The broader message of Eid-ul-Adha

Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice has just passed. Muslims traditionally celebrate it by sacrificing an animal. Sacrifice, the dictionary would tell you, is the act of slaughtering an animal as an offering to the gods. The dictionary would also tell you that sacrifice means giving up something valuable. This Eid is much more than the act of sacrificing an animal. It commemorates the desire of a father, the prophet Abraham, to obey the dictates of God; the willingness of a son, Ismail, to offer himself willingly out of respect for his father’s wish and God’s command. And it celebrates a good and merciful God who recognizes man’s dedication and obedience by ensuring that nothing happens to the son.

The animal ritual is not a propitiatory ritual; it is a symbol of a much larger message of willingness to give up something more precious to you. Rituals allow believers to communicate with God, with themselves, and with others. Such communication only becomes meaningful when we remember the broader message behind the rituals. In this case of faith and sacrifice. The prophet Abraham was indeed also tested whether he could abandon the feeling of ownership because everything belongs to the Creator, God. As has been said, each of us also has something that we are very possessive of and do not want to part with. It could be our title, our ego, our wealth. Translated into modern times, this means much more than just sacrificing an animal: it means donating one’s money and time for the greater good. And give more than what religion prescribes. It means charity to uplift the poor and needy. After all, the purpose of life is “to make a difference in having lived and living well.”

This Eid also marks the culmination of the rituals of Hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. Performance of Hajj by those who are economically well-off and physically capable is one of the pillars of Islam. THE Hajj reconstructs the events interpreted by the prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and their son Ismail as they reaffirmed their faith and trust in God.

Nothing captures the spirit of Eid better than “Eidgah‘, this brilliant news from Prem Chand. It’s the story of a poor 4-year-old orphan, Hamid, staying with Ameena, his grandmother. Rather than buying toys or candy,
Hamid uses his skinny Eid offering money to buy Ameena a pair of pliers, remembering that she always burns her fingers making rotis for him. It is a story of sacrifice, love, kindness and empathy. And that’s ultimately what Eid that’s all.