By Imam Murtadha Gusau
Sunday, 25/06/2023
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is for Allah, and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger (Peace be upon him), his family and his true followers.
Dear brothers and sisters, Muslims Ummah in Nigeria and worldwide celebrate Eid-ul-Adha to commemorate and honour the strong sense of faith and obedience Prophet Ibrahim had for almighty Allah. They observe the day with great vigour and enthusiasm around the globe. The festival witnesses massive joyous celebrations worldwide with animal slaughter rituals, huge feasts, and the exchange of money, sweets and gifts. Sometimes known as the Greater Eid or Big Eid (Babbar Sallah). And Eid-al-Adha marks the completion of the noble pilgrimage of Hajj.
My beloved people, Eid-ul-Adha is the second of the two official holidays in Islam. It falls on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the 12th (final) month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and marks the completion of Hajj (one of the five pillars of Islam). The Eid-ul-Adha meaning translates into the ‘Feast of the Sacrifice’ as massive sacrifices of animals occur on the day around the world.
The day to observe big Eid (Babbar Sallah) depends on the sighting of the new moon after the conclusion of the noble Hajj pilgrimage. Since the festival depends on the lunar calendar, it falls on different dates every year. Additionally, it can even fall on different dates in various parts of the world in the same year. The sacrifice continues for 3 days, and the celebrations can last for 3 or more days depending upon the traditions of various countries. Eid-ul-Adha in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and other countries will start from Wednesday, 28th June 2023.
According to the Islamic accounts, Prophet Ibrahim faced many trials in his life, one of the biggest of which was facing Allah’s command to sacrifice his beloved son. As per the new narrative, Prophet Ibrahim repeatedly had nightmares that he was sacrificing his son Prophet Ismail, before the actual sacrifice. According to the noble Qur’an, Prophet Ibrahim knew that this nightmare was a command from Allah, and he told his son:
“Oh son, I keep dreaming that I am slaughtering you.”
To this, Prophet Ismail said:
“Father, do as commanded.”
Prophet Ibrahim readied for the preparations to obey Allah’s command, which was to sacrifice his son’s life as an act of obedience and faith. During these preparations, shaitan (satan) tried to tempt Prophet Ibrahim and his family into not going through with it and attempted to dissuade them from obeying Allah’s order. Prophet Ibrahim threw pebbles at shaitan (satan) to drive him away. To commemorate their rejection of shaitan (satan), Muslims throw stones at Jamarat (three walls in Makkah) during Hajj rites to symbolise the stoning of the devil.
When Prophet Ibrahim was finally ready to sacrifice Prophet Ismail, Allah acknowledged the sign of obedience and honoured both Prophet Ismail and Prophet Ibrahim. Angel Jibril told Prophet Ibrahim that he had fulfilled the revelations and offered a big ram from heaven to Prophet Ibrahim for slaughtering in place of Prophet Ismail. Muslims around the globe celebrate greater Eid to honour the survival of Prophet Ismail and the unflinching devotion of Prophet Ibrahim.
Therefore eid-ul-Adha is an annual celebration of the Islamic faith. Commemorating the story of Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering belief in Allah, it focuses on sacrifice, devotion, charity, and compassion. Muslims Ummah enthusiastically celebrate this auspicious festival to honour and remember Prophet Ibrahim’s loyalty toward Allah every year. The celebration of big Eid reminds Muslims of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his beloved son to show his utter devotion to Allah Almighty. This prompts devotees to consider their own obedience and devotion to Allah. This day provides Muslims with a chance to seek forgiveness for the times when they have failed to fully devote themselves to Allah and pray for the strength needed to remain devoted in the future.
Millions of Muslims throughout the world celebrate greater Eid with vigour and festive cheer. With new clothes, colorful gifts, delectable feasts, and a happy atmosphere, there are several activities Muslims indulge in during the observance and celebration:
- Animal sacrifice: In order to show their unwavering devotion to Allah, Muslims worldwide mirror the actions of Prophet Ibrahim. They slaughter an animal on the occasion of big Eid. The meat from the sacrifice is divided into three equal parts: one of which is taken by the one who offers the sacrifice, the second is distributed amongst family and friends, and the rest is given to the needy and poor.
- Eid prayers: During greater Eid, Muslims dress in new or properly washed clothes. They visit the eid praying ground or Mosque to pray and thank Allah for the blessings they have received. Also called Salatul Eid, people offer Eid prayers in the congregation on the morning of Eid at the nearest Mosque. These prayers consist of two Raka’ats (units), the first of which has seven Takbirs while the second has five Takbirs. The prayer is followed by the sermon or Khutbah by the Imam.
- Happy gatherings and exchange of gifts: During Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims visit friends and relatives and distribute presents and money to each other. Traditionally, people spend time with family and loved ones on this auspicious day. They wear their best clothes and prepare delicious feasts. Muslims also embrace each other and exchange Eid Mubarak greetings with everyone they come across.
- Charitable activities: On Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims everywhere engage in various acts of charity and give back to the community. Additionally, Islamic scholars emphasise on charitable acts toward the needy and those who are less fortunate. The festival promotes feelings of care, empathy, and concern by reminding Muslims of Prophet Ibrahim’s act of sacrifice.
After offering two-Raka’ats of Eid-ul-Adha prayer at Al-Baqi, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) faced the attendance and said:
“On this day of ours, our first act of worship is the offering of prayer and then we will return and slaughter the sacrifice, and whoever does this concords with our Sunnah; and whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before that (i.e. before the prayer) then that was a thing which he prepared earlier for his family and it would not be considered as a sacrifice.” A man asked the Messenger of Allah: “O, Allah’s Messenger! I slaughtered (the animal before the prayer) but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said to him: “Slaughter it. But a similar sacrifice will not be sufficient for anybody else after you.” [Bukhari]
Here are some interesting facts about the festival of Eid-ul-Adha:
Muslims recite a specific prayer to bless the sacrifice before offering the actual animal sacrifice on big Eid.
It is mandatory for Muslims to ensure that the animal they are sacrificing is in perfect health. Further, the quality of meat for sacrifice and distribution should meet the highest standards.
When one goes to the eid praying ground or Mosque to attend the Eid prayer, it is a custom to walk back home by a different route than the one used for getting there.
Eid prayer can be carried out at any time after sunrise and before Zuhr (afternoon prayer).
And Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Adha for a duration of three to four days.
Islamic community worldwide most eagerly awaits and enthusiastically celebrates Eid-ul-Adha. Muslims around the globe take part in joyous celebrations on this occasion. So, prepare for the charity, feasts, celebrations, and rituals coming up this greater Eid.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Day of Arafah is coming, and falls on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah and is considered the most important day of the Islamic Year.
On this day, it is believed that everyone will be resurrected and gathered on Mount Arafah to be held accountable for their actions. Muslims on the Day of Arafah, will submit themselves to worship and fast to cleanse their souls to receive the ultimate reward of entering Jannah (Paradise). This day is also the very essence of Hajj. The Day of Arafah 2023 is expected to fall on Tuesday, 27 of June, 2023.
Dear brothers and sisters, please, donate during these 10 highly virtuous and blessed days of Dhul-Hijjah.
Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) stated that:
“The best of deeds is to bring happiness to your believing brother, or to pay off his debt, or to feed him bread.” [Silsilah al-Ahadith as Sahihah No. 2715]
Dear brothers and sisters, we have some families, poor and needy, devoid of even basic requirements like food and clothing. Among these families are those who are in dire need of medicines but can’t afford to buy them. We need your support and assistance to fulfill their requirements, especially on the coming occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. Therefore, during these 10 highly virtuous and blessed days of Dhul-Hijjah, let a poor orphan child or a poor parent be fed or clothed with your Sadaqah, In Shaa Allah. Donate, may Allah bless you and increase your reward in both the worlds, ameen.
And please remember that Allah helps the servant as long as he helps his brother and that Sadaqah does not decrease your wealth but increase it by the grace and power of Almighty Allah.
Please don’t miss out on the opportunity to maximise your reward this Dhul-Hijjah.
Barakallahufeekum as you happily donate.
Account Details:
- Account no. – 0048647196, GTBank
- Account no. – 1779691620, Access Bank
I ask Allah Almighty to make us sincere believers upon the Path of the Islam, sincere, truthful and humble – and that He unites us with the true believers in the Hereafter.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation; may Allah extol the mention of our noble Prophet Muhammad in the highest company of Angels, bless him and give him peace and security―and his family, his Companions and all those who follow him correctly and sincerely until the establishment of the Hour.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.
