Every year, Muslims celebrate two Eids which is an Arabic word that means ‘celebration’ or ‘festival’, both are prestigious words in Islam. One of the Eids is called Eid-ul-Azha, which will be celebrated on June 29th in Pakistan.
Eid ul Azha is often called bari eid (Big Eid) but have you ever wondered why Eid-ul-Azha is called a big Eid? Simple, because of its message which is so great and beautiful. Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) was once ordered by Allah to stab his son on His will. Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) was subjected to a great test, yet he was fully prepared to follow Allah’s command and do as He instructed. Allah tested Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and he in the end passed the difficult test given by Allah.
Eid-ul-Azha not only gives us the message of sacrifice but also tells us that the most acceptable thing in the sight of Allah is close to our hearts.
This was the philosophy of sacrifice and then consider it further, then sacrificial is considered as a sunnah. If a person is obliged to offer a sacrifice and he does not do so, then the Prophet (PBUH) says that he should not come to the Eid Gah, a holy mosque, he has no right to celebrate Eid with the Muslims.
Love is greater than sacrifice. The one who is loved cannot be sacrificed, but Prophet (PBUH), by sacrificing his son, explained that the love of God is something on which all the loves of the world can be sacrificed.
In the pre-Islamic era, two days of the year were reserved for games and when the Prophet (PBUH) came to Madinah, he said, “You used to play in those 2 days, however, God has given them two better days than just playing which are Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Barida that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) did not go to the mosque without eating anything on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr and never ate anything until the Eid prayers on the day of Eid-ul-Azha. According to the Hadiths, on the day of Eid-ul-Azha, one should wear the best clothes available, apply the best perfume and sacrifice the fattest, freshest, best animal.
Every year the Prophet (PBUH) used to sacrifice two lambs, one for himself and the other for his ummah. He used to slaughter the sacrificial animal with his own hands and the Shari’ah has encouraged every Muslim man and woman to slaughter the sacrificial animal with their own hands if they can afford it.
After the prayers on the day of Eid-ul-Azha, one should pray to Allah to protect him, his family, and the Muslim Ummah from all kinds of tragedies and save him from all the tribulations of the modern age. One should pray for all the sorrows and hardship in his life during the Eid prayers and pray for his own salvation and success in this world and the hereafter as it is one of the opportunities for acceptance.
Prophet Ibrahaim (peace be upon him) fulfilled the command of Allah in a dream and sacrificed his beloved son for it. In return for his sacrifice, he got back his son back. He made the love of his Prophet for God an example for the world to come.
This is a such beautiful and great message. Remembering the poor on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, arranging gifts and aid for them, loving the little ones and honoring the elders, sacrificing and distributing its meat among relatives, friends, and the poor and needy.
