Eid al-Adha or Barkra eid as we know it, is falling on August 22 this year. It is one of the two most celebrated festivals in Islam. Muslims all over the world, celebrate this festival to commemorate Ibrahim’s sacrifice of his son to follow God’s order and please him. Non-Muslims often wonder why this festival is celebrated. So let’s have an insight at the story behind Eid al-Adha.
Why do we celebrate Eid al-adha?
God wanted to test Ibrahim’s faith so he commanded him in his dream to sacrifice his most precious thing. Ibrahim kept seeing that dream for many days and he finally confided into his wife. Upon discussion they both agreed to sacrifice their son; Ismail as he was the most precious thing for them and they asked for his consent to be sacrificed. Ismail agreed to this, and to obey God, Ibrahim took his son to Mount Moriah. The moment, prophet Ibrahim, held his sword on Ismail’s throat, Ismail vanished from there and a sheep appeared. Prophet Ibrahim heard an ether-voice stating that God is pleased with his obedience and that he does not have to sacrifice his son. He can sacrifice the sheep instead. To commemorate this event Eid a-Adha or Eid-ul-Zuha is celebrated worldwide. This festival is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice.
Some observances during Bakra Eid.
Eid al-Adha is celebrated for four days. It starts on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah. This day also embarks the beginning of the pilgrimage of Muslims called “The Haj”.
Muslims all over the world sacrifice a goat, or a cow, or a camel, or a sheep to celebrate this festival. The sacrifice is called as “Qurbani”. There are certain rules regarding the sacrifice and the way the meat from the sacrificed animal is to be distributed and consumed. The meat is divided into three parts; one part is distributed as charity to poor, one part is distributed to friends and relatives and the last part is retained by the family, who sacrificed the animal, for their consumption.
Muslims wear new clothes, offer prayers at the mosque and visit their friends and relatives during this festival. It is believed that the soul of the animal sacrificed during the festival goes to Jannat (Heaven).
Spirituality and Sacrifice:
Sacrifice and spirituality are two opposite things. If a person is spiritual, then be it from any religion, he will not be able to kill anything for religion. Sacrifice is an act that religion propagates. Spirituality, can never advocate killing a living being, for any reason what-so-ever. Kabir Saheb says, “Gala gusakon katiye miyakaharkau maar, jo paacho bismil karai, tab pavai didaar”
It means; you pray for five times a day and then kill innocent animals. This will not lead you to God.
We all are children of one father and it will be disheartening for Him to see his children killing innocent beings in the name of religion and sacrifice. Kabir Saheb says,
“Quazi ka beta mua, ur mein salai peed, wo saheb sab ka pita, bhala na mania beer.”
It means; when quazi’s son dies, he feels the pain and sorrow. Then how supreme God, who is the father of all would be pleased when His children are killed?”
Muslims, advocate that God replaced a sheep with Ibrahim’s son and accepted it as a sacrifice. If that identity was God, then why did it ask Ibrahim to kill any innocent creature at all? Why it just did not appreciate Ibrahim’s faith and asked him to return home with his son? Muslims also argue that they kill the creature slowly to ensure it doesn’t feel the pain of dying by just slitting its throat a little and letting the blood flow out till it dies. This is called as Halal. Kabir Saheb questioned this practice asking them that if it was really so easy to kill a living being like this and send its soul to heaven then why use animals at all.
Kabir Saheb, objected to this practice. He often said that if by sacrificing you can send souls to heaven, then why you are sending soul of animals? Heaven is a place where all humans want to go post death. It would be wiser to send your family members first. Also, where is this practice of sacrificing an animal validated in Holy Quran? There are several couplets (dohas) written by Kabir Saheb criticizing killing innocent animals and consuming their meat.
“Mullah tujhe karim ka kab aaya farman, ghat phora ghar ghar banta saheb ka nisan”
It means; Mullah, when did you receive the order from God to kill an animal, distribute and consume its meat?”
Jor kari jabah karen, mukhso kahai halal,
Saheb lekha maangsi tab hosi kaun haval”
It means; you have killed me mercilessly and you call it halal, when you stand in front of God, what you will say to defend yourself”
Today, Sant Rampal ji Maharaj, is preaching his disciples to walk on the path shown by Kabir saheb through the rules that all his disciples are required to follow. He has shown evidences in Holy Quran, which supports the fact that there is one Supreme Almighty who created this very existence in a period of six days and rested on the seventh day on His throne. According, to the Holy Quran; Surat Al Furqan, Ayat 52 -59, there is only one God, who is worthy of being worshipped, for whom one should struggle and firmly believe in Him. That God is “Kabir Saheb”. He also proved that, God never ordered mankind to consume meat and He has given green vegetables and seed bearing fruits as food for mankind. No living being is to be sacrificed, if anything is to be sacrificed it is one’s ego, hatred, greed, lust and pride. Sacrificing any innocent being for the sake of religion can never please God. For more detailed information kindly watch the Spiritual discourses by Sant Rampal ji Maharaj on Sadhna TV, Shraddha TV, Haryana News, Nepal 1, Ishwar TV or simply visit www.supremegod.org
