Of sacrifice, charity and the spirit of unity

Prophet Ibraham's infinite devotion and complete submission to the will of Allah are the core values that Muslims celebrate during Eid-al-Adha

The three-day festival of Eid-al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, is celebrated to inculcate the spirit of charity and unity among people. It exhorts Muslims to spread the essential message of Islam; love, compassion, harmony, almsgiving and peaceful co-existence.

This occasion is celebrated in remembrance of Prophet Ibraham's willingness to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismail, when God asked him to sacrifice his most precious possession.

Ismail was his only son whom Allah had gifted to him after 80 years of sleepless nights in constant prayers asking for a noble and pious child. However, when Prophet Ibraham was about to sacrifice Ismail, God put a sheep in his place.

Prophet Ibraham's infinite devotion and complete submission to the will of God are the core values that Muslims celebrate during Eid-al-Adha. Thus, they remind themselves of the prophetic willingness to sacrifice anything for the sake of God.

It is enjoined upon Muslims to sacrifice halal or permissible animals in remembrance of Prophet Ibraham's devotional sacrifice and distribute that to the poor and less fortunate.

However, the ritualistic animal sacrifice is not the core essence of this festival. Muslims opt for many more ways to express devotion to the will of God at this festival.

Many virtuous and harmonious acts based on the spirit of sacrifice, charity and kindness are carried out to achieve the core objectives of the festival.

Some affluent Muslims go as far as donating money and several kilos of meat to feed poor families in their country as well as abroad.One of the most remarkable aspects of the festival is that it marks the end of Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.

At the end of Hajj millions of devout Muslims pilgrims or hajis sacrifice animals and graciously donate food to the poorEid-al-Adha is not just a religious festival but a three-day-long spiritual session imparting lessons of submission and supplication to God.

It also offers Muslims a time for reflection on the condition of the poor and the destitute and nurtures in their hearts the spirit of compassion and generosity.

By:Affan Nomani

(The writer is a research analyst and assistant professor, Anasuya Devi Institute of technology and sciences, Hyderabad)