Message #24, March 2001
Eid Al-Adha: Just Another Holiday?
It seems that we are constantly approaching some
holiday or another, be it Christmas, President’s Day, or any of the other
occasions which are today either honored by few or commercialized in mass. And
so, around March 5th, Muslims worldwide will commemorate Eid Al-Adha. This is a
three to four day long feast that not only honors Nabiy Ibrahim (Alayhi
AlSalam)'s willingness to sacrifice his son Nabiy Ismail (Alayhi AlSalam) at
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)'s command, but one that also marks the end of Hajj,
the yearly pilgrimage to Makkah ‘Mecca’. One of the two major holidays in
the Muslim Calendar, Eid Al-Adha translates as "festival of the
sacrifice."
Muslims are expected to begin the day by attending special Eid prayers along with a sermon, after which they are encouraged to socialize with their fellow brothers and sisters, visiting each other’s homes and partaking in festive meals. The most important facet of this occasion however, is the sacrifice. Each earning member of the family that can afford to do so, is instructed to sacrifice a domestic animal (lambs, goats, sheep, etc.) and to distribute the meat as follows: 1/3 amongst their family, 1/3 amongst their friends and neighbors, and 1/3 to the needy.
Though this holiday should be enjoyed with the requisite gift-giving
and social gatherings, it is important to make sure that the significance of the
holiday is not lost in the inherent materialism of the occasion. When you think
of Christmas for example, is it Christ’s supposed birthday that comes to mind,
or is it the post-holiday sales that always seem to be at the forefront of the
occasion? Islam is not a set of rituals, but is rather a way of life, and as
such, there is a purpose and a lesson to be learned in everything. And such is
true of Eid Al-Adha.
"But when he became of (age to) work with him, he said: O my son, I have
seen in a dream that I should sacrifice thee: so consider what thou seest. He
said: O my father, do as thou art commanded; if Allah please, thou wilt find me
patient. So when they both submitted and he had thrown him down upon his
forehead, And We called out to him saying, O Ibrahim, Thou hast indeed fulfilled
the vision. Thus do We reward the doers of good." (Glorious Qur’an 37:
102-105).
In these verses of the Glorious Qur’an, at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)
briefly describes the historical events following Nabiy Ibrahim (Alayhi
AlSalam)’s receipt of the command to sacrifice his own son. And as in many
other places in the Glorious Qur’an, at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) uses
history here as a means to teach by example.
Nabiy Ismail (Alayhi AlSalam)’s response to his father when he is
told that he is to be sacrificed, is both remarkable and highly significant.
First, he tells Nabiy Ibrahim (Alayhi AlSalam) to do as he is commanded. For
both father and son this event required strength of faith in at Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta'Ala). It would have been all too easy for them to rationalize the command
away, or to claim that at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) only meant the command
metaphorically. Rather, they fully accepted what was clearly declared to Nabiy
Ibrahim (Alayhi AlSalam). Too often today, we find ourselves bending the rules,
or trying to get around at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s commandments. Often
times there are rules and regulations that we don’t understand the importance
of, but as Muslims we are required to accept and believe in every single one.
Full acceptance is not just a good thing to do, but is absolutely vital.
Additionally, we sometimes find some of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s commands
difficult to follow either because we don’t have the time or because they
impinge upon our lifestyle. As the Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam)
once said, the road to Paradise is filled with hardship, whereas the path to
Hell is easy and enjoyable. And so, as puzzling and as difficult as it may have
seemed that he would have to kill his own son, "they both submitted."
Therefore, we as Muslims should take inspiration from this act to strengthen our
own faith and to resolve that we should fully follow at Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala)’s commandments as best as we can, regardless of the difficulty.
Second, Nabiy Ismail (Alayhi AlSalam) tells his father that he will be
patient with what at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) pleases. It is important that a
Muslim accepts at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s will and does not fret too
much over what he does not have or what he has lost. Once, after Nabiy Muhammad
(Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) lost one of his sons, he was weeping for him
upon which he was questioned if he was displeased with at Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala)’s will. The Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) replied that he
was not, but that his heart grieved. Therefore, while it is necessary to mourn
over a loss, a Muslim must also learn to accept it as at Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala)’s will. Acceptance however, spreads much further than just over death.
Even the Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam), the most blessed of persons,
suffered many losses, setbacks, and misfortunes in his life. This highlights the
truth that everyone has their own difficulties and trials to deal with, and so
nobody should be of the frame of mind where they lament their own condition and
wish they were somebody else. Nothing happens without the will of at Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta'Ala), and so resentment of one’s condition is tantamount to resentment
of at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s will. This is dangerous, because faith in
at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) includes having faith in and acceptance of his
will. Nabiy Ismail (Alayhi AlSalam)’s life was to be taken away and his
strength of faith enabled him to accept this and to put his life in at Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta'Ala)’s hands. And so in times of trouble and tribulation a Muslim should
learn to use the occasion as an opportunity to strengthen and renew his faith
and trust in at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala).
Inclusive in Nabiy Ismail (Alayhi AlSalam)’s acceptance of at Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta'Ala)’s will, was his willingness to be sacrificed. And this points
towards the heart of the ritual of sacrificing an animal on Eid Al-Adha. The
beauty of the sacrifice is that each Muslim should see with his own eyes and
feel with his own hands, how the animal lays down its own life so that man may
be nourished. And just as the animal accepts the sacrifice, as did Nabiy Ismail
(Alayhi AlSalam), so too a Muslim should willingly accept the sacrifices he has
to make in this life to follow at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s commands, and
the sacrifices he may have to make to honor his faith, including that of his own
life. The sacrifice is also a means to appreciating the food the animal
provides, and more generally everything that at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)
provides. The sacrifice therefore reinforces the first two lessons presented in
the above verses.
The final major lesson in these verses is contained in the words, "Thou
hast indeed fulfilled the vision." Even though Nabiy Ibrahim (Alayhi
AlSalam) hadn’t actually sacrificed his son, he was rewarded as if he had.
This highlights the importance that one’s intentions play in life. A Muslim
should always enter any endeavor with the best of intentions. Then, however
things turn out, that was at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s will. This is
vitally important because as Allah says, "Thus do We reward the doers of
go0od." Since everything is determined by at Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala)’s will, a person’s actions are judged not by the outcome of the
action, but by the intentions behind the action. Therefore, it is through
one’s intentions that one is held accountable. For example, if one intends to
break his fast in the middle of the day, but then finds no food or drink to do
so, his fast is still broken. Conversely, if one accidentally consumes drink or
food, forgetting that they are fasting, their fast is still valid. Thus, a
Muslim should always be mindful of his intentions in any situation, for they are
what will shape his judgment in the next life.
Therefore, as we celebrate Eid Al-Adha this year, let us not do so blindly. The sacrifice made on this day should remind us not only of our duty to at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) but also of what He has given us. In addition, let us remember the sacrifices that others have made in the way of at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and Islam. We must then use this as an inspiration for us to rededicate ourselves to following at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s commands, to accepting at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)’s will, to being grateful for what we’ve been given, and to living our lives with the best of intentions. Then, InShaAllah, will at Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) bless us, forgive us, and grant us Paradise, Ameen.
Wa Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh
AL-KUFA
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Kufa Center of
Islamic Knowledge (KCIK)
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Wa Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh