GAM designates areas for selling, slaughtering sheep for Eid

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Monday designated a number locations for sheep traders to sell and slaughter their livestock during Eid Al Adha. 

The feast of the sacrifice, which starts at the beginning of October according to the Islamic lunar calendar, marks the end of the pilgrimage season, when Muslims of sufficient means are required to sacrifice livestock in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to God.

The municipality also announced that those wishing to sell their livestock in a stockyard can visit GAM’s directorates between September 24 and 28. 

The stockyards will be located in the capital’s Shafa Badran, Sweileh, Wadi Seer, Qweismeh, Jabal Nasser, Marka, Basman, Bader, Hai Nazzal, Ras Al Ain, Muqabalein, Marj Al Hamam, and Khreibet Al Souk areas, according to a GAM statement. 

Ahmad Hindawi, the director of markets at GAM, said work is in progress to prepare the locations for the feast of the sacrifice.

He said GAM decided on the locations based on a study of past sacrifice seasons, which also covered residents’ and traders’ feedback.

The municipality called on the public to slaughter sheep in the designated areas and announced a set of regulations for traders who want to sell sheep in the allocated locations during this year’s Eid Al Adha.

Under GAM regulations, vendors have to display sheep during the five-day holiday. Each vendor has to pay JD100 for services and a JD200 refundable deposit to guarantee that he will abide by regulations.

Vendors also have to set up fences, provide water for the sheep and build underground tanks to collect the blood. 

If the veterinarian finds that the sheep, which should be fed in accordance with Sharia (Islamic law) and in good health condition, is not suitable for human consumption, traders will be forced to give the client another sheep.

The municipality also allowed vendors to sell camels and cattle, but they are not allowed to slaughter them at the stockyards and have to take them to GAM’s main slaughterhouse in the Ain Ghazal area.