While walking to the supermarket, I noticed the man crossing the path of those who were leaving my local mosque after the night prayer. The 50-something man with a round-trimmed beard was asking them whether they would be sacrificing a ram or a calf on Oct. 15, the beginning of the four-day Eid al-Adha, the Islamic festival of the sacrifice.
The bearded man was trying to convince others to donate the hide of the sacrificed animal to his charity, explaining, “We’re building a new mosque in the adjacent neighborhood. May God bless you if you can help build it.” He held a thick stub of receipts in case anyone opted to donate cash.