The letter and spirit of eid al adha

The letter and spirit of eid al adha

Eid-al-Adha is the second of the two festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It is not only a celebration but a reminder of the spirit that each believer must adopt in his life. The special day begins with two units of namaz, which is to remind the believer of his duty towards God, his fellow human beings and of his pledge to lead a pious life.

The celebration is tribute to Ibrahim’s faith in God and the spirit that made Eid-al-Adha a festival of sacrifice that lasts for three days. Ibrahim, ancestor of Prophet Muhammad, and his son Ismail were messengers of God and together they built the Kabah in Makkah. Ibrahim established Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah by calling humankind to the house of God.

God asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismail. When Ibrahim told his son about his dream, the latter replied, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me steadfast and obedient to God.” Ibrahim then led his son for the sacrifice. At that moment God called out to Ibrahim that he had already fulfilled his command. It had been a great trial of Ibrahim’s intention and God accepted this as his sacrifice. Then God sent a ram to be sacrificed instead. After the fulfilment of God’s commands, he was made a leader of humankind.

Ibrahim is an example of complete submission and devotion to God. It meant abnegation of his will in obedience to God’s command. Just like Ibrahim, Muslims must be ever willing to forsake everything for the greater good.

This great act of Ibrahim is remembered by all Muslims every year on the 10th Dhul Hijjah – the day which concludes the main rites of the Hajj. Then the pilgrim performs the same animal sacrifice as Ibrahim did. The Muslim calendar follows the moon, so the months are based on moon’s phases that is why this festival is celebrated on a different day every year for the lunar calendar is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.

The feast of sacrifice reminds Muslims of the readiness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his beloved son. In a similar vein, believers reaffirm their belief in God and pledge themselves to parting with their precious belongings, if there is a need for it. The Quran describes these sentiments: “Truly my prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death all belong to God, the Lord of the worlds.” (6:162)

At the culmination of the rites of Hajj performed by pilgrims from all over the world, the pilgrims walk around the Kabah seven times, all the while praying and concentrating only on God. All the pilgrims pray in the same language, thus fostering universal love and brotherhood during Hajj. Of all the Muslim acts of worship, the Hajj is the most prominent. In one Hadith, the Prophet of Islam called it “Supreme act of worship”. It is not just the rituals that make it so, rather it is the spirit in which the Hajj is performed that is important.

This year as we are restrained by the Covid-19 pandemic, so a big celebration is not warranted. Instead, it is pertinent to relive the true spirit of worship that rests on introspection, self-purification and embarking on a journey of leading a God-oriented life.