Let us rejoice indeed, for this is the day of Eid.

By Dina El Zohairy

Eid Adha Mubarak Everyone!

This morning Muslims all around the globe gathered to perform the sunnah of Eid prayer – such a beautiful and inspiring sight that gives hope for a better future for this ummah. In addition, there are 3 million pilgrims from over 100 countries, as Saudi officials stated, performing hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam. May Allah accept the hajj of those who went and the dua’a and fasting of those who were not as fortunate this year.

An incident from Prophet Ibrahim’s life gave birth to Eid al-Adha. His trust in Allah and willingness to submit to Him with the sacrifice of his dearest possession was a severe trial. Ibrahim was willing to fulfill Allah’s command of giving up his dear son Ismail who had been granted to him in old age. According to one source, “Prophet Ibrahim did not choose immediately. He doubted and wavered under the crushing force of pain and anguish. Only after the third vision did he finally decide to carry out Allah’s command. This is reflected in the hajj ritual of stoning the three idols representing Iblis who tempted Ibrahim to disobey Allah.”

When Ibrahim told him about his vision, Ismail readily agreed to his father’s need to obey the command of Allah: “O my father! Do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah so wills, patient and constant” (37:102). The choice of Ibrahim was sacrifice. That of Ismail was self-sacrifice, or martyrdom. Both father and son submitted to the Will of Allah. And this is the core of Islam: complete submission to Allah. Prophet Ibrahim also teaches us that our duty to Allah should transcend and determine our loyalty to nation and family, not vice versa.

The opportunities for thawab (reward) and revival of family ties in Eid al-Adha are manifold. Distributing one-third of the meat we sacrifice to the poor is a form of charity. Reconnecting with close and distant relatives and spending time with family members helps strengthen family ties. Cooking traditional meat dishes and sharing them with neighbors serves social benefits. And so on and so forth.

In the words of Sami Yusuf: Let us rejoice indeed, for this is the day of Eid.

Let us also remember Allah a lot in everything we do and be thankful for His grace.