Yesterday, Nick and I were shopping in Falls Church and I found myself craving a shwarma sandwich about sundown, so went to the Lebanese halal butcher in Falls Church that sells the nice shwarmas. They were very very busy, people coming in, ordering a drink (non alcoholic of course) and waiting and everybody talking in Arabic.
After we finished eating, I went around the corner to the other halal grocer, Halaco, the one I always feel uncomfortable in, because I wanted to buy some kohl, and from the decorations, figured out that yesterday was an eid (feast day), the feast of sacrifices, Eid al-Adha. I said "eid mubarak" to the cashier, and she was friendly, but got a dirty (or at least suspicious) look from one young man in traditional clothing.
Moving right along, went next to my neighborhood video store, and said "eid mubarak" to the clerk, who wanted to know how I knew the day (these are not set in advance but depend on seeing the new moon, etc. so vary from place to place). I told him about the shwarma trip, and he mentioned how busy they must have been.
I assumed that the butcher did the sacrificing, but it turns out that people actually drive out into the country to sacrifice the animals themselves, saying the prayers and then cutting the throat and then draining the blood, and then haul them to the halal butchers who finish butchering the meat for them.
Or, you can pay them to do it all for you, and give you the meat, or you can just give them money and after they sacrifice the animals they will give the meat to a needy family for you.
Just thought it was interesting. |
