Eid ulAdha commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Isma’il as an act of obedience to God’s command. According to Islamic tradition, just as Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, God provided a ram to sacrifice instead. This event symbolizes obedience, faith, and submission to God’s will.
The tradition continues even today but how many of Muslims really understand the basic concept of the sacrifice. Is it just to kill an animal, distribute the meat in needy and neighbours, or does it has some deeper meaning.
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Islam is not about eating and festivity. It is about care and concern. The basic message of Qurbani is to be always ready to sacrifice your wealth and your dear ones in the way of Allah. Sacrificing an animal and distributing its meat among neighbours, needy and relatives conveys a broader message. The message is that every faithful should always be ready to help his/her neighbours, relatives and those in need.
Charity is one of the basic teachings of Islam. A true Muslim should always be on the forefront to help poor and needy. You can’t have a sound sleep while someone in your neighbourhood is hungry. From past few decades, Kashmir has seen lots of pain and destruction. The troubled years have left an army of widows and orphans who are struggling to survive. While Eid promotes unity and brotherhood. This togetherness can be achieved when those, who are in a position of helping others, come forward and do the needful.
This Eid, let us see in our own Mohallas and villages who are the people in need. We may be sacrificing animals and having great feast but someone may be struggling to survive. Let us resolve to help the needy without any pomp and show as Islam teaches us that if you help someone with your right hand, even your left hand should not know about it. There may be some people in need in our neighbourhood but they too have self-respect. We should ensure that while helping them we don’t try to belittle them and do the needful as a religious duty not as a favour to whom we are helping.
Zakat is the most beautiful concept that Islam is advocating. If Muslims honestly and religiously follow this concept, there will be no one who goes hungry, there will be no kid who can’s seek education and there will be no one begging on the streets.
