Festival of Sacrifice, a Reflection

We just celebrated Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice,  a religious festival for  Muslims worldwide in commemoration of the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah (swt).

We all know the story of Eid al-Adha when the devil tempted Ibrahim for not obeying Allah (swt) to spare his son.  But Ibrahim succesfully beat the temptation and as he was about to sacrifice his son, Allah (swt) intervened and instead provided a lamb as the sacrifice.  Today all over the world Muslims sacrifice an animal (usually a goat or a sheep), as a reminder of Ibrahim's obedience to Allah (swt).

Unfortunately, wether we realise or not, we just conceive Eid al-Adha as a special moment to share with others by donating our udhiyah (animal sacrifice) wihout good knowledge of the significance of the "sacrifice" itself. That's why we sometimes feel the joy of Eid al-Adha just because we afford to buy a sheep or goat to sacrifice and to share the meats with poor people or the joy that we will receive the donation that make our freezer at home full with stock of fresh meats. In short, when the celebration is over, so is the joy and we easily forget the essence of "sacrifice" and to impelement it in our daily life.

does it ever cross our mind what our action wil be if we experience what has happened to Prophet Ibrahim? shall we sacrifice our child just like that? Actualy that what Allah (swt) teach us about sacrifice not only for human being but the most important to Allah as a test for our obidience to HIM. Are we ready to give up things which are valued or desired? are we ready to give up something for something else which is more important and urgent? are we ready to sacrifice our wealth, time, life, attitudes even fellings in our daily life?  as we realise that everything we have in this world in fact belong to Allah (swt).

We need will and effort to turn toward Allah and to turn away from all which displease HIM. It all need sacrifice in our daily life not only on Eid al-Adha because sacrifice in our daily lives is the only real way to success in here in the world and in the hereafter. Insya Allah.

*an advice to myself