Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Eid-ul-Adha-The complete dedication to the almighty (24-09-2015)

 Two of the most important Islamic festivals of the year are Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. While the former marks the end of the long fasting month of Ramadan, Eid-ul-Adha marks the end of Hajj, the sacred pilgrimage to the holy city Mecca. It's customary for every able Muslim (as prescribed in the Five Pillars of Islam) to go on a Hajj at least once during his lifetime. Also popularly known as the Festival of Sacrifice, this Muslim holiday Eid-ul-Adha commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s unselfish act of sacrificing his own son Ishmael to the One God, Allah.

The history behind Eid-ul-Adha follows the story of the faithful Ibrahim, who was instructed by Allah in a dream to raise the foundations of Kaaba, a black stone, the most sacred Muslim shrine in Mecca (Saudi Arabia), which the Muslims face during their prayers (Salat). Immediately responding to the Lord's call, Ibrahim   set off for Mecca along with his wife and son, Ismael. At that time, Mecca was a desolate and barren desert and Ibrahim had to face a lot of hardships. However, he supplicated Allah's commands uncomplaining. In a divine dream, he also saw himself sacrificing his son Ishmael for Allah's sake. When he told this to Ishmael, the latter immediately asked his father to carry out Lord's commands without faltering and assured that he was completely ready to give up his life for God. But miraculously enough, when Ibrahim was about to sacrifice Ishmael, Allah spared the boy's life and replaced him with a lamb. And this is what Ibrahim ultimately sacrificed.To commemorate this outstanding act of sacrifice (Qurbani) by Prophet Ibrahim , people sacrifice a lamb, goat, ram or any other cattle which is Halal in Islam on Eid-ul-Adha and give the meat to friends, neighbors, relatives and the needy. People who are away from the holy pilgrimage, Hajj, also carry out this traditional sacrifice. Hence Eid-ul-Adha is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or the Day of Sacrifice.Eid-ul-Adha begins from the 10th day of the 12th Islamic month Dhul-Hijjah. But the date of Eid-ul-Adha depends on the visibility of the moon each year. Eid-ul-Adha is known by different names in different parts of the world. 

For instance, Eid-ul-Adha is known by the name Hari Raya Aidiladha in south-east Asia. In Singapore, the local name for Eid-ul-Adha is Hari Raya Haji and in Malaysia, people refer to this festival as Id al-Adha and has made it a national holiday there. Indians know Eid-ul-Adha as Id al-Adha or Idu'z Zuha. And in Bangladesh, Eid-ul-Adha is known as Eid-ul-Azha or sometimes even Id al-Adha. But whatever the name, the celebratory spirit of Eid-ul-Adha runs high among Muslims all over the world, the geographical variations notwithstanding.What does Eid al-Adha commemorate?During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Ibrahim. The Qur'an describes Ibrahim as follows:"Surely Ibrahim was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous." (Qur'an 16:120-121)One of Ibrahim’s main trials was to face the command of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah's will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his "sacrifice" had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superseded all others that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God. 

Why do Muslims sacrifice an animal on this day?During the celebration of Eid al-Adha, Muslims commemorate and remember Ibrahim’s trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat. This action is very often misunderstood by those outside the faith.Allah has given us power over animals and allowed us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name at the solemn act of taking life.


We recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and we should open our hearts and share with others.It is very important to understand that the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning for our sins or using the blood to wash ourselves from sin. 

Done by

Sana Navaz

Class 12-D