There was no edition of Dawn today on account of the Eidul Azha holiday. The excerpt below is taken from the previous day’s issue.

(EDITORIAL) Bakrid has come again: the Festival of Sacrifice. … Even as you in the still peaceful towns, cities and villages of India perform your ablutions, anoint yourselves with attar, don your best, recite takbeer and wend your way to the Idgah or the mosque, in Bihar Muslim martyrs are anointing themselves with their own blood.

…And what sacrifice are Muslims … who are in peace, in comfort, far from danger, going to make today? Only animals purchased for a few rupees? … Other sacrifices, more real sacrifices are incumbent… . [L]et Muslims sacrifice their passion, that strong emotion and urge for retaliation which must be foremost in their troubled hearts today. The massacre of helpless, outnumbered Muslim minorities in Bihar is making Muslim blood boil just as Pandit Nehru confessed to the boiling of his blood at what had happened, or had not happened, in East Bengal… But to them on this Day of Sacrifice we say in all humility: control that passion, that anger. …Let this be your sacrifice in the way of Allah… .

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2021