'Meating' their maker: UAE residents maintain Eid traditions at livestock market — in pictures

Muslims head to livestock market to pick up fresh meat as part of Eid celebrations

Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., August 22 , 2018. Livestock shoppers for the second day of Eid Al Adha at the Abu Dhabi Livestock Market and the Abu Dhabi Public Slaughter House (Abu Dhabi Municipality) at the Mina area. -- A livestock market worker delivers a sheep to be processed across the street to the Abu Dhabi Municipality Public Slaughter House. Victor Besa/The National Section: NA For: stand alone and stock images

Livestock shoppers visit the market and slaughterhouse in Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed on the second day of Eid. All photos Victor Besa / The National

A sheep vendor shows off his wares outside the Abu Dhabi Livestock Market.

A market worker tends to his livestock.

A worker passes the livestock on to the slaughter house where he will deliver instructions on behalf of the customers detailing their desired cut for the meat.

A livestock market worker delivers goats to be processed across the street to Abu Dhabi Municipality's Public Slaughter House.

Livestock delivery boy Michell- 23 from Egypt, crosses the street to the public slaughter house with a couple of goats to be processed.

A slaughter house worker delivers a sheep to be processed.

Livestock shoppers for the second day of Eid Al Adha at the Abu Dhabi

Butchers wait to be passed livestock for processing.

Livestock market workers pass the animals on to the butchers along with instructions for the customer's desired meat cuts.

Butchers wait for livestock to be processed.

Butchers wait for livestock to be processed inside the slaughter house.

Customers wait for their meat to be delivered.

A customer pays the cashier before his livestock is processed at the slaughter house.

A customer instructs a slaughter house worker on the type of cuts he wants for his meat.

Workers bag the cut meat for delivery to customers.

Customers wait for their purchased livestock to be processed by slaughter house workers.

The delivery area where the livestock is passed over to the slaughter house and the desired cuts of meat are conveyed to the butcher.

(R-L) Pakistani brothers, Ahmed, 14, and Mohammad Haris,13, hold bags of meat they just had butchered at the Abu Dhabi Municipality Public Slaughter House.

It was another busy day at the livestock market and slaughterhouse in Abu Dhabi.

On Wednesday, the second day of Eid Al Adha, customers streamed into Abu Dhabi Livestock Market in Mina Zayed to select their animal for slaughter. The goat or lamb is then escorted to Abu Dhabi Municipality Public Slaughterhouse, across the road, where workers will pass on customer requests for specific cuts of meat.

The animal then meets its maker as a worker butchers it according to halal specifications.

The meat is then passed on to another butcher, further along in the assembly line, where it is cut based on the customer's instructions.

It is customary during Eid Al Adha — or the festival of sacrifice — for a family to have a goat or sheep butchered at an abattoir and share the meat between themselves, their relatives and the underprivileged.

This tradition is informed by the Quran, which tells of how God asked prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as a test of his faith. As Ibrahim prepared to submit to God's will, the devil tried to dissuade him and he threw rocks at him. This is an act is repeated by pilgrims at Hajj who throw stones at symbolic pillars.

Just before Ibrahim carried out God's command, God replaced his son with a goat. Now Muslims celebrate Eid by feasting on a goat.

________________

Read more:

Thousands flock to livestock markets during Eid

How vegans in the UAE celebrate Eid Al Adha