The Day of Eid-ul-Adha
By E-Islam Team
The Day of Eid ul Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) is an important occasion celebrated by Muslims globally on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah to honor the willingness of ʾIbrāhīm (Abraham)(peace be upon him) to sacrifice his son Ismā'īl (Ishmael)(pbuh) as an act of obedience to Allah Ta'ala, before Allah Ta'ala intervened to provide him with a sheep to sacrifice instead.
It reminds us how obedience to our Lord Allah Ta'ala is the answer to everything. This means surrendering your life, your whole being, all that you are, all that you have and all that you identify with to and only for Allah Ta'ala.
When you sacrifice everything that you identify with to Allah, He gives to you your authentic and eternal self. That is the spiritual "secret" so many of us seek. Both Eid-ul-Adha and Hajj serve as a special occasion that definitely gets one in touch with this "secret".
Eid-ul-Adha is a day on which a Muslim should bring himself or herself closer to Allah by means of doing good deeds—such as Prayers, Qurbani(sacrifice),caring for the poor and the needy, visiting the sick people, helping those who are in need and refraining from evil practices such harming people and severing ties of kinship.
In short, `Eid Al-Adha is a model for the Muslim community which maintains love, care, brotherhood and sisterhood, beauty, and solidarity. `Eid has significant social, educational, devotional, and spiritual messages that Muslims should grasp and translate into a complete way of life.
SUNNAH (Practices of The Noble Messenger of Allah-peace be upon him)
ON THE DAY OF EID-UL ADHA
- To rise as early as possible
- To make Ghusl (Take a bath)
- To use the Miswaak (brush our teeth)
- To apply Itr (perfume)
- To wear one's best clothes (not necessarily new), ensuring that it conforms with Sharia (Islamic code of dressing)
- For Eid-ul-Adha is like Eid-ul-Fitr in every sense except for that in Eid-ul-Adha it is desirable not to eat anything before prayer, if you have eaten then there is no harm
- To go to the 'Eid Gah' (Place of Eid Prayer) as early as possible.
- To perform Eid Salaat on the 'Eid Gah' rather than the Masjid. There is no harm for aged and the sick to perform their Eid Salaat in the Masjid. Rain is also an excuse for performing Eid Salaat in the Masjid.
- To choose a separate route when returning from the Eid Gah.
- To walk to the Eid Gah. However, there is no harm in using any means of conveyance if the Eid Gah is a distance away.
- Recite the following takbir in abundance: Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. La ila-ha ill-lallah.Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. Wa-lilahill hamd. (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah. Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest. And all praises are for Allah)
- If we have the means than Qurbani(Udhiyya) should be done