associated with the pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, and commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God’s command. The holiday is celebrated with prayers, small gifts for children, distribution of meat to the needy, and social gatherings. During Eid al-Fitr (EED-AL-FITTER) or “feast of fast breaking” holiday at the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, Muslims offer public prayers, exchange social visits and seek to strengthen family and community bonds.]
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La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Director of Safe Spaces Nour Ali, 313-717-4878, nsali@cair.com