G14 Social Studies 4

Mala-atao, Nor-aisah Regaro November

15, 2010
IV-Newell Ma’am Estelita
Barataman

Eid al – Adha (Festival of Sacrifice)

A Commemoration of the Devotion of Ibraheem and Isma'el

Every year at the time of Eidal-Adhaa and Hajj, we recount the story of
Ibraheem and Isma'el`alayhimussalaam. Their lives were permeated with the
Love of Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa and with dedication to His service and
obedience. They loved and obeyed Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala to such a
level of perfection that Allah presented them as model Muslims, the way
every Muslim should be. Their lifestyle is not only a perfect model of
Submission to Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala but also a beautiful example of
an ideal parent-child understanding without any generation gap.

This was the greatest of the tests Ibraheem and

Isma'el`alayhimussalaam went through. Its difficulty was compounded by the
fact that Ibraheem`alayhissalaam had invested a lot of love and affection
during 12-13 years of Isma'el’s life and Isma'el`alayhissalaam had grown up
to cherish his own life. The test would have been easier for both the father
and the son, if Isma'el were newborn where bonding between father and son
had not taken place and where the son could not have grown up to enjoy his
life. But Allah selected the most difficult time for this test to demonstrate
their true level of commitment to Allah’s pleasure. This test demonstrated to
the world the following:

 Ibraheem and Isma'el `alayhimussalaam are not just theorizing about

Allah as the One and Only Creator, but He is a real entity in whom they
truly and sincerely believe and to whom they happily and willingly
submit;
  Unlike false gods who neither know that they are being worshipped nor
can react to the actions of their worshippers, the true God if fully
aware of what His slaves do and He interacts with them;
 The One True God does not expect people to offer ritual human
sacrifices. People lose their life to ritual sacrifice only because of the
falsehood created by those who promote false gods.

Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala loved their example of total dedication and

devotion to His commandment so much that He made it incumbent on all
Muslims until the Day of Judgment to commemorate Ibraheem’s and
Isma'el’s `alayhimussalaam spirit of complete submission to Allah through a
yearly celebration of their sacrifice. The major purpose is that the Muslims
can refresh, understand and internalize the full implications of claiming to be
‘Muslims’ (i.e. obedience to Allah) by simulating the act of sacrifice devotedly
performed by Ibraheem and Isma'el`alayhimussalaam.

Every year Eidal-Adhaa must remind us that:

 A lifestyle of complete and total submission to Allah Subhaanahu wa

Ta`aala is the essence of being a Muslim;
 A Muslim willingly sacrifices his/her most cherished belongings (things,
ideas, habits, desires) in obedience to Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala;
 A properly practicing Muslim family does not encounter a generation
gap between different generations of Muslims. A gap between two
generations is caused only by the presence of un-Islamic behaviours or
attitudes in either of the generations or both.

Eidal-Adhaa is not merely an occasion of ritual celebrations, but an annual

tune-up of one’s lifestyle so that it becomes a lifestyle that is totally
submerged in submission to Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala. It is a celebration
of simulating a Muslim’s readiness to sacrifice everything for the sake of
Allah. May Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala grant us the strength of spirit and
will to perfectly emulate the examples of Ibraheem and
Isma'el`alayhimussalaam in every facet of our daily struggle to become
better Muslims, Inshaa Allah.

Every year, millions of Muslim continue offering their sacrifices on this day
in the Makkah. In fact, people start their journey of Hajj with the same words
that Ibraheem uttered when he realized that he has been called upon to
sacrifice his son. Even the Bible records that:

After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!"
And he said, "Here am I." (Genesis 22:1)

The people going for Hajj say the same thing:

Labbayk, Allahumma Labbayk. Here I am, O Allah, here I am.