Mecca municipality mecca
A photo handout from the Mecca municipality showing the seized meat inside a vehicle. Image Credit: Supplied

Cairo: Saudi municipal authorities said they had seized 1,000 kilograms of meat unfit for human consumption in the holy city of Mecca ahead of this week’s annual Hajj pilgrimage and Eid Al Adha, a peak season for meat use.

Mecca’s municipality tweeted that the meat went rotten after it was transported inside a poorly equipped vehicle.

Inspection teams had seized the meat that became unfit for human consumption due to poor transportation and storage, it added.

The municipality announced availability of the service to slaughter sacrificial animals during the Eid at the facilities it oversees. The municipality called for making reservations for the service to protect public health and safety.

During Eid Al Adha, Muslims, who can afford it, sacrifice animals such as sheep, goats, camels and cows, honouring the Prophet Ebrahim’s willingness to slay his son Ismael at Allah’s command. As the Prophet Ebrahim and Ismael showed unwavering obedience to the divine order, Allah sent a ram slaughtered in the son’s stead.