A Sacrifice

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

When the command came, Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam, did not hesitate to obey the command to slaughter his innocent son, Prophet Ismail alayhissalaam.

We know that life is a blessing and taking it away is going against this. It is wrong to kill someone. Everyone knows that oppression is wrong. Denying one of his basic right to live is an oppression. So, we are sure that to kill someone is wrong. But Ibrahim, Allah grant him peace, was commanded by God to sacrifice his only son, Ismail, and he obeyed the command. It was a good act to offer his son in sacrifice. It is a bad act if he were to disobey.

The Abrahamic way is complete surrender and submission. Whatever Allah wants, Ibrahim was there to surrender. This is the essence of Islam--humble slavehood. His Lord rewarded him and made him the father of Prophets.

إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّـهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿١٢٠﴾ شَاكِرًا لِّأَنْعُمِهِ ۚ ٱجْتَبَىٰهُ وَهَدَىٰهُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿١٢١﴾ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ﴿١٢٢

Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allah, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allah. (120) [He was] grateful for His favors. Allah chose him and guided him to a straight path. (121) And We gave him good in this world, and indeed, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. (122)

[Qur'an Ibrahim 16:120-122]

Our life is about total submission to the Will and Command of Allah. We are expected to submit whether we know the "goodness" of the command or not. It is not acceptable for people to violate what Allah wants from them. Violating Allah's command is violating His purpose of creating us.

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (56)

[Qur'an Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]

In the next 4 days, we have another opportunity, inshaAllah, to follow the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam by performing a sacrifice (qurbani or udhiyah) of a lamb, goat, cow or camel.

Qurbani is wajib (compulsory) according to Imam Abu Hanifah [and sunnah muakkadah (emphasized sunnah) according to other Imams] upon every 'mukeem' (domiciled) and who possesses 613.35 grams of silver or its equivalent in money, personal ornaments, stock in trade or any other form of wealth which is surplus to his/her basic needs. Each adult member of a family who possesses that much wealth must perform his/her own 'Qurbani' separately.

Abdullah Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah grant bless him and grant him peace, lived in Madinah Munawarah for ten years and performed 'Qurbani' every year. [Tirmidhi]

Despite the fact that the Prophet, Allah grant bless him and grant him peace, was not obliged to sacrifice as he never possessed the required amount of wealth, he still did so as can be conceived from the above Hadith above.

Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah grant bless him and grant him peace, sacrificed with his own hands, two white rams with black markings. He took the name of Allah and recited 'Takbir'. Anas stated that he saw him putting his foot upon their buttocks and saying: "In the name of Allah. And Allah is the greatest". [Bukhari and Muslim]

If the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, can do the sacrifice by his own blessed hands at the age of sixty, our man, especially the younger generation, should have no reason not to follow in his footsteps. If one cannot do so, he should at least be present at the time of slaughter.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Apostle of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The son of Adam does not perform any actions on the day of sacrifice which is more pleasing to Allah than the shedding of blood. He will come on the day of resurrection with its hair, horns and hooves, and the blood certainly will fall in a place near Allah before it falls on the ground. So, make yourselves purified there with. [Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

Eid Mubarak to you and your family with complete forgiveness and accepted worship from our Lord. Ameen.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Llahu
Wa Llahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahi Lhamd

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُوَاَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ

[Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no god but Allah.
And Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest and to Allah belongs all praise.]

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Ameen.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam