Muslims Prepare for Animal Sacrifice During the Festival of Eid-ul-Azha

Why does God need a blood sacrifice? Can't God see how much they love him without it? I thought "knowing peoples hearts" was one of Gods distinguishing characteristics.

Eid al-Adha (aka Eid-ul-Azha) from Wikipedia

Eid-UL-Azha from Flixya

Sheep, goats get pricey as Kashmiris shop for Eid

Muslims throughout the world offer animal sacrifice on Eid-ul-Azha to commemorate a centuries-old tradition.

The legend goes that Prophet Abrahim had offered to sacrifice his son Ismail to please Allah. As Abrahim started running the knife on his son’s throat, a ram from heaven replaced Ismail as Allah was pleased with the absolute obeisance of Prophet Abrahim.

The festival is observed with great fervour in Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-dominated state. And, needless to say, many sellers try to make a quick buck.

Bashir Ahmad, 36, a government employee here, said: “The administration has no system to check the overcharging by animal sellers and most buyers do not haggle over the rates because of the solemnity of the occasion.”

But the animal sellers say they have to arrange grass and fodder to feed the livestock to rear healthy and fat animals for sacrificial offerings.

“The sacrificial animals have to be absolutely healthy and well reared. For this, we have to spend additional amounts of money. Nobody considers this while accusing us of overcharging,” said Abdul Sattar, 43, a livestock owner who has come here from south Kashmir’s Shopian district to sell his flock.