Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
Eid means joy and delight. Azha means sacrifice. So, the meaning of Eid-ul-Azha is the rejoicing of sacrifice.
The other meaning is coming back every year which is held on the 10th of Jilhaz. Eid-ul-Azha is a name of worship.
The word Qurbani originates from the word Qorab which means affiliation, proximity or coming in touch of Almighty Allah.
It is the oldest custom in human civilization. In this universe there are 18,000 species of God’s creation.
Among them, human beings are the best, dearest and nearest to Allah. On this earth, there are many people of different nations, races, tribes, religions and castes.
In every religion the principle of sacrifice is narrated and depicted in such a way that will clarify and purify people’s souls.
So, for the sake of religion, every person in this world tries to help and sacrifice for others.
The greatest sacrifice of prophet Ibrahim was accepted to Almighty Allah and animal slaughter is duly introduced instead of his beloved son.
Qurbani is nothing but a way of testing and trialing to purify one’s mindset — whether we have a clean mind free from brutality, jealousy and cruelty. Neither a big size animal nor its flesh reaches the Almighty but Allah fearing is the main factor.
Today in the name of “Qurbani” many have a tendency to exhibit big animals in facebook as if there is a competition of animals. People also try to show their aristocracy in the society.
The Eid-ul-Azha is the second largest festival of the Muslim Ummah after Eid-ul Fitr. It is celebrated all over the world with the spirit of sacrifice.
Generally, sacrifice means to give away one’s valuable things for others but the real sacrifice means to surrender one’s own interest.
A man who is helpless and who has the capacity to control himself and finally who can refrain himself from lust, only enjoys the happiness of true sacrifice. By true sacrifice an individual is honored in society.
Religion is also flourished by sacrifice. In this world there is no end of greed and wants. The more greed exists in a person, the more s/he craves for earthly materials. Greed leads humans to ruin. Society gets polluted and plunges into anarchy.
By sacrifice, human beings attain other qualities like tolerance in society. Sacrifice and tolerance both coexist.
Without one, the other cannot flourish. Eid-ul-Azha is the big day where all Muslims have the lesson of sacrifice and tolerance.
Rich and poor all have the rights to enjoy and taking the taste of rich food. It should not be confined only to ceremony.
It must appear before us with the noble teaching of humanity. We need to have teaching of Eid-Ul-Azha, so that we maintain harmony among human beings. If we follow the ideal and message of it, we would be able to live in peace with the ideology of truth and beauty.
Profit and loss of animal and social status by animals’ exhibition is completely forbidden. This never serves the purpose of Qurbani and the objective will never be fulfilled to Almighty Allah. Our only aim will be to satisfy the Almighty through slaughter.
In the festival the animal skin must be sold with a logical price and meat is required to be distributed among the poor and unprivileged people in society.
Meat must be distributed to the poor and joy and delights are required to be shared for festival sake. Almighty Allah has dictated us to follow the ideas of sacrifice.
This is because by sacrifice only we can come closer to our creator. Through sacrifice one can remove the cruelty, selfishness and narrowness of mind. One can broaden one’s life expectancy by sacrifice.
Islam never allows a man to be an epicurean. To ensure social welfare is the essence of sacrifice. It leads us to the teaching of humanity and flourishes our national culture. Solidity, brotherhood, discipline and social values are established through it. Slaughter is mere symbolic.
The reality is coming to Allah’s proximity. If our mind is clear only then it will be granted to the Almighty. Through it, we get a world of love and peace.
The physical act of sacrificing the animals is just a ritual, is just a tradition and is just a sacred practice whereas the essence lies far beyond it and the spirit of it goes far beyond common human perception. This act of sacrifice symbolizes our will to give up some of our own bounties.
It is to train us how to surrender ourselves to the will of Allah. Muslims recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and they should open our heart and share with others. Eid-ul-Azha is a time for Muslims to learn the value of self-denial by making a sacrifice of something living to Allah.
The festival of Eid-ul-Azha and all the different activities related with the festival have a tremendous impact on the socio-economic conditions of the country. Eid-ul-Azha corresponds with Hajj to Makkah by the financially able Muslims.
The performance of Hajj and sacrifice of cattle during Eid-ul-Azha generate money supply, promote trade and business, create jobs, and overall, helps the economy. Competent macro management of such a supply side economy can prove to be crucial for sustainable development.
In Eid congregation all people forget and forgive their past ill activities, they submit their humble prayer before Allah for peace and unity.
As a result, we see a very heavenly atmosphere in Eid congregations and it becomes a big meeting place with each other.
Let us take and treat this festival as a media of our sense and social bondage. In this Eid our sole demand would be to go to the deep essence of Eid-UL-Azha. Let us promise that we spread the teaching of humanity to all mankind for Allah’s mercy.
All Muslims celebrate the day with the spirit of love, fellow feeling, brotherhood, fraternity and sacrifice. With this spirit in their hearts, Muslims would be able to establish humanity and restore peace and tranquility and resist evils.
The author is former Deputy Director
General, Bangladesh Ansar and VDP; columnist and researcher.