A great festival of sacrifice, the holy Eid-ul-Adha, has arrived at the doorstep of the Muslim world. This Eid festival will be celebrated with great grandeur in Bangladesh next Thursday.
Here, the word “Eid” means joy, and “Adha” means sacrifice or offering. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha signifies the joy of sacrifice or devotion.
Since one of the most important aspects of this Eid is sacrificing animals in the name of Allah for His satisfaction and attaining spiritual joy through gaining closeness to Allah Almighty (the word “Qurbani” itself means closeness), it is called Eid-ul-Adha.
It is worth mentioning that the history of sacrifice began with the offerings made by Qabil and Habil, the two sons of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him).
Since then, sacrifice has continued among all nations of believers. However, the form of sacrifice prescribed for us is mainly centered around the event in which Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was prepared to sacrifice his young son Ismail (peace be upon him) in the path of Allah.
In the deserted plain of Mina near the city of Makkah, these two devoted servants of Allah set an unparalleled example of sacrifice through their unconditional submission to Him. Through the passage of years, the remembrance of this event has become known as Eid-ul-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice.
The primary objective of sacrifice is to attain “taqwa” or God-consciousness. The Holy Qur’an declares: “Neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah, but what reaches Him is your taqwa” (Surah Al-Hajj, Verse 37).
Therefore, abandoning materialistic attitudes, superficiality, and the desire for social prestige, we must participate in this festival with hearts devoted solely to the Creator.
Allah the Almighty says: “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice” (Surah Al-Kawthar, Verse 2). During the sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah, which carries the memory of sacrifice, millions of Muslims from around the world gather for Hajj in Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah, and above all, in Makkah Mukarramah, places associated with the memories of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
Through this, we deeply experience the brotherhood of the global Muslim community. In reality, all our wealth, possessions, family, and society are dedicated to Allah Almighty, and sacrifice is merely a symbol of that devotion.
For this reason, while sacrificing animals, we recite the verse whose meaning is: “Say, indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds” (Surah Al-An‘am, Verse 162).
Alongside attaining the pleasure of Allah, one of the major objectives of acts of worship such as prayer, fasting, Hajj, and zakat is the establishment of social harmony. Eid-ul-Adha also creates an opportunity to strengthen this harmony.
Therefore, it is our duty to properly fulfill the instruction of distributing a large portion of the sacrificial meat among the poor and needy members of society. At the same time, on this holy occasion, we must remain conscious of our civic responsibilities.
If animal waste is left scattered after sacrifice, the environment becomes severely polluted, posing a threat to public health. Therefore, after the sacrifice, blood and waste should be cleaned quickly, and bleaching powder or disinfectant should be spread over the area.
Alongside assisting sanitation workers, we must also keep our surroundings clean through our own efforts.
Finally, the noble ideal of sacrifice that this festival teaches us should not remain limited to just one day; rather, it should be reflected throughout the year in our thoughts and actions.
We must remember that no society or civilization can be built without sacrifice. If we can carry the spirit and ideals of self-sacrifice taught by Eid-ul-Adha in our hearts and reflect them in practical life, peaceful social coexistence can be ensured.
On the occasion of this sacred religious festival, heartfelt greetings and best wishes are extended to the people of the country and to the entire Muslim world — Eid Mubarak.