Turkish school distributes beef meats to indigent families in Zamboanga

Butchers divide cows during Monday's distribution of beef meats for thousands of people, mostly indigents, at the Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School in Sinunuc, Pitogo, this city.

The Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School slaughtered at least 700 heads of cattle and distributed its meat to thousands of people mostly needy people in the different villages in the city as part of the Muslim feast of Eid al-adha holiday.

Muslims sacrifice cows, sheep, goats and bulls during yesterday's Islamic religious holiday, a ritual commemorating the biblical account of Allah's provision of a ram for Prophet Abraham to sacrifice, as he was about to kill his son.

"This year, we planned to slaughter 700 cows within three days and this is an annual activity. We call it Qurban or Eid'l Adha," said Cihangir Arslan, the Turkish school high school director at Barangay Sinunuc, Pitogo in this city.

The budget used for the purchase of the cows came from donations of Turkey, Australia, Philippines and other parts in the world aimed at helping feed about 5,000 families in Manila and 25,000 families in Zamboanga City, Ipil, Basilan and Jolo, respectively.

The Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School was established in Zamboanga City in 1997 and since then has been actively involved in humanitarian activities, like the distribution of meat of beef to thousands of people, both Muslims and non-Muslims people.

"We give two kilos of beef for each beneficiary," Arslan said. "We have no expectation here. Those Muslims who can afford must do this charity. We are just distributing to make poor people happy at least once a year to taste beef."

He said the meat is intended for anyone as long as he or she is indigent. "This is not only for Muslims. We're not only sharing the meat for Muslims. We distribute also to our Christian brothers and sisters. The blessings are for everybody."

The estimated 1.5 billion-strong Muslim world called Ummah, including its Filipino members, paid tribute Monday to the patriarch Abraham's strong faith in God as they celebrated Eid'l Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice and one of Islam's biggest holidays.

This is told in the Qur'an, in Chapter 37, Verse 102:

"Then when (Abraham's son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him he said: 'O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now tell me what is thy view!' (The son) said: 'O my father! Do as thou art commanded. Thou will find me, if God so wills, among those who are patient in adversity!'

Muslims believe that God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son. Prophet Abraham obeyed but before he could slaughter his son, God at the last moment replaced his son with a ram for the sacrifice.

Thus, Eid'l Adha celebration through slaughtering an animal honors Abraham and his strong faith. The meat from the slaughtered goat, sheep or cow is divided in four equal parts: one quarter for the owner, a quarter for relatives, a quarter for friends, and the last quarter for the needy.