KOTA BAHARU, Malaysia, January 12 (IslamOnline.net) - With the major Muslim feast of Eid Al Adha (Eid of Sacrifice) around the corner, spiritual leader of the Malaysian Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS) urged Malaysians to donate money, not sacrifice, to tsunami-hit Asian victims.

“The victims in Aceh need cash more than meat,” said Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abedul Aziz Nik Mat, the Malaysian news agency (Bernama) reported Tuesday, January 11.

The Malaysian Muslim scholar’s call comes in tandem with the merciful aspects of Islam and the flexibility of applying the rules.

Even though it is preferable to slaughter an animal in sacrifice to follow the path of Prophetic tradition or Sunnah, the majority of Muslim scholars agree that donating money in a case like that of the catastrophe that hit Asian nations is not against the tenets of Islam.

Most scholars, however, believe money could not replace Eid sacrifice.

In a live Fatwa Session Wednesday, January 12, Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Director and Imam of Al-Falah Islamic Center, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, said “Udhiyah is an Islamic ritual. It has certain way of application. It is meant for slaughtering the sheep. Therefore, it cannot be replaced by donation”.

He was responding to a question about the same topic, “Is it permissible to donate money, not sacrifice, to tsunami-hit Asian victims?”

Nadvi, however, added “udhiyah is not the only charitable act you can do. You are allowed to send as many sadaqat as possible, with no restriction”.

Being a universal call for mercy, compassion, and solidarity, Islam calls upon all members of the human family to cooperate together to end suffering and affliction.

With this in mind, it is permissible in the viewpoint of Islam to entrust the Muslim aid agencies with slaughtering udhiyah animals anywhere in the world on behalf of Muslims from other countries and distributing the meat in the countries hit by the quake-triggered-tsunami, according to Muhammad Sa`di, a Shari`ah researcher at IslamOnline.net.

The PAS leader also noted that Malaysian Muslims, who are still resolved to making sacrifices to the Aceh survivors, can buy sheep for sacrifices from the hit province itself.

Around 160,000 people have been confirmed killed and thousands have been missing in walls of tidal waves triggered by a 9.0 magnitude underwater earthquake - the world’s biggest earthquake in 40 years - which struck deep in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island on December 26.

“In short, it is preferable to slaughter animal and offer monetary donation if possible,” Al-Qaradawi added.

In a separately related matter, two Egyptian Muslim scholars put forward a proposal to allow financially unable Muslims to donate meat, instead of a whole animal they could not afford to buy, as sacrifices during Eid.

Professor Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Fayyoumi and Sheikh Fawzi Al-Zefzaf of Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Academy (IRA) said allowing financially unable Muslims to donate meat as sacrifices would yield great benefits to poor Muslims.

“In light of the high prices of sheep, Muslims should be allowed to donate meat to the poor during Eid Al Adha for gaining Allah Pleasure and benefiting poor Muslims during the Eid,” Al-Fayyoumi told IslamOnline.net Tuesday.

The suggestion was, however, immediately rebuffed by the IRA as the meat donation can't be a substitute to making sacrifices.

“Donating meat is a charity that would be rewarded by Allah, however, it can't replace sacrifices,” said the IRC member Abdul Rahman Al-Adawi.

He also stressed that sacrifice is the slaughter of an animal under certain conditions and at a certain time.

Dr. Mesbah Hammad, deputy dean of Islamic Shari’ah faculty, agreed.

“Donating meat in Eid Al Adha is a charity, not a sacrifice,” he said.

It reminds Muslims of the great act of sacrifice Prophet Abraham and his son Isma`eel were willing to make for the sake of God.