Today, 10th Dhul Hijjah of the lunar calendar Muslims, from around the world, are celebrating Eid al Adha, the festival of sacrifice. The festive period goes beyond the Day of Eid, it is followed by the three days known as Tashreeq. And in these coming days, there is no better time to reflect on the values we as a country and an ummah hold dear.
This year’s Eid comes at an especially trying time for millions of Nigerians particularly after the removal of the subsidy on Petroleum Motor Spirit, the devaluation of the Naira and indications that electricity tariffs are about to be increased. Added to all of these challenges is the decade high inflation, which has wiped out the savings of many citizens. Nevertheless, 95,000 Nigerians were successfully airlifted to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj.
But the lessons and benefits of the Hajj season and the days leading to the Eid are for the entire Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and around the world. But the biggest lessons from the origin of the day of sacrifice, which is about two prophets of Allah, father and son, how they related with each other, and how they related with their creator. The month of Dhul Hijjah itself, is one of the four holiest months Allah has made its first 10 days the best of days just like He chose the last 10 nights of the month of Ramadan to be the best of nights, with lailatul Qadr being the best night of the year. These 10 days offer believers the opportunity to get closer to the creator.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The greatest day in the sight of Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, the Day of Sacrifice” (Reported by Abu Dawud). It is also the greatest day of Hajj, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) told us. (Reported by al-Tirmidhi)
The reason why it is described as the greatest day of the year is that it combines so many acts of worship which are not combined on any other day, such as the Eid prayer, offering the sacrifice, reciting Takbeer (glorifying Allah), and widespread remembrance of Allah. For the pilgrims in Makkah, it also includes offering a sacrifice, stoning the pillars representing Shaytaan (the devil), shaving the head (for men only; women merely cut a little off their hair), and performing Tawaaf (circumambulation of the Ka‘bah) and Sa‘ee (running between the two hills of Safaa and Marwa).
This annual ritual was in the time of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) after he saw a dream in which he sacrificed his son, Isma’il (AS). For virtually all of his life, the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was childless and it wasn’t until he reached old age that he was blessed with a son. Now he sees himself in a dream sacrificing the son. The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was reported to have said that truthful dreams of the believers are 1/46 of prophecy. For people who see dreams that come true, it is a gift from Allah of the gifts of prophecy. Scholars say of believing men or believing women whose dreams come true, are most likely truthful in their lives. And the more our dreams are not true, is an indication that we are liars.
The dreams of the prophets however are divine inspiration. The dream that Prophet Ibrahim (AS) saw was the night of 8th Dul Hijjah. This is the night of Tarwiyah. The next night, which is the night of Arafat, he saw the dream again. And the next day, he saw the dream one more time. This is the Day of Nahr, the Day of Sacrifice. What followed were acts of obedience to Allah by both father and son. The conversation between them also offers lessons in parenthood and the rights of parents over their children. In the Quran, both Ibrahim and Isma’il are described as haleem, forbearing. This was demonstrated in readiness to fulfil the command of Allah. When Ibrahim told his son about the dream he saw, his next words were not an order about fulfilling the command of Allah. Rather, he sought the opinion of Isma’il, who asked his father what Allah commanded him to do.
This story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and Isma’il (AS) is a guidance for parents and offspring alike. And according the Mufasirun, being undutiful to one’s parent is a major sin second only to polytheism, in terms of its gravity. In the Qur’an immediately after the duty of worshipping Allah comes the duty of showing dutifulness to one’s parents. Failing to treat one’s parents kindly makes one guilty of disobedience to those parents as well as to Allah, and this may deprive one of a chance of being admitted to Paradise.
