By Nanauzir
Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) makes a special connection between sacrificing animals and taqwa (piety) as mentioned in the Qur’an: “It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him.” [Qur’an 22:37].
Thus, let us remember Allah and perform this act of worship solely to obtain His pleasure.
The sacrifice revives the sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He (peace be upon him) was ready to give up everything for the sake of Allah (subḥanahu wa ta’ala) and submitted unconditionally to His commands by even willing to give his beloved son as a sacrifice just like what Allah asked Prophet Ibrahim in his dream. Turned out, Allah replaced it with an animal to be slaughtered.
In this ‘seerah’, let us revive the spirit behind the sunnah.
Be generous and select a healthy animal for sacrifice. We may have given a lot of charity, but if we miss out on this, we have missed out on a great act of charity specific to this special occasion to Muslims.
Look at how we have spent our money on luxuries for the entire year. Now what will we offer as a sacrifice to gain the closeness of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and to purify our properties?
As we strive to attain taqwa by sacrificing animal, remember that we should even sacrifice bad habits for the sake of Allah. Will you quit (and sacrifice) haram job and look for halal sources of income? Will I let go of any forbidden relationships? Will I sacrifice my sleep to get up for fajr regularly?
Will you let go of your ego and make amends with your relatives? Will you repent from all your sins and try your level best to fulfill your ultimate aim of the Hereafter: to attain Paradise?
Are you ready, like Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), to submit unconditionally to all of Allah’s commands?
May Allah pour His infinite blessings on each one of our families and unite us with one another. Happy Eid Adha everyone!
Photo by The Telegraph