Poverty Alleviation: The Redistribution Impact of Eid-ul- Azha Animals’ Sacrifice on Rural Economy

Sacrifice of animals at Eid-ul-Azha is a religious obligation which is performed with great religious fervour throughout the Islamic world each year. Some of the scholars argue that instead of sacrificing the animals, equal intended value in cash, among the poor may be distributed. This paper attempted to analyze this argument and found that distribution of alms in lieu of sacrifice has negligible economic significance viz-a-viz the economic benefits which accrue from practicing this religious obligation. The practice involves exchange of value with rural population as the major beneficiary and with the average of marginal propensity to consumer as 0.68 for the last 10 years in Pakistan, the total value of Rs 60 billion of all sacrificed animals during 2007-08 formed an immense injection to the income flow and accelerated the velocity of money. This study has found that the practice provides incentives for animals raising, neutralizes pressure on fodder, provides the basic input to the leather industry and appreciate concern for quality and helps balance the ecosystem. The market offer greater competitiveness and diversity so that all income groups find a seller. From management point of view, many of the buyers form a group and one member is entrusted with the responsibility of selection, purchase and execution of the sacrifice with reasonable flexibility for upper price adjustment. The study concludes that the practice be organized on more scientific lines and a campaign in favour of the practice may be launched both in print and electronic media well before the Hajj.