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(May Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be on all of you)
Eid ul Adha is the 2nd biggest Muslim festival. Muslims around the globe celebrate this festival with great zeal and sacrifice animals on this day.
Meanings and celebration time of Eid ul Adha
Eid al-Adha /'Id al-'Adha is the Feast of Sacrifice or Greater Eid. Eid means "festivity" or "celebration" and "zuha" is derived from "uzhaiyya" which meanscr "saifice". It is celebrated on the 10th day of the lunar month, Zul-Hijjah every year after the day of Arfah (Hajj day). Hajj is the 5th pillar of Islam and is a duty of every one who can afford hajj (the conditions apply here if someone is having enough money, visa and a meheram in case of a woman. A mehram could be father, brother, husband, son and some other relations described in Quran).
The base of Eid ul Adha
Eid ul Adha's base is in Surah Baqrah verse 196 and in many Ahadith (sayings of Prophet Mohammad Peace be upon him).
And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah . But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter.
(Surah Baqrah verse 196)
Celebration Rituals
The first thing we have to do on this day is to offer 2 rakat Salah of Eid and then sacrifice the animal on the name of Allah.
Narrated by Al-Bara' (May Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) delivering a Khutba (sermon) saying, "The first thing to be done on this day (first day of 'Id ul Adha) is to pray; and after returning from the prayer we slaughter our sacrifices (in the name of Allah) and whoever does so, he acted according to our Sunnah (traditions)."
(Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 71)
Why do Muslims Celebrate of Eid ul Adha
The reason of celebration this eid is the honor of Great Prophet of Islam, Propeht Ibrahim (Abraham ) Peace be Upon Him. It's a reminder for Muslims to remember how Prophet Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice each blessing and happiness of his life for the sake of Allah without giving a second thought to his own will. So they may be ready to sacrifice whatever they have in case the reason occur and they may not be in so much love of money and the blessings they have, like Prophet Ibrahim Peace be Upon Him did.
The purpose of sacrificing is narrated in Quran in Surah Hajj
Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good.
(Surah Hajj Verse 37)
It's the piety of the hearts which reaches to Allah and the purpose of Eid ul Adha is to prepare us for all kind of sacrifices in the time of need and to become righteous.
This festival is having a great religious importance for the Muslims around the globe and the origin of Eid ul Adha goes far beyond the Islamic history; it begins when the Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) was ordered by Allah to sacrifice his own son for His sake and not only this, whenever Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) got into some trial by Allah, he trusted Allah, didn't get afraid of the trials and fulfilled all them.
History of this festival contains two parts
1. Prophet Ibrahim Peace be Upon Him's Trials
2. Rewards from Allah for being successful in Trials
Prophet Ibrahim Peace be Upon Him's Trials
The most difficult tasks /acts which are hard for us to fulfill as we (the common human beings) get upset and loose our patience with a single small trial but Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) was the person for whom Allah told us in Quran, in Surah Baqrah verse 124
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [ Allah ] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [ Allah ] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."
Let's have a look on the trials as I think than we will be able to know why did he get so much honor and respect that till now one of the major nation of the world is celebrating a day in the honor and remembrance of him.
Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him)'s father was a statue maker and his whole nation was use to of worshiping idols but Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) said to them in the words of Quran, Surah An'am verse 79
Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah ."
As believing only on ONE LORD ALLAH and not the idols, was an offense according to his father and the whole nation, he has to leave his father and his house just for saying that he believes in one Allah and no one else. His nation turned against him and the King of the time Nimrod ordered to burn him alive in the fire but no one was able to harm him as Allah gave an order to fire as mentioned in Quran (Surah Anbiya verse 69)
"We said, "O Fire! be thou cool, and (a means of) safety for Abraham!"
When Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) got married and got a son (Prophet Ismail / Ishmael Peace be Upon Him) he was ordered to leave his wife Hajra (May Allah be pleased with her) and his son in Mecca which was in the form of a desert at that time. Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) trusted on Allah fully and left both of them there and prayed to Allah:-
Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.
(Surah Ibraheem verse 37)
As it was a desert and there was no water Hajra (May Allah be pleased with her) ran up and down between the two hills named Al-Safa and Al-Marwah seven times, in her desperate quest for water. Exhausted, she finally collapsed beside her baby Ismail (Peace be Upon Him) and prayed to Allah for deliverance. Miraculously, a spring of water gushed forth from the earth at the feet of baby Ismail (Peace be Upon Him). This water is called ZamZam.
When the son of Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him), Ismail (Peace be Upon Him) grown up; He was ordered to sacrifice his son for the sake of Allah.
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast."
(Surah Saffat verse 102)
They both realized that this was an order from Allah and not JUST a DREAM. Ismail (Peace be Upon Him) said without hesitation: "Do what you are commanded, you shall find me very patient insha' Allah (if Allah wants)." They had both submitted to the will of Allah. Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) laid his son prostrate, put his forehead on the ground and directed a sharp knife towards his neck. But as that was a trial so Allah didn't let him sacrifice son and Ismail (Peace be Upon Him) got replaced by a ram by the grace of Allah.
And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him, "O Abraham, You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
(Surah Saffat verses 103-105)
Later, Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) was ordered to construct Bait-Ullah (House of Allah / Khana Kabah) as a honor because of being successful in the ever biggest trial of sacrificing his son and when Bait-Ullah (House of Allah / Khana Kabah)'s construction got completed he was given an order to proclaim Hajj among the people.
"And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways;
(Surah Hajj verse 27).
Rewards from Allah for being successful in Trials
Allah gave him the rewards in this world and in the next world. He was given two more sons and propehthood got fixed only with his descendants and all Prophets came only from his descendants.
And We gave to Him Isaac and Jacob and placed in his descendants prophethood and scripture. And We gave him his reward in this world, and indeed, he is in the Hereafter among the righteous.
(Surah Ankabut verse 27)
"Our Lord! make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will), and of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Thy (will); and show us our place for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. "Our Lord! send amongst them an Apostle of their own, who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom, and sanctify them: For Thou art the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
(Surah Baqrah verses 128-129)
Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him)'s prayers get answered as mention in Surah Baqra verse 151 with the same words as He prayed. Allah sent Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him) and His Ummah for fulfilling Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him)'s prayers.
Muslims do Hajj as Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) proclaimed by Allah's order. When Muslims go for hajj they run between Al-Safa and Al-Marwah (the two mountains) where Hajrah (May Allah be pleased with her) ran for the water as this is an important part of Hajj and Umrah. Muslims offer 2 rakat nafal (salah / prayer) on the place called Muqam e Ibrahimi (the place of Ibrahim Peace be Upon Him) where He stood for constructing Bait-Ullah (House of Allah / Khana Kabah) . Muslim Pilgrims drink ZamZam water there and bring it back with them which is cure for many diseases as well.
We all Muslims offer our prayers 5 times a day and recite Darud (send blessings) on Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) and Prophet Mohammad (Peace be Upon Him). We celebrate Eid ul Adha in the remembrance of the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him). May Allah's blessings be upon Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) who proved to be a true Lover and obedient to Allah on each step no matter how harsh and how difficult it was for Him, He proved his LOVE for his LORD ALLAH.
Eid Mubarak to all who are celebrating. May Allah help us and guide us throughout the life without trials because we are not strong enough to pass through such trials as Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon Him). May Allah bless all of you with the special guidance and comforts in this life and life after death. Remember me and my family in ur prayers. Lots of best wishes and prayers.
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