Eid al-Adha

 

When a friend asked me to write something about Eid al-Adha, my first reaction was: I have no time! Then I realised, I should take some time out to write about this. After all, isn’t this the essence of Eid al-Adha, to sacrifice?

He also made a peculiar request: to not call the festival Bakra Eid. Though I found it amusing to start with, the more I thought about it the more I realised the depth of the request. Eid al- Adha translates to ‘Festival of Sacrifice’. Though goats are a part of the sacrifice, calling the festival Bakra Eid draws one’s attention away from sacrifice and focuses it on the goat and on feasting, when the true essence of the festival is sacrifice.

The essence of sacrifice is to let go of bad habits, emotions, feelings, material possessions, etc. for the betterment of an individual and of society as a whole.

Make a sacrifice of bad habits like drinking and smoking. Habits which are detrimental to individual health and to family ties.

Sacrifice sleep to go for a run and work on your health. Sacrifice sleep to study, if you’re a student.

Sacrifice negative emotions like anger and jealousy that keep you from forming healthy relationships. These emotions also disrupt harmony in society.

Sacrifice the grudge you are holding against someone for it is sure to only lead to more misery.

Sacrifice ego to accept other perspectives. I am right, doesn’t make you wrong. Both of us can be different and yet both of us can be right.

Sacrifice from your excess wealth to make life better for someone who is not as privileged.

Sacrifice your time to help another, to teach children, to share your knowledge, and to empower another.

These are a few examples of the sacrifice this festival stands for. Even part of the meat of the sacrificed animal goes to the less fortunate. Let us embrace the true spirit of Eid al-Adha and make a sacrifice that will truly make the Almighty happy.

Eid Mubarak!

The story in short of Eid al-Adha (copied from Wikipedia) :

One of the main trials of Hazrat Ibrahim’s life was to receive and obey the command of God to slaughter his beloved son. According to the narrative, Ibrahim kept having dreams that he was sacrificing his son. He knew that this was a command from God and he told his son, as stated in the Holy Quran,

"Oh son, I keep dreaming that I am slaughtering you". He replied, "Father, do what you are ordered to do."
— Surah As-Saaffat 37:102

Hazrat Ibrahim prepared to submit to the will of God and to slaughter his son as an act of faith and obedience to God. During the preparation, Iblis (Satan) tempted him and his family by trying to dissuade them from carrying out God's commandment, and Hazrat Ibrahim drove Iblis away by throwing pebbles at him. In commemoration of their rejection of Iblis, stones are thrown during Hajj rites at symbolic pillars, symbolising the place at which Iblis tried to dissuade Ibrahim.

Acknowledging that Hazrat Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice what is dear to him, God honoured both him and his son. Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) called, "O' Ibrahim, you have fulfilled the revelations." and a goat (sheep) from heaven was offered by the Angel to prophet Ibrahim to slaughter instead of his son. Many Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha to commemorate both the devotion of prophet Ibrahim and the survival of his son Ismail.