Id-uz-Zuha

Once the Prophet Mohammed received a Christian guest from Najran in his house. There was no meal at night except the milk of a she-goat. The...

Once the Prophet Mohammed received a Christian guest from Najran in his house. There was no meal at night except the milk of a she-goat. The Prophet offered his guest the milk, while his own family went without food that night although it had starved the night before as well. This is the right way to sacrifice for others.

After the five pillars of Islam, Sunnat-e-Ibrahimi sacrifice is the most important activity. This sacrifice is the legacy of Prophet Ibrahim Abraham in Christianity who is the Prophet patron of three religions, Jewism Christianity and Islam. The festival also symbolises the test of faith and loyalty to God. The Islamic legend goes that Prophet Ibrahim was 90 and childless. After sustained prayers, God heeded and blessed him with a child named Ismael at that ripe old age.

But soon after the child had grown a bit, God ordered Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his dearest thing. Ibrahim sacrificed his favourite camel. But again the dream appeared demanding sacrifice. This time he sacrificed all his camels. But when the same command appeared thrice, Prophet Ibrahim understood that God demanded the sacrifice of his son Ismael. When he asked for his only son8217;s consent, Ismael was only too happy to let his father carry out God8217;s order. 8220;I8217;ll be fortunate to be presented to God!8221; was his response. Then the child was to taken to the sacrificial altar.

While on the way Iblis Satan tried to misguide both father and son that God8217;s demand was too unethical and tyrannical and that they should not follow Allah8217;s command. It was futile on the part of Satan and the father took out his knife to slash the throat of this precious son. At this the son shouted, 8220;Father, please cover your eyes with a cloth so that you do not waver while sacrificing me8217;8217;. It is said that while Ibrahim was slitting the throat of his son, angels in heaven wept. But when Ibrahim moved the handkerchief from his eyes, what he found was unbelievable. His son was laughing and playing. Instead, a ram was lying sacrificed in Ismael8217;s place. This was the reward of God.

When Prophet Ibrahim went for sacrifice, it was the tenth day of the Islamic Hijri calendar. Incidentally, the Haj, the world8217;s biggest pilgrimage of its kind also gets completed that day. It is quite clear that God didn8217;t want sacrifice of flesh and blood for His own sake. What He wanted to test was the love and loyalty of His Messenger. The bounties of sacrifice are bounteous. The moment sacrifice is made, God accepts it in heaven even before a drop of blood falls on the ground.