The Eve of Eid ul Adha- A Message of Sacrifice

Eid al-Adha, or the “Festival of Sacrifice,” is the second major Islamic holiday of the year. It honors Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) (Abraham) unwavering faith and absolute obedience to God (Allah) when he willingly agreed to sacrifice his son Ismail (A.S).

The celebration of Eid-ul-Adha is to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion to Allah SWT and his readiness to sacrifice his son, Ismail. At the very point of sacrifice, Allah SWT replaced Ismail with a ram, which was to be slaughtered in place of his son. This command from Allah SWT was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness and commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without question. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.

The sacrificial animal must be a sheep, lamb, goat, cow, bull or a camel; the sheep, lamb or goat consist of one Qurbani share, whereas a bull, cow or camel consist of seven shares per animal. The animal must be in good health and over a certain age in order to be slaughtered, in a “halal” friendly, Islamic way.

The Qurbani meat can then divided into three equal portions per share; one-third is for you and your family, one-third is for friends, and the final third is to be donated to those in need.

Traditionally, the day is spent celebrating with family, friends and loved ones, often wearing new or best attire and the giving of gifts.

While Ibrahim (A.S) was on his way with full faith in God, the Devil (Shaitan) tried stopping him, sparking his ego, provoking his wife but Ibrahim (A.S) was devoted to God.

The message we can conclude from this “Eve” is to abstain from Ego, have faith in God and be humble towards our brothers and sisters, creating a bond and giving a message to the World of Peace and Harmony.

Later on Imam Hussain (A.S) and his companions also sacrificed life to save not only Islam but to expose the enemies of Islam, the whole essence of Islam develop under these two circumstances is to be courageous for Ideology and sacrifice for Truth.

In conclusion, Eid al-Adha stands as a profound testament to the power of unwavering faith, absolute devotion, and selfless sacrifice. By commemorating Prophet Ibrahim’s ultimate submission to the Divine will, the festival transcends historical remembrance to become a living practice of compassion and social responsibility. Through the sacred ritual of Qurbani and the equitable distribution of charity to the less fortunate, the holiday effectively bridges socioeconomic divides and fosters global unity. Ultimately, Eid al-Adha concludes not merely as a period of celebration, but as a spiritual renewal that inspires believers to integrate the values of charity, empathy, and obedience into their daily lives.