Eid ul-Adha is a major Muslim festival which falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Muslim calendar.
This Islamic festival is celebrated to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), to follow Allah's command to sacrifice his son Ismail (AS) for seeking the Lords blessing.
To remember this sacrifice of a father showing his ultimate devotion to the Almighty, Muslims across the globe sacrifice cows, goats, lambs, sheep and camels in the name of Allah.
Eid is a festival which is celebrated by millions of Muslims around the world at the end of the first nine days of the holy month of Dhul Hijjah. This festival is essentially, among other things, the commemoration of the spirit of sacrifice.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) willingly and gladly agreed to sacrifice his son for Allah. But, this was a test by Allah. As Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) was about to sacrifice his son, a sheep appeared at the place of his son and the sheep was then sacrificed.
Muslims across the globe observe Eid ul Adha to commemorate this spirit of sacrifice. Its implications are then both substantive as well as figurative. The symbolism of Hazrat Ibrahim's (AS) is then repeated and recreated by Muslims on the tenth day of the last month of the Islamic calendar when millions of Muslims are observing the Hajj pilgrimage.
The festival of Eid ul Adha has a greater message for all of us. If a revered prophet of Almighty who was ordered to sacrifice his son, he went to the extent of fulfilling his creator's wish.
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If Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was willing to go ahead with a supreme sacrifice, we Muslims must understand and be ready to overcome our egotistical and materialistic outlook and selves and work towards achieving a society that promotes equality for all, no matter how materialistically we may be bestowed by the Almighty.
We as responsible members of the society should promote greater the good of society - especially its vulnerable and poor segments- that too are in the spirit of Islam.
However, what is observed on ground is that we tend to forget all the miseries and sufferings that the Muslim Ummah in general or people are facing. We have been caught into a trap of unending sufferings from the last three decades but when it comes to showing some austere measures during festivities we defy the spirit of sacrifice and indulge in extravagances.
What is more troubling is that most of us even go to the extent of exploiting the people by getting involved in profiteering and unprofessional practices.
We do not at all say that people have no right to express their happiness and enjoy the celebrations. We only wish to stress that festivities mean celebrating with a sense of proportion and responsibility towards the deprived sections of society.
Celebrations means taking them along and not letting them down or making them feel that they are a deprived lot.
What better can we celebrate this festival if we pledge to purify ourselves and our souls. We pledge to confirm ourselves to the spirit of Islam and we pledge to live simple and dignified lives and creating an example for others.
Guest Editorial
